Published January 24, 2018 · Holistic treatment options · Wellness
“Holistic medicine” has come to describe many non-conventional medical systems. Alternative and complementary are also used for these therapies, but no practitioner can be familiar with every supplement and product available.
What holistic medicine means
“Holistic medicine” does not refer to one particular therapy. It describes a way of evaluating a case in which mental, physical, and emotional symptoms are considered together and the whole animal is recognized as interconnected.
Examples may include acupuncture, Western and Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractic, and homeopathy. These therapies are often holistic by nature because they evaluate the entire patient rather than one isolated symptom.
Self-healing
A concept common to many alternative therapies is that the individual has an ability to heal and that treatment is directed at supporting that process. In this framework, the practitioner facilitates rather than directly causes healing.
Having multiple appropriate options can help the veterinarian choose an approach suited to the individual patient and the situation.
Symptoms in context
Holistic approaches may view symptoms as part of the body’s attempt to return to health, rather than simply as the disease itself. A practitioner therefore looks at why a process has not resolved and what may support the patient’s broader response.
This is one reason holistic evaluation gathers information that may not appear directly connected to the presenting complaint. The aim is to understand recurring patterns and the patient as a whole.
Energy, balance, and Qi
Many holistic systems describe an underlying energetic state. In Chinese medicine, this is called Qi; in homeopathy, it may be called the Vital Force. Treatment is directed at supporting balance and normal flow within the framework of that system.
Physical, mental, and emotional levels
The source article explains that health and imbalance may be expressed across physical, mental, and emotional levels. A whole-patient evaluation therefore considers information beyond the area where a current symptom is most visible.
Summary
Holistic therapies offer additional options that may be considered alongside conventional medicine. Not every patient responds, response times vary, and the appropriate approach depends on the individual case.
Veterinary organizations continue to teach these methods and encourage research to improve understanding of their use in clinical practice.
Important context
This educational article reflects the author’s source explanation and is not a diagnosis, emergency resource, or substitute for a consultation with your pet’s primary veterinarian.