The Brazilian population’s search for other medical practices made the Ministry of Health feel the need to add complementary treatment alternatives in the Unified Health System (SUS).
Brazil offers 29 integrative practices, guaranteeing its position as a leader in offering this type of treatment in primary care.
Currently, 54% of SUS hospitals already have these practices, which are present in 100% of Brazilian capitals.
Among the most requested are acupuncture (707 thousand calls), yoga (35 thousand calls), circular dance / biodance (23 thousand calls) and community therapy (23 thousand calls).
The objective of incorporating new practices is to reinforce the importance of taking care of health and preventing diseases, instead of only treating them in specific episodes.
Know each one of them:
Contents
1. Apitherapy
Apitherapy is a natural healing method, based on the medicinal properties of honey and other bee products for therapeutic purposes.
It can be used to treat diseases such as arthritis, arthrosis, tendonitis and infections. In addition, its use is known in the treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
2. Meditation
Meditation is about quieting the mind and letting the “inner self” stand out, in order to guide and guide life in a lighter and more truthful way.
For the practice to be performed correctly, it is necessary to be present in the moment, free from the distractions of the mind.
The goal is to know how to have self-control, inducing positive thoughts, such as love.
3. Aromatherapy
Considered a holistic therapy, aromatherapy makes use of essential oils in order to connect the olfactory channels with the limbic system (a part of the nervous system responsible for emotions).
Aromatic properties modify the organism’s perceptions, changing a person’s mood or mood.
The practice promises to work relieving stress , fighting irritation and anxiety , as well as assisting in the calming process.
4. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique that aims to cure diseases by stimulating the skin with a needle.
This practice has been known for years in the East, in which people who have some condition seek relief from pain.
Read more: Acupuncture can decrease menopausal symptoms, says study
5. Family Constellation
The family constellation is considered a therapeutic practice that analyzes patterns of behavior within family generations to understand how this affects an individual’s personal life.
It can be indicated in cases of depression and affective disorders.
6. Homeopathy
This type of treatment recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) can be considered as an alternative and complementary medicine, which can be directed to any type of condition, be it a physical or psychological disease.
Read more: Allopathic and Homeopathic: what they are, what they are for and differences
7. Reiki
Reiki is a healing system done through the laying on of hands, which can be used for physical, emotional and spiritual treatments.
It is a complement to drug treatments, bringing concepts such as self-care and self-knowledge.
8. Chromotherapy
This therapeutic technique seeks to establish a balance in the body through colors. The practice is based on the concept of chakras, in which each part of the body represents a color and a function.
Thus, the technique aims to energize these chakras through the equivalent colors, acting as therapy for the body.
9. Geotherapy
Geotherapy is a natural treatment, which uses clay in its composition and seeks the well-being and balance of the organism.
It can be used for the wound healing process, acting with an anti-inflammatory potential. In addition, clay is known to have alkaline properties that improve the appearance of the skin.
10. Music therapy
This practice can be understood as the therapeutic use of music and musical sound resources to enhance healthy aspects of the person, or rehabilitate functions that are compromising some aspect of their development.
In principle, this technique does not have any type of contraindication, requiring only an evaluation by the music therapist.
Read more: Music improves communication for children with autism
11. Bioenergetics
Bioenergetics can be understood as a practice that combines exercises and movements in sync with breathing.
These movements cause a change in the body’s energy, causing a sequence of expressions such as crying, laughing, screaming. That is, it renews everything that needs to be cleaned from inside your body.
12. Hypnotherapy
The therapeutic use of hypnosis has been used as a mechanism to unblock limiting beliefs and thoughts.
This is because hypnotherapy is considered an effective tool to change behaviors and feelings that at some point caused pain or suffering.
13. Laying on of hands
This technique aims to transmit and exchange energies with the patient through the laying on of hands.
It may have a religious bias, but it can also be done by people who have no connection with any religious institution.
14. Ozoniotherapy
The practice of ozone therapy must be done through a device that emits waves of 95% oxygen and 5% ozone.
It is commonly used in dentistry, both in prophylaxis and in the treatment of diseases.
It has a germicidal and bactericidal effect, being recognized by several countries in Latin America, Asia, the United States and Germany.
15. Phytotherapy
Also known as plant therapy, this practice is one of the oldest in mankind.
It works through the active principles present in each type of plant extract, which act as therapeutic properties for each type of condition.
16. Anthropophasia
Anthropophasia is a line of thought that involves medicine and agriculture, in order to understand medicine as something much bigger than just a hospital.
Its creator, Rudolf Steiner, believes that the human being can be divided between two forces: aromatic or degenerative, and luciferic or inflammatory. For him, health would be the balance between these two forces.
17. Thermalism
This practice aims to understand the use of mineral water and its application for health treatments.
The thermal waters are widely indicated for relaxation, acceleration of metabolism, skin rejuvenation, digestive treatments, rheumatisms, among other conditions.
Read more: Understand how speeding up your metabolism helps you burn fat
18. Art therapy
Art therapy is a healing tool that can permeate different areas of life, in order to enliven the potential and the totality of each person.
This practice uses artistic activities to develop personal and professional issues, stimulating and expanding a person’s knowledge about themselves.
19. Chiropractic
The chiropractic is a manual therapy, which aims to diagnose, treat and prevent various conditions.
The practice gives a focus to the maintenance and restoration of health, establishing a relationship between body and performance.
20. Ayurveda
For Ayurveda science (or “life science”, translated), everything that exists in our universe is formed by one of these five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth.
For ayurveda practitioners, each individual is unique, so they must have a specific diet that encompasses all food groups.
Read more: What is the Food Pyramid? Types (Brazilian), benefits and groups
21. Yoga
Known for being an ancient practice, yoga is a set of knowledge that seeks to harmonize the body and mind, through breathing, postures and meditation.
Yoga can be divided into 5 philosophies: Bharkti yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga.
22. Biodanza
Biodanza is a practice that aims at human development through collective experiences conducted by music and dance.
Through exercises and group coexistence, this practice facilitates the social and personal development of those who participate.
23. Circular Dance
Circular dance can be used for almost any purpose, from celebrations such as births and weddings, as well as to represent death, planting, changing seasons, that is, endless possibilities.
The circle represents the community and the space that each occupies within a society.
24. Naturopathy
This is the area of alternative medicine that studies complementary health through natural techniques to promote and restore health.
The practice aims to understand the cause of diseases through understanding the individual’s body, mind and spirit.
25. Osteopathy
Osteopathy can be understood as a therapeutic approach that aims to treat bodily dysfunctions.
The technique has a premise that the organism can regulate itself and heal, always respecting the relationships between body, mind and spirit.
26. Reflexotherapy
Reflexology is considered a holistic therapy that is done through stimulation on the sole of the foot, in order to ensure the maintenance of the organism.
It is a non-invasive treatment that seeks to prevent physical and emotional disorders.
27. Shantala
The shantala is a massage of Indian origin that seeks the baby’s relaxation, allowing a greater development of bond between parents and children.
The technique works by relieving physical discomfort, generating harmony and happiness, in addition to promoting the baby’s integral health.
28. Flower therapy
Flower therapies aim to balance emotions that are in conflict.
For this, the technique is made with the use of flower essences, which are basically energetic compounds found in flowers.
29. Integrative Community Therapy
This collective practice aims to be a space for welcoming and exchanging individual life experiences that they can add to the collective, in a kind of construction of a community network.
During this process, it is essential that people offer emotional support and exchange of experiences, promoting health and autonomy for the individuals present there.
The importance of integrative practices
Like traditional medicine, integrative practices aim to improve the quality of life of patients.
They originate in 2006, when the Ministry of Health accepted the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), aiming to build differentiated strategies in basic health care.
Integrative practices are not intended to compete with conventional treatments, but rather to complement medical possibilities .
It is the idea of placing the patient in charge of his own healing process.
These new treatments aim to strengthen the autonomy of patients, who go after measures to maintain a healthy life.
This is because currently there is a collective awareness that health goes far beyond the physical. There are options that range from spiritual to energetic bias, such as reiki.
About 5 million people have already become adept at integrative practices, seeking empowerment about their health and self-care.
If you know someone who might be interested, share this article so that they too can know the options and, who knows, participate!
