What is Holistic Medicine and Why Should Tampa Residents Choose It Over Alternative Medicine?

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Recognition is something every community craves for. And, while not every city can become the next Silicon Valley, Tampa is striving to make its mark elsewhere – namely the healthcare industry. The Tampa Bay region hopes to become a market leader by 2023 (Source: www.abcactionnews.com), and considering that healthcare earnings in the state grew by $3.75 billion in 2015, this does not seem like an improbability (Source: www.tampabay.com). What this means is, Tampa residents will be spoilt for choice when it comes to healthcare options in the coming years. In fact, the city already has a strong network of almost 20 hospitals, many of which feature prominently on “America’s Best Hospitals” list (Source: www.tampachamber.com).

Apart from Western medicine, there are plenty of health centers in Tampa that provide alternative forms of treatment. While these unorthodox therapies were frowned upon earlier, the recent years have witnessed their rising popularity. More and more hospitals are now adding such treatments to their list of services.“Holistic medicine” has become a common practice in Tampa clinics, but most people use the term interchangeably with “alternative medicine.” However, there are several differences between the two, and even though they might seem too subtle to the untrained eye, they are quite significant and can affect the outcome of the treatment. So, it’s necessary for the patients to know these variations.

Difference in Treatment Patterns

The main difference between alternative medicine and holistic medicine is the focus on physical healing, or the lack thereof. While alternative treatments serve as a substitute for conventional medicine, holistic medicine considers the patient as a whole and emphasizes the effects of social and psychological factors on the individual’s health. Thus, compared to holistic treatments, alternative medicine is preoccupied more with the physical health of the patient.

However, physical discomfort is the reason why a lot of people visit a holistic medicine center in the first place.

How the Physical Aspect Factors into Holistic Medicine

Pain and other physical discomforts are hard to ignore. And sometimes, the only way to get rid of them is to seek proper medical care. According to holistic medicine, physical illnesses are rooted in a physical imbalance within the body.Holistic medicine not only treats the body part affected by an ailment but addresses the other aspects of the patient as well. That’s because holistic therapy is not meant to serve as a one-time fix. Rather, it is an ongoing process – one that involves discovering more about the body to lead a healthier, better life. Patients who opt for this treatment can expect a sense of wholeness.

How Holistic Treatments Surpass the Mind-Body Connection

As the name suggests, “alternative” medicine acts more as a substitute for conventional forms of treatment. But holistic healing is a completely different practice; in fact, it would not be wrong to think of it as a lifestyle approach. That’s because holistic treatments go further than the regular mind-body link of finding and maintaining the body’s well-being.

The emphasis here is on overall wellness and a sense of wholeness in a person’s life. Thismeansthat holistic healing covers various aspects, including mental health, physical fitness, spiritual values and beliefs, and emotional health. When peoplechoose a holistic approach, they aren’t just focusing on remedying their body but are also actively looking for tools that will help them achieve their desired state of being and locate personal power.

A holistic lifestyle teaches an individual the importance of maintaining healthy relationships with others, looking after the welfare of the environment and the world around us, developing a sense of compassion for people, and becoming more accepting and tolerant of the differences that exist within a diverse population.

Why More Patients Opt for Holistic Medicine

According to the holistic approach, injuries and illnesses occur due to disharmony between the mind, the body, and the spirit. Ideally, these three elements must be aligned perfectly; otherwise, the person suffers from some dysfunction in one of these areas. And as we’ve said before, holistic medicine believes that a problem in one part of the body does not limit itself to that area; it affects the overall health of the person.

Research shows that patients seek out complementary and alternative medicine due to the holistic philosophies that guide these treatments. At the same time, they grow less enthusiastic about Western medicine because of its non-holistic nature. Plus, the level of importance attributed to “wellness” by Western cultures is growing stronger. Nowadays, you will come across the term in popular magazines, spa adverts, on food packaging, etc. That’s because the notion of wellness is more appealing than cure. After all, if you’re not sick in the first place, you won’t be needing any treatments, and holistic medicine can take care of that.

Also, lots of patients suffering from severe health issues have grown tired of waiting for long hours in emergency rooms only; these patients want nothing more than taking their well-being into their own hands and feel powerful. And holistic healers provide them this opportunity.

What Does a Holistic Healer Do?

Holistic healers understand that pains and discomforts stem from imbalances within the body. These imbalances could occur due to multiple reasons like lack of sleep, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise. Or, it could be due to the lack of fulfillment of spiritual, mental, or emotional needs. Holistic healers do not overlook any aspect of a person. In fact, they evaluate the “whole person” and use all information before suggesting treatments to the patient.

You must, however, understand that just as all doctors are not the same, holistic healers differ as well. Each has his/ herarea of expertise or specialty, and you should consider different options before you decideon someone who can meet your requirements.

Whether a Tampa resident opts for holistic medicine or alternative medicine, their choice is their own. Alternative medicine serves as a substitute for Western medical treatments and helps individuals find relief from health problems. But for a deeper, more extensive, and long-lasting healing process, you need to switch lifestyles. And holistic medicine holds the promise of a better lifestyle approach – one that targets the mind, the body, and the spirit.

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A techno-geek, Olivia started working as a writer back in early 2000's and then has worked in various editorial capacities at a number of national technology publications. Olivia Taylor is a professional writer and blogger has many years of experience in these respective fields. She loves spending her time in doing research specially health, pregnancy care, stem cell banking, baby's cord blood banking and other different topics and thus she prefers sharing her innovative ideas with her readers through writing articles and blogs.