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What Alternatives,supplementary or complementary therapies do you use?

jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
My dad has severe oesteoperosis, he has tried all of the alternative therapies but, as he put it, "there isnt some old chinaman who knows something we dont".



He did actually get some benefit from copper therapy (is that the wrist band thing?) at some point though and alsoumm...some injection of a rare metal which helped his joins a lot...think it might have been platinum. But that was both on the NHS.

Comments

  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    As alot of the threads are queries regarding injuries,what alternatives do other forumities use to keep going other than the usual R.I.C.E,see a Doc or go to the Physio.??

    Any Horror stories where a suggestion led to long lay off period.

    Any of the following ,or is Western Medicine the only avenue you wish to follow,if you practice Wikka or Vodun feel free to comment this thread will get derailed at some point.I have listed a number that I have used with a mark out of 10 for their success

    Magnatherapy 9

    Copper therapy 7

    accupuncture 10 (without it I doubt if I could have returned to running)

    Bowen Technique 1 (suggested by a colleague but failed miserably)

    Q link 10 (reduction in headaches)

    Pressure massage 8 (against sport massage 5)

    osteopath 3 (limited success)

    Physio 4 (listed as a comparison)



    usual supplements such as glucosamine,cod liver oil,



    What works for some may not work for others .
  • Ron99Ron99 Posts: 237
    Dont know if I'd say avoid completely, but I went to a chiropractor recently with some knee pain. A few cracks later plus a few stretches and lets have your cash. Then the following week, he told me I'd have to come twice a week for around 6-8 weeks before I'd be sorted. How he knew that is anyone's guess (everybody is different after all). Anyway - might just have been that guy, but I've heard similar stories from lots of other people.



    Recommend:

    Pilates - strong core and flexibility. Just getting in to this myself, but its bloody brilliant. Core strength is much improved, and apparently it really helps avoid injury as well.



    Sports massage - my mate is a therapist, and I have to say its hard to beat a deep tissue massage to get rid of niggly pains. He's based in Belfast, but there are lots of other guys that belong to the same organisation at http://www.lcsp.uk.com/ (website doesn't look the best, but don't be deceived - these guys have to know thier stuff)



    Glucosamine, cod liver oil and condratin



    Cissus - basically an ayurvedic medicine, now formulated in caps for athletes. Works a bit like a combination between painkiller, anti inflamatory and treatment for repairing joints (bone and connective tissue). Great for joint pain.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Tend to agree with Ron99 regarding the Chiropractor,my Dept.Manager pulled his back and someone suggested he visit his local Chiropractor,he ended up in more pain and a 2 night stay in hospital,if a therapist ends a session with the phrase ''you need to come back for at least..... sessions'' I walk away,a good therapist will allow your body to adjust to their treatment and ask you to decide whether the treatment has begun to work and made a difference,it is sad that the word Alternative is often associated with the words con-artist.
  • ironkavironkav Posts: 259
    Ive had back trouble for years.. Chiropractor, physio, faith healers the lot.. My ChiroPracter was very good, and did a lot of nervous system stretching, and spine realignment.



    However she said that it was up to me to prevent injury as the problems would keep coming back. So to agree completely with Ron99 " Recommend:

    Pilates - strong core and flexibility. Just getting in to this myself, but its bloody brilliant. Core strength is much improved, and apparently it really helps avoid injury as well. " Core Strength is what i worked on.. Injury Free for a long time now.. Touch wood.



    Ive also had a traditional thai massage and maouri massage and they are excellent deep tissue painful yet rewarding experiences. However not available everywhere.



    IK





  • danny_sdanny_s Posts: 235
    I can't speak for magnets or copper, but I started doing pilates to help strengthen my lower back since it's always finding some way to get into pain. This has been really great, the exercises are thoroughly punishing enough that I don't feel like I'm just wasting time that I could be doing real training with, and my back/sciatic nerve haven't been bothering me nearly as much. 7-8/10 but can get rated higher after another few months



    Physios, I had a different experience. Going to a clinic when I'd badly put out my back last winter truely enabled me to walk again. Putting on shoes and socks in the morning had been blindingly painful but the spinal alignments and muscle manipulation she did worked great. 10/10 would pay double what they charged (which was already a lot)



    I'm really curious about glucosamine/condroitin though. Anyone have anything specific they've noticed helped or do you just take it and since nothing bad happens, keep taking it?

  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    I have had acupuncture, which worked a treat it was done by my physio, and followed a sports massage (about 2 weeks prior) which helped but did not really sort the problem. i'd rate it as an 8, sports massage about a 6,



    i take glucosamine, condriotin and milk thistle - also known as silymarin i think (for my liver - i have an issue with it but ithelps repair which should increase glycogen storage etc even if you don't have issues like i do)...oh and i also use soreen too
  • Ron99Ron99 Posts: 237
    Glucosamine/Chondriotin -

    Nothing specific personally, but from what I've read they basically provide lubrication for joints and cartilage, helping to prevent breakdown and used in the repair process.

  • iangriffiangriff Posts: 48
    It's been yoga for me. 1 session a week eases both my mind and body.







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