Complementary therapies are non-conventional health treatments, often based on ancient systems that people use alongside standard western medicine. The range of such therapies is wide, with the majority taking a holistic approach (treating the patient as a whole, rather than just addressing the symptoms). It’s this approach which makes complementary therapies so appealing to people with Parkinson’s.
It’s important to note that attitudes towards complementary therapies, levels of use, and which types are most popular, vary from country to country.
In general, doctors are more open to the idea of complementary medicine than they used to be, especially if it is ‘integrated’ (used alongside conventional treatments).
Few of the therapies used have undergone rigorous scientific research and even less regulated through government legislation.
Many doctors still have reservations and do not recommend that you use such therapies instead of conventional medicine. If you are thinking about embarking on a course of complementary or alternative therapies it’s important that you discuss with your doctor first before beginning the therapy.
