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The term 'holistic' applies to those approaches that examine the whole animal. Based on scientific theory about the mind-body system, it says
that results are:
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not always in proportion to causes
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not always near to causes
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sometimes delayed in emerging
The term 'system' applies to a structure that allows a set of behaviours to form.
A car has lots of systems: for fuel, lubrication, vacuum, braking, steering and so on. These systems behave in known ways to allow the car to become a safe and useful transportation system.
Systems display 'holistic' characteristics. You can examine parts, but you can't make sense of the whole unless you look at the whole. 'Healing' is another term that
can be confusing. Some people use it to mean 'getting better', others use it to mean 'an invisible energy force that heals'. Either way, we believe that 'healing is a process' - it rarely happens instantly.
But healing can still happen quite quickly. It can happen much quicker than the process of getting ill. Some problems develop very fast - a fall can break a leg, a sneeze can put your back out, a viral
illness can develop overnight. But many gather seriousness slowly - like obesity and arthritis, etc. So improvements within a few sessions can seem amazing. And we feel it is important to say we
don't believe in 'cure'. It is difficult to say when any condition has completely disappeared. But we do recognize when improvement has reached a suitable point to stop treatment. And we can easily
leave the door open for the future.
In this context, the term 'complementary' is related to 'alternative'. It was fashionable to talk about alternative therapies some years ago, but people began to feel it brought up a conflict,
whereas it was actually just choice. We tend to call them 'natural therapies' as they work with nature's healing processes in the body, rather than instead of
them.
Nowadays, 'complementary' simply means 'not the orthodox approach medicine' which often means 'not available on the NHS'. BUT, the NHS has had homeopathic hospitals since it was
founded in 1948 (that's 57 years ago!) and BUPA has complementary therapies available from many of its hospitals too... |
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Professionals have to use specialist technical language with each other because it helps them discuss the professional facts and opinions they come across in the course of their work.
It is a short-hand for professionals. It is difficult for other professionals (like lawyers or engineers) to understand therapist's jargon. And vice versa!
SUBLUXATION
This is a technical term for chiropractors. It means partial mis-alignment of a bone with respect to those above and/or below it. It is much less serious than DISLOCATION, but is still enough to impair nerve function,
leading movement, feeling or organ function problems. |
