Alternative therapies

Please ask our experts your adult medical questions about ME/CFS here.

Moderator: talkhealth

Locked
8 posts
marciaro
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 1:47 pm
Quote

by marciaro on Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:03 pm

Alternative therapies

There are several alternative treatments in the private sector that claim to cure ME i.e lightning process, Mickel therapy, Optimum Health Clinic's
90 day programme which are psychological approaches. Can ME be cured using psychological treatments?

User avatar
Dr Charles Shepherd
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:30 am
Quote

by Dr Charles Shepherd on Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:12 pm

Re: Alternative therapies

There is a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and disease pathways that come under the current definition of ME/CFS

At one end of the CFS spectrum there are people whose illness appears to be more related to psychological factors than physical factors - psychological based treatments can be of help here

So psychological based therapies can sometimes be of help in this group (as they can when anyone is having mental health problems with a purely physical illness) but I think it's optimistic to say they can be curative

There is very little evidence to demonstrate that some of psychological therapies that are available in alternative and complementary health sectors are as effective as is often claimed by those promoting them!
Dr Charles Shepherd
MB BS, Honorary Medical Adviser, ME Association

User avatar
Dr Charles Shepherd
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:30 am
Quote

by Dr Charles Shepherd on Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:14 pm

Re: Alternative therapies

Access to psychological therapies on the NHS:

http://www.iapt.nhs.uk
Dr Charles Shepherd
MB BS, Honorary Medical Adviser, ME Association

marciaro
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 1:47 pm
Quote

by marciaro on Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:06 pm

Re: Alternative therapies

Thank you. I attended an MBSR course 4 years ago & use the breathing meditation or bodyscan during rests (needed every 2hrs 45min). Really helps still my mind & obtain deep levels of restorative relaxation. Mindfulness has helped especially living in The Now & not the future during a relapse but is not curative

User avatar
Adam Eason
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:16 am
Quote

by Adam Eason on Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:56 pm

Re: Alternative therapies

Just to echo that which has been stated already - fields such as my own (hypnotherapy) tend to be a useful adjunct to your formal medical care and can equip you to deal with facets of your illness better, however there is no evidence to suggest that they are curative; despite many protestations to the contrary by those that you mention here.
Adam Eason
Clinical & Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _eason.php

marciaro
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 1:47 pm
Quote

by marciaro on Thu Aug 15, 2013 5:58 pm

Re: Alternative therapies

How can hypnotherapy help?

Can it be used to help let go of persistent negative thoughts?

Stress & anxiety always trigger a relapse & it would really help if I could find a way of letting go of them & turning off the dysfunctional stress response. Use mindfulness but it's still hard to let thoughts go.

This clinic is really helpful

Thank you

User avatar
talkhealth
Posts: 1782
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 3:29 pm
Quote

by talkhealth on Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:34 pm

Re: Alternative therapies

Further information on hypnotherapy can be found in other threads in this clinic:

viewtopic.php?f=493&t=4691

and

viewtopic.php?f=493&t=4686
talkhealth
Visit our events page https://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/events

Locked
8 posts