I - FRIDAYFOnayccnci1tlarCUS -_ , x0 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 , 0 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 * n - 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 ,. r .'4.: r '...'a , .: ., ... . ,., .. . ' ,kkfi . . ' 4Y ,+:FJa -ik1 . 11,}' Isaid.