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Complementary Therapies

Most of what today are called complementary and alternative therapies aren't new - many of them have been practised for hundreds of years. Some complementary and alternative medicine treatments include:

Acupuncture
Massage
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Herbal Medicine
Yoga
Hypnotherapy
Aromatherapy
Reflexology
Homeopathy
Reiki
Naturopathy

Alternative medicine includes treatments used in place of traditional medicine. This might include seeing a homoeopath or naturopath instead of your regular physician. Some complementary therapies such as herbs, vitamins and other supplements may help manage side effects on particular parts of the body, such as the liver and gut. Other complementary therapies such as relaxation, yoga, acupuncture, reiki and exercise may not control a particular side effect but may instead help support the body as a whole. Doing so may enable your body to better tolerate medications and manage side effects. Good nutrition is another way to support your body, especially while taking drugs known to cause side effects. Eating well and including foods from a variety of food groups will help supply the body with the nutrients needed for overall proper function.

What you should know

If you decide to use complementary and alternative treatments, there are a few things you should know/do. As with any form of treatment, it pays to be informed and get independent advice on what might work for you. Learn about the treatments and find out what they are and what benefits they might provide. You should also find out about the qualifications of the practitioner offering the treatment. Most of the well established forms of complementary therapy have accredited training courses and professional bodies for their practitioners.

Some of the questions you should ask

When choosing a therapist there are some questions you should ask:

What is the treatment you offer and how can it benefit me?
What is your experience in treating people with HIV/AIDS?
What experience and training do you have for diagnosing symptoms?
Can this treatment be combined with conventional medication?
How much will it cost and do you have a discount scheme?
What are your qualifications?

It's important to remember that just becuase many complementary therapies can be acquired without a prescription or doctor’s referral, it doesn't mean that they're always safe. Some complementary therapies have their own side effects. Some complementary therapies can interact with certain antiretroviral drugs. This can further increase the risk of side effects or, quite possibly, reduce the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs. For this reason, it's important to tell your HIV GP or specialist about any complementary therapies you are using.