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From acu puncture to massage, some health options def convention.
many health food stores, Lee said she cau-
tions people against using something just
because it's available, because it could poten-
tially harm the person. Advice about which
herbal remedies to take can get "twisted and
distorted" when passed from person to per-
son. Lee encouraged questioning suggested
techniques before adopting a new medical
remedy.
James Neuenschwander went to the
University Medical School and studied gen-
eral surgery, but did not finish his residency.
He said the changes in his medical philoso-
phy came out of frustration of being unable
to heal some of his patients.
"I discovered that you don't cure much in
medicine," Neuenschwander said. After leav-
ing the University, Neuenschwander learned
homeopathy and was trained in acupuncture
at the University of California at Los
Angeles.
For example, Tylenol is a common anti-
dote for fevers, but fevers are a natural
response that can help the healing process.
"Fever helps fight certain illnesses,"
Neuenschwander said. His philosophy is to
promote fever to work with the body's own
mechanisms, instead of suppressing its heal-
ing qualities.
"We've fragmented ourselves as physi-
cians," Neuenschwander said. "You don't
have one doctor, you have 20."
Now Neuenschwander is the director of the
Bio Energy Medical Center and uses a holis-
tic approach to treat his patients.
"We use acupuncture for back pain,
headaches, neurological problems, herpes
pain, diabetes, circulation problems," and
numerous other problems, Neuenschwander
said.
Although some of his patients come to
him because they don't believe in the tradi-
tional medical establishment,
Neuenschwander said that most of his
patients haven't had any results from main-
stream doctors and are looking for a differ-
ent type of care.
'The body has innate
intelligence'
The aim of chiropractic care is to prevent
illness by treating the cause of symptoms
instead of the symptoms themselves.
"The body has innate or inborn intelligence
to take care of itself," said James Sommers, a
local chiropractor.
The spine not only supports the body from
the waist up, but it also protects the spinal
cord. Spinal subluxations, or the misalign-
ment of vertebrae in the spine, can put pres-
sure on nerves and lead to back pain.
"It doesn't take much pressure to pinch a
nerve," Sommers said.
When someone feels pain, it is often
because there is "an inter-
ference between the brain
and other parts of the
body," Sommers said.
This interference is often
due to pinched nerves in
the back that are no longer
fully functioning.
Sommers uses differ-
ent techniques, including
the activator, an instru-
ment that applies pres-
sure on the vertebrae and
realigns the spine. He
also uses "specialized
tables."
Despite myths of back-
cracking and extreme
force used by chiroprac-
tors, "it does not have to
be forceful ramming and
jamming," Sommers said.
"I'm small boned."
Chiropractic care is
gentle, Sommers said. "I
don't know anyone who
has ever broken a bone."
Chiropractors are
known for their ability to
relieve back pain, but their
treatment goes beyond
just fixing the back.
Sommers said that diet,
exercise, and a person's
psychological composi-
tion are all important fac-
tors he uses.
The tension between
medical doctors and chi-
ropractors "just goes back
to historical political
fighting of one profession
over another," Sommers
said. "Most physicians
and chiropractors on a
one-on-one basis get
along."
Chiropractic care is a
safe, natural way to
resolve symptoms and
prevent illness, Sommers
LY NATHAN Da y
Jennifer Shumaker receives a chiropractic adjustment from Dr. Bill Thatcher. Chiropractors vouch for
the positive effects their work can have on health.
Sommers said chiropractic care is good for
all people, including children and the elderly.
"Who needs chiropractic?" Sommers
asked. "If you don't have a spine, you don't
need it."
Herbal medicine comes to
the forefront
Castle Remedies, a store that houses a
large supply of homeopathic medicines and
books, is popular with both Ann Arbor resi-
dents and some family doctors.
"We have a very big line of single homeo-
pathic remedies," said Mary Tillinghast,
manager of Castle Remedies.
Homeopathic medicines are made of
extremely small amounts of plant, mineral or
animal substances. These substances provoke
immunal responses. Tillinghast said the reme-
dies are "very safe, but they're still effective."
Homeopathy helps the body defend itself
and does not inhibit the natural healing
process, Tillinghast said, saying it works by
"not suppressing symptoms, (but) stimulat-
ing the body to heal itself."
Both globules and tablets, also known as
"dots," are small, uncoated pills that are
placed under the tongue and dissolved.
"Many people go to the store because
they're tired of being put on antibiotic after
antibiotic," Tillinghast said.
Tillinghast said it is important "to become
more pro-active about your health. "You can
do a lot for yourself and your family before
having to go see a doctor," she said.
Homeopathy is a very old practice that is
common in Europe, Tillinghast said.
Common homeopathic remedies used in the
U.S. include Arnica and Aconite for colds
and Oscillococcinum for flu.
"Herbal medicine is really coming to the
forefront now," Tillinghast said.
The mind-body connection
Biofeedback is a "method of providing a
patient with information about some physio-
logical process," said Tyra VanGilder, a clin-
ical social worker who uses biofeedback in
her private practice.
This allows patients to learn about their
biological responses to emotional conditions.
There are many types of biofeedback. When
muscle activity is regulated, a person learns to
regulate muscle tension. Thermal biofeedback.
involves taking a person's temperature to
gauge how much blood is flowing through the
body. Some advanced techniques of biofeed-
back measure brainwaves.
"The biofeedback that is used is no more
mystical than that," VanGilder said.
Psychological and behavioral therapy is a
large part of biofeedback. "The instrument'
itself does nothing magical," VanGilder said.
David Biondi, a neurologist at the
Michigan Head Pain and Neurological
Institute, uses biofeedback as a technique for
treating headaches.
"Medications can aggravate or trigger:
migraine headaches," Biondi said. By regu-
lating items such as cheese, chocolate, meat
and alcohol, a patient can control their diet
and avoid migraine-inducing substances.
There is often anxiety associated when a
nerson feels the beainnines of a migraine "A
need medication to control headache.
Biondi said. "But the non-medical approach-
es are just as important."
"I think that what we, do is very well
accepted in the medical community," BLiondi
said. "This is a true medical issue and a mul-
tidisciplinary approach is important."
Massage: Rubbing away
the pain
Massage therapy is most commonly used
to reduce and alleviate muscle spasms, said
Gail Baker, a physical and massage therapist
at H ealing Connections. Thcsc irritations
cause the body to feel pain.
Massage is helpful for pain relief, \ eak-
ness, fatigue, insomnia, depression, breath-
ing problems, stress reduction and many
other problems.
The most common technique of massage
therapy involves "rubbing and stroking,"
Baker said. This increases circulation
throughout the body and gets rid of any tox-
ant build-up that may have accumulated in a
9 ,
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tight spot.
"Connective tissue is
like Jello," Baker said.
"When you apply pressure,
it becomes soft and fluid-
like and then it can function
again.
"The body wants to be
at homeostasis. When
you've got certain areas
that are restricted, toxins
are building up and energy
isn't flowing through."
Baker said she uses her
hands to feel for "ropy
muscles" and tender "trig-
ger points." These trigger
points can cause pain else-
where in the body when
they are pressed upon.
"If I run my hands over
an area, it will shake if there
are problems," Baker said.
When an area of trauma
is massaged, repressed
emotions can be expressed
until
vresarch *
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- Philip Cascade
Associate radiology
professor
in the form or
laughing, crying or anger, Baker said.
It is "documented that emotions are -all
over the body and certain parts are affected
physically," Baker said.
Baker also encourages stretching and other
exercises to increase strength and flexibility.
Baer said that in a hospital setting, phys-
ical therapists do not always have enough
time with a patient to heal them significant-
ly. "The main difference is it takes time for
(therapy) to make a change. Physical thera-
pists often don't have that. I have to have
some satisfaction."
"We have the reputation for treating compli-
cated cases," Baker said. "We would like to see
people early or before it becomes a problem."
Doubts linger among many
professionals
While many local practitioners herald the
benefits of alternative medical treatments,
much of the medical establishment remains
skentical The American Medical A ssociation
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