Learn all about integrative therapy!

In general, integrative therapy is a set of therapeutic interventions that aim at the care and recovery of the human body's overall health. Nowadays, there are several modalities with integral care of the patient or with specific focus on a certain clinical condition.

This treatment method complements traditional medicine, bringing many benefits to the individual. In some cases, conventional therapy is no longer effective, and the use of integrative actions is necessary to reverse the disease.

In this text, you will learn all about integrative therapy, including the various modalities that currently exist.

Understanding more about integrative therapy

Whether for disease prevention or recovery, integrative therapy is ideal for a better understanding of the relationship between body and mind.

What is integrative and complementary therapy?

Integrative and complementary therapy, also known as Integrative and Complementary Practices (ICPs), are therapeutic interventions that draw on traditional knowledge to prevent physical and emotional illnesses. In addition, these actions also alleviate symptoms of certain medical conditions, such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety, among others.

In chronic diseases, when the patient no longer responds effectively to conventional treatment, integrative therapy can act as a palliative for the recovery of the clinical picture. According to the Ministry of Health, PICs are used as resources for the prevention of serious diseases, and are always based on traditional practices.

What is integrative therapy for?

When offering integrative therapy to the patient, the physician explains that the modality seeks to eliminate or reduce the person's physical, emotional, and mental problems in order to provide a balance to the clinical picture. With the diversity of therapeutic approaches, the patient obtains a broader understanding of his illness.

Integrative therapy aims to care for body and mind, as it understands that both are in mutual relationship. In this sense, the intervention serves to balance the patient's state of health, promoting his or her well-being. Complementary therapeutic actions are used, but without belittling or excluding the conventional treatment model.

For whom is integrative therapy indicated?

Various patients can benefit from integrative therapy, from those with mild health problems, to the more serious, with chronic diseases. But generally, doctors guide integrative therapy for patients with the following physical diseases: cancer, asthma, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, among others.

In addition, mental illnesses are also treated with integrative therapy, such as: anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, addictions, insomnia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Depending on the modality and the causes of these mental problems, they can be cured completely.

How does integrative therapy work?

Integrative therapy is a model of therapeutic treatment composed of several modalities. In this sense, each approach will have its own way of working. There are interventions that use aromas of natural substances, others make use of medicinal plants, and there are still actions that are based only on breathing and concentration.

Depending on the patient's clinical condition, the medical team itself can indicate which integrative approach will be the most ideal. However, the patient can also choose the intervention that he or she is most comfortable with. Even if the integrative modality is very effective, it is fundamental that conventional treatment is not excluded.

Benefits of Integrative Therapy

One of the main benefits of integrative therapy is the improvement in quality of life and the expanded knowledge about a certain disease. But there are many beneficial effects of this therapeutic modality. Check them out below.

Helps complement other treatments

Among the great benefits of integrative therapy is the complementarity it provides, especially in more delicate clinical conditions. There are diseases that are so serious that the patient's organism no longer responds to conventional treatment. In this case, integrative interventions can reverse the situation, recovering the person's health.

In many cases, the doctor indicates some modality to complement the traditional treatment. Patients who are very stressed, for example, can benefit from acupuncture or massage. For those who have difficulty concentrating, they can undergo meditation or yoga sessions.

Natural and less invasive treatment

All drugs manufactured in laboratories have side effects, which may be stronger in some than in others. However, despite the adverse reactions, they are essential for some types of treatment. Integrative therapy, on the other hand, offers natural modalities that are less aggressive to the human body.

As a complementary therapeutic intervention, integrative therapy is able to alleviate the reactions arising from strong medicines. Some doctors even recommend alternative medicine as a "marriage" with conventional treatment. In this way, the body will respond to the therapies and find a way to heal itself.

Promotes health through self-care

Most integrative therapy modalities stimulate the individual to get in touch with his own body. In this way, the patient gains the awareness that he is in charge of his own therapeutic process. His body has the ability to recover, but for this he needs to be actively involved in his own treatment.

With this in mind, the patient enjoys better health, which contributes to the success of the traditional intervention. Moreover, he understands the effects of the medical condition on his body, having a clear perception of how negative thoughts, emotions, and attitudes are highly detrimental to his recovery. He then learns to take better care of himself.

Relieves chronic pain

Some doctors believe that the body itself has the ability to find a way to heal itself with the help of integrative practices.

Therefore, if you can no longer bear to suffer with severe pain, try seeking a complementary method. Talk to your doctor and express your interest in seeking other interventions. But don't think about replacing your treatment with integrative therapy, because this has the function of optimizing medical care.

Relieves infection and inflammation

Depending on the integrative therapy modality, many infections and inflammations can be relieved. The use of medicinal plants, used in some integrative approaches, act on the human body, relieving these types of problems. However, if other chemical medicines are being used, it will be necessary to evaluate this possible drug interaction.

Other integrative actions are also efficient in treating inflammation and infection. But it is important to emphasize that these clinical conditions can be only symptoms of a more serious condition. Therefore, it is fundamental to seek to evaluate the cause of the problem, even if the patient undergoes complementary therapy.

Improves sleep quality

Many illnesses have the capacity to worsen the quality of sleep, either due to stress or worry about the condition, or as an effect of the illness. With integrative therapy, the patient experiences mental relaxation, getting better sleep. The individual's neural connections are worked out so that the quality of his sleep improves.

Some complementary practices act to relax the muscles, which, consequently, relieves tension, providing better nights' sleep. Other interventions act directly on the neurons responsible for the function of sleep, allowing quality and restorative sleep.

Combats stress and depression

Depression can be configured as a disease that requires specific medical treatment, with the help of integrative therapy. In other cases, the condition can be just a symptom of a clinical picture, characterized as a transitory depressive state. But whatever it is, integrative practices improve the depressed person, bringing more joy.

There are integrative therapies that are holistic, that is, that work on all aspects of the individual. In this way, the patient experiences a relaxation not only in his mind, but also in his body, getting rid of the stressful condition.

Improves skin health

There are diseases that directly affect the health of the skin, leaving it with an aged and rough appearance.

It is important to analyze which integrative modality has the potential to act on this important tissue, because some practices focus on a specific point of the body to the detriment of others. Also, if you have any skin disease, it is fundamental to evaluate the best approaches to complement your treatment.

Main Types of Integrative Therapy

Currently, it is possible to find several types of integrative therapies for all tastes. There are approaches that focus on relaxing muscles, improving breathing, concentration, among others.

Aromatherapy

Using the benefits of nature, aromatherapy promotes the well-being of the whole organism. This type of integrative therapy uses essential oils as a treatment tool. These oils are taken directly from nature, being completely of vegetable origin. For those who like a more natural intervention, aromatherapy is perfect.

This approach seeks to offer more physical and mental health to the individual, while also taking care of hygiene. There are several oils available with different scents. There are lighter and softer fragrances, ideal for those who prefer delicacy and calmness, while there are more intense fragrances, which are indicated to provide energy and courage.

Acupuncture

With very fine needles in specific points of the body, the acupuncture specialist uses these tools to stimulate the body's energy flow. The millennial technique, of Chinese origin, treats emotional disturbances and other diseases, and is also indicated for orthopedic problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, and low back pain.

Although it is considered a pseudoscience, where both practice and theory diverge from traditional scientific knowledge, many patients attest to the extraordinary effects on the body. Moreover, several orthopedic doctors also indicate acupuncture as an integrative therapy for complex diseases, confirming the therapeutic efficacy of the technique.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy aims at the integral care of the individual, that is, the treatment of mind and body. For this reason, this approach is considered holistic, being very efficient as an integrated therapy. The modality's action is based on the natural stimulus of healing by the body. In other words, it is the body itself that will respond and promote its own healing.

For this, homeopathy uses diluted substances, based on the patient's specific symptoms. In this sense, this therapeutic intervention is one of the most punctual actions that exist. It must be used as a complement to conventional treatment and not as a substitute for the traditional medical model.

Ayurveda

Despite its existence of more than 5 thousand years, Ayurveda has only become popular in Brazil since the 1980's. The technique, which originated in India and Pakistan, is based on body balance in conjunction with the mind and spirit, so that the person has more health and an invigorated longevity.

Due to the holistic vision of the method, many associate Ayuverda with something mystical, especially those who do not know the practice. However, it is considered an integrative therapy, precisely because of its therapeutic effectiveness and its broad vision of the human being. With this intervention, the patient can better understand his body and mind.

Reiki

Reiki works on the body's energies. Through the imposition of hands on the person's body, the professional channels the energies, which provides mental and physical balance. This integrative therapy is very important for patients with stress conditions. In the process of channeling the energies, the stress source dissipates, bringing relief to the individual.

As it is a free practice, some religions usually introduce this modality in their spiritual meetings. But it is worth remembering that, like other types of therapeutic interventions, Reiki also requires a trained and specialized professional, otherwise the person will not receive the benefits of the modality.

Yoga

Although it is considered an integrative therapy modality, Yoga is an activity widely practiced by people who seek emotional balance. In fact, Yoga is a derivation of oriental meditation, which aims to exercise the spiritual, physical, energetic, and mental side of the human being.

In this way, Yoga decreases the levels of depression and anxiety, contributing to the individual's well-being. Besides this, it improves the quality of sleep, regulates the nervous and respiratory systems, strengthens the immune system, increases mood, and contributes to an increase in good humor. Therefore, this variation of meditation is excellent for complex diseases.

Meditation

Meditation is a type of integrative therapy that works on concentration. It develops full attention in the human being, which contributes to stress reduction. This therapeutic intervention is also used to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and is generally used as a complement to psychological treatment.

Despite being a very easy practice to perform, which you can reproduce at home, it is essential to count on the help of a professional, especially if the goal is to complement conventional treatment. The place for meditation needs to be calm, peaceful, quiet, and away from possible distractions.

Phytotherapy

Those who like medication, but want something more natural, can count on the benefits of herbal medicine. This type of integrative therapy uses medicinal plants to produce remedies. The active compounds in the formula are of 100% natural origin, with the same actions as a chemical medication, but without the side effects.

Precisely because of the absence of reactions, phytotherapy has been widely used as a complementary and, in some cases, alternative method of care. However, keep in mind that even though they are of natural origin, medicinal plants can present some contraindication. Therefore, the use of these remedies should always be directed by a phytotherapist.

Chromotherapy

Cancer patients are greatly benefited by chromotherapy. This type of integrative therapy aims to provide physical and energetic balance through the colors of the solar spectrum. Thus, green, indigo, yellow, blue, red, orange, and violet are used in the chromotherapy treatment, bringing more joy and energy to face conventional treatment.

This therapeutic intervention provides an expanded view of the disease, removing the negative view of life and expanding the possibilities of living, even under the care of a complex disease. The professional will contribute to the optimization of traditional therapies, pushing the patient to also contribute to his or her own progress.

Massotherapy

Massotherapy is based on pressure on muscles and soft tissues in order to relieve tension. With the help of tools or with the hands themselves, the professional touches strategic points on the patient's body where the highest levels of stress are located in order to provide relaxation.

Because it is a highly efficient technique, massage therapy is a modality of integrative therapy used in many other therapeutic interventions, such as in psychotherapy sessions, for example. But it is worth remembering that only a properly qualified professional can perform massage therapy, even if he has other training.

Further information about integrative therapy

While it has many benefits for the patient, integrative therapy requires some care and can have side effects if combined with certain medications.

Can integrative therapy replace conventional medical treatment?

No. Integrative therapy cannot replace conventional medical treatment. As the name implies, the interventions are integrative, that is, they serve to integrate something that already exists, only to complement it. They are additional actions to the traditional model indispensable for the care of a certain disease.

In addition, each modality of integrative therapy must be conducted by a trained professional who is specific to the model. Massotherapy, for example, must be done by a person who is properly specialized in the approach. In this way, he or she contributes to the patient's well-being, while respecting the ethical limits of his or her own profession.

Is integrative therapy the same thing as holistic therapy?

Holistic therapy seeks the integral care of the individual, that is, it encompasses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the person, while integral therapy also seeks the extended care of the subject, but it is considered complementary, and not all modalities are seen as holistic, because they treat only one aspect.

There are integrative practices that are holistic, such as homeopathy and ayurveda, while other interventions are not, such as herbal medicine, for example. Thus, it can be said that integrative and holistic therapy are not the same thing, precisely because some integrative techniques lack integrality.

Which type of integrative therapy to choose?

All types of integrative therapy aim at taking care of the patient, improving the general health of both body and mind. Although they all have the same goal, each modality uses a specific means of treatment, seeking to achieve a certain objective. As it is a complementary characteristic, the intervention needs to be adapted to the clinical picture.

In other words, depending on the disease, one intervention will be more efficient than another. A patient with orthopedic problems, for example, may benefit from acupuncture, since it is an approach aimed at treating these conditions. In chronic diseases, herbal medicine and meditation can be very efficient. Always remembering that the doctor must be consulted.

How to do an integrative therapy session?

To have an integrative therapy session, you first need to choose the modality. There are some clinics that already offer the complementary treatment and, therefore, provide all the apparatus for the patient to choose the best approach. In other cases, it is the patient himself who needs to seek the intervention.

The sessions will be held by the professional in the specialty, providing the necessary guidance for the practice. The appointments vary depending on the modality. Phytotherapy uses medicinal plants, so the appointments may be every 15 days or more. Yoga practice is usually done every week, while massage therapy may be indicated for occasional moments.

Contraindications and cautions with integrative therapy

Some modalities of integrative therapy, such as aromatherapy, homeopathy, and phytotherapy, for example, use substances that can cause side effects by interacting with other medications in the conventional treatment. For this reason, it is extremely important that the doctor knows all the complementary care that the patient is adopting.

In addition, some of the more complex conditions require the accompaniment of caregivers due to the debilitated condition of the patient, and these caregivers need to have patience for the various sessions of integrative therapy.

It is also important to know in depth each therapeutic approach and to be aware that the doctor may not always agree. After all, many integrative interventions are considered pseudoscience to more traditional professionals.

Enjoy all the benefits of integrative therapy!

Now that you know the diversity of integrative approaches that exist, be sure to choose the one that is best for you. Remember to evaluate your health condition with your doctor, especially if you have any kind of chronic disease. Although they are less invasive modalities, interaction with medications bring risks.

Another point you need to observe when looking for an integrative therapy is the quality of the professional. Try the approach you are interested in, but keep in mind that you may not like a practice because of the poor service of the specialist. Therefore, observe well and look for a professional who is dedicated and welcoming. This way, you will enjoy all the benefits.