Although some forms of spiritual healing have been around much longer than the conventional medicine of today, they can – and often do -- work very well together. In fact, it is not recommended that any method of spiritual or complementary healing be used alone to treat medical conditions, although many of the methods can stand alone when used to tackle issues such as stress relief.
Spiritual healing in general endeavors to align the functions of the mind, body and spirit. It is believed that if those three things are working together, the body can perform to its full capacity. That includes experiencing more efficient healing after surgery, chemotherapy and serious illness. There have been reported cases where, although it didn’t prevent or cure disease, spiritual healing therapy has been said to make the lives of cancer and other patients more bearable while they underwent conventional treatments.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) includes energy therapies in its list of complementary treatments. NCCAM does concede that these therapies are among the most controversial, because the energy in the body has never been instrumentally measured. But NCCAM says that these treatments, most of them Eastern in origin, are gaining popularity in America and are starting to get attention from medical research facilities.
Reiki, the directing of energy through the body by a practitioner, has gathered a following in the medical field. It is offered at many hospitals, clinics and hospice care facilities. It’s said to help patients with pain management and healing, as well as with appetite and ability to get quality sleep. It is sometimes used to help patients recover from chemotherapy treatments. Many medical facilities also offer Reiki training.
Reflexology, another therapy that has become very popular, uses pressure points on the hands and feet to break up stress patterns in the body. These pressure points correlate with other areas in the body, resulting in a relaxation response from the entire body. Proponents of this type of therapy believe that this allows the body to begin to repair itself. Reflexology has also found its way into hospitals and other care facilities, and has been taken up by various medical care professionals. CranioSacral therapy uses a soft touch to get rid of obstructions in the craniosacral system (membranes and fluid that protect and surround the brain and spinal cord), which helps the central nervous system to function more freely. This therapy has been attributed to helping relieve migraine headaches, autism, colic, scoliosis, learning disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder, orthopedic problems and post-surgical dysfunction, among other things.
There are many other complementary therapies to choose from, including Visceral Manipulation, Mechanical Link, Lymph Drainage therapy, Healing Touch therapy, and Polarity Therapy. Prayer has been proven to be a powerful tool for healing as well, and it is, of course, compatible with any other line of treatment that one might seek. The impact of spiritual healing, when combined with traditional medical therapies, has been proven through medical and scientific studies. And, based on these studies as well as anecdotal evidence, many healthcare practitioners are now open to the idea of adding a spiritual component to a patient’s overall health plan. As this trend increases, we can expect to see more medical facilities offering access to spiritual healing therapies. We also are beginning to see some HMOs accept these a legitimate therapies, and insurance plans are starting to cover some of these expenses. If you are currently under a doctor’s care, and want to add a spiritual healing component, be sure to talk to your doctor first and get his or her support.
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