BALANCED APPROACH

Photo: Jessica Dewar Yoga

Complementary therapies are becoming increasingly popular as Australians seek a more holistic approach to health and wellness.

Australians are living longer and busier lives than ever before and many of us are trying complementary therapies to improve our quality of life. Complementary therapies include a wide range of health and wellness practices outside of the conventional medicine space such as acupuncture, yoga, remedial massage, and herbal medicine. These therapies have become increasingly popular, with about two thirds of Australians having used complementary and alternative therapies, according to a 2018 NCBI study. “People are becoming more and more aware that happiness, connection or self-discovery cannot be bought,” said Jessica Dewar, of Jessica Dewar Yoga in Camberwell. “You can’t have an operation and think that everything is fixed. You can’t take medication and think that all of your troubles are going to go away.” Ms Dewar said complementary therapies like yoga were helping people with physical and mental issues, instead of relying entirely on conventional medicine. Complementary therapies are known by a variety of names like holistic therapies, traditional medicine and alternative therapies, however complementary and alternative therapies have an important difference. Alternative therapies are used instead of conventional medicine or treatments, while complementary therapies are used alongside conventional medicine. Ms Dewar said it was important for complementary therapies to work with other allied health professionals to achieve the best outcome. “It’s all about working together with physiotherapists, psychologists, GPs, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals, so that we’re a team assisting somebody on different levels,” she said.

Here are some examples of complementary therapies and how they are used:

REMEDIAL MASSAGE

While there are various types of massages, remedial massage focuses on treating muscles that are damaged, knotted, tense or immobile. “Remedial massage targets and relieves blockages in both the circulatory and lymph systems that cause inflammation and pain,” said Jenny Zhang, of Camberwell Wellbeing Centre. “Increasingly, for health-conscious people, remedial massage therapy can provide an effective alternative to over-reliance on drug treatments.” The benefits of remedial massage include stimulating blood supply, making joints more mobile, and helping to repair damaged tissues.

YOGA

There are different varieties of yoga, however they all focus on structured poses and breath awareness. Yoga is often deemed a holistic practise that offers people both physical and mental benefits, as it has been found to calm the mind, improve blood circulation, normalise blood pressure, increase flexibility, help reduce back pain, and more.

OSTEOPATHY

Osteopathy focuses on the musculoskeletal system and how it influences other parts of the body. When the musculoskeletal system isn’t properly aligned, the circulatory, lymphatic or nervous systems are inhibited, according to osteopathic philosophy. Osteopathic medicine can help manage a range of issues including neck and back pain, arthritis, and sciatica. As part of a treatment, an osteopath may introduce exercise routines, relaxation practices or body awareness techniques to help the body’s ability to heal itself.

HYPNOSIS

We’ve all seen magicians hypnotise people to do silly and strange things, however hypnosis is recognised as an effective healing tool in the scientific community. Hypnosis, also known as hypnotherapy, can be used to put people into a dream or trance-like state to help them with a range of issues. It can not only change attitudes and behaviours like smoking, but it can help with certain medical and psychological issues like anxiety, insomnia, and high blood pressure. Hypnosis is considered a safe complementary treatment when performed by a qualified and experienced practitioner.

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles into certain points on the skin, which should be painless or cause mild tingling, warmth, or heaviness near where the needle has been inserted. Acupuncture focuses on restoring balance and encouraging the body to heal itself and has been part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. There have been scientific trials globally that have found acupuncture to be a useful treatment for a variety of disorders, including dental pain and nausea, when performed by a skilled practitioner. While fine needles are most commonly used, acupuncturists can also use cupping, Chinese herbs and remedial therapy to help patients.

FLOATATION THERAPY

Floatation or float therapy involves floating in a tank of warm water, which allows people to use sensory deprivation to help them relax, reduce swelling, increase immune function, and more. The tanks are filled with water and a lot of Epsom salts, which helps the user remain buoyant during the experience. Dinuka Bandara, founder of Elevation Floatation in Camberwell, said stress-relief, relaxation and meditation are the main reasons why people like to float. Others enjoy the physical benefits such as allowing muscles to rest and recover after a hard workout, reducing stress hormones, and getting the benefits of magnesium absorption. “We wanted to focus more on the recovery side and the mental aspect (of health and fitness),” Bandara said.

FIND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN CAMBERWELL

CAMBERWELL OSTEOPATHIC CLINIC 7-9 Cookson St

CAMBERWELL WELLBEING CENTRE Shop 1, Rear 618 Burke Rd

CAMBERWELL PILATES Level 1, 574 Burke Rd

CORE+ Level 1, 167 Camberwell Rd

ELEVATION FLOATATION 167 Camberwell Rd

KX PILATES Level 1, 2 Prospect Hill Rd

LIFE READY PHYSIO + PILATES 636 Burke Rd

LOVE ATHLETICA 136 Camberwell Rd

MASSAGE THERAPIA 1/10 Prospect Hill Rd

SHIATSU MASSAGE – KEITH BOYLE 392 Riversdale Rd

Photo: Elevation Floatation

INSYNC PHYSIOTHERAPY AND PILATES Level 1, 505 Riversdale Rd

JESSICA DEWAR YOGA Level 1, 199 Camberwell Rd

ZEN 5 CHINESE MEDICINE CENTRE Shop T103, Camberwell Place, 793 Burke Rd