"Alternative" Therapies - any thoughts?

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Dovorian

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I've recently bought some magnetic boots for my lame companion pony - have used magnetrised boots before and found them effective. However, whilst haveing a recce of the seller's website I noticed all sorts of interesting things. How about hair analysis? I've never heard of it but remember the 'black box' idea which could 'diagnose' all sorts of ailments and injuries. Wondering whether to try but a niggle in the back of my brain leads me to see what other forum members think.
The website is www.equimagnets.co.uk.
Good products btw...
 
Magnets and copper bracelets have no scientific proof, yet lots of people and animals see a clear benefit, my husband and one of my dogs have benefitted greatly.

The black box and hair analysis thing is different kettle of fish, I think it is a scam.
 
I am sorry but I like to see scientific proof before using alternative therapies. Many are just a total waste of money IMHO.

Magnets and copper have some proof behind them, but analysing a hair is to me a waste of time. First off its grown over a period of x months so surely even if it were possible to analyse it (which I doubt) what would be the point? - presumably it would show how things were 6 months ago? I can remember that far back
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Save your money
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I am afraid I am a "hardnosed" skeptic about so called "Alternative medicines, potions and lotions". I believe in conventional medicines only,- the real stuff.
Thats because:-
A) I am a Biologist and therefore science trained so I like to see quantifiable results.
B) I am poor, and do not have money to waste/burn on rubbish so that others (the manufacturers of the stuff) can get rich on promoting their often psuedo-science babble to fleece me of my cash!

I know of some people who are willing to pay £75 for a "Horse Whisper" to tell them what there horse is thinking!!!? What a load of tosh.
I hope that I can tell what my horses state of mind, or mental health is just by making myself available to being intuitive to him both physically and mentally.
 
What about using the word complementary rather than alternative? I use complementary therapies alongside conventional lotions and potions and help from my vet. I swear by some things, like calendula, valerian, tea tree... I think some of this stuff is useful and so does my vet.
 
I'm pretty sure magnetic therapy has had scientific proof. I read some time ago about studies into how they spead up healing of broken bones.
As for complimentary therapies, well herbs definately have proof. Many of them are banned for competition (ie valerian for sedative effect) so obviously have an effect. Aromatherapy has been around for donkeys...as has homeopathy. The latter definately works. I used to get constant throat infections......got (properly) prescribed a remedy and never had one since (that was 3 years ago). Also had good results with acupuncture. Then you have things like bowen and chiro....often advised by vets.
 
Herbal medicines are not really alternative medicines/therapies as they contain active ingredients (plant amines) and DO work.
To what EXTENT they work depends on dosage and purity, but this is where conventional medicine originates. Many modern medicines are synthetically produced but they have the same active compounds as the herbal source, but obviously cheaper as they can be be created in a factory.
Why buy a bucket of say, willow leaves or dried Devils Claw Root that will last you a month, but a handful a day is going to be totally ineffective on half a ton of horse, when you can get `Bute or Danilon cheaper and with a quantifiable dosage that you know works.
Buying tubs of herbs is just a waste of money.
 
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How about hair analysis? I've never heard of it but remember the 'black box' idea which could 'diagnose' all sorts of ailments and injuries.

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i think magnets etc have some sort of benifit copper braclets etc seem to bring people some relief but to be honest Id say the black box and hair analysis is a scam.

if diagnoisis was that easy every vet and doctor in the country would have one...fair enuf certain drugs can be picked up in hair samples....but they are only picked up for a short amount of time and the presence of certain types of chemicals in hair isnt enuf to diagnose or treat an illness
....
hoof analysis would be more believeable because at least on the hoof you can read(when if your as experienced as our farrier) a pony was last vaccinated or wormed depending on the wormer...the rings change apparently
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but it still wouldnt be enuf to diagnoise a problem....

if you want to see you horses general state of health get blood works done.
They will be able to tell you a lot more than hair analysis...from liver function to infection status all in one little vial
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So strange that you should mention the "black box".

Years ago I worked for a lady who swore by the black box and only the other day I tried to Google it but didn't come up with any results. Does it still exist, who does it and where? - I would like to know for curiousty sake!

I think its a fine line where people think of alternative theropies - eg. I am sure most of us have used arnica for bruises, tea tree for midges etc etc - certainly nothing you would get your vet out for but something you would feel competent in treating youself with these herbal remedies. So surely that counts as "alternative" thrapies and yet (possibly) the same people poo poo them as unscientific?
 
Weeell, personally, I'm something of a sceptic. HOWEVER, I did give Thought Field Therapy a go when I lost my nerve jumping. I was at my wits end and I'd had several excellent references from HHO users. I didn't even expect it to work and it did. I'm STILL astonished and delighted. Something similar is described as EFT on that website and it sounds like total BS!!
 
I use the services of Tim Couzens, a holistic vet (ie qualified). I have no explanation for why his bottles of drops and homeopathic ointments work, apart from the fact that they do. I don't really know or care about how. I have a horse that had severe behavioural problems and have been amazed at the changes in him after just a few days on the latest batch of "drops". Horses don't understand the placebo effect. So, I don't care how some of this works, I just know it does.
Things like Reiki, you could say they work as a channelling of universal energy (although no Reiki practitioner should claim they can heal a disease and that conventional medicine can be stopped!). Or you could speculate on the calming effects of hands-on for human and animal. I've seen a stressed post-op horse fall asleep under the hands of a Reiki practitioner, so something works.
In the human world, here is a simple example of how complementary therapy helps people with HIV+ status. I had a medical article documenting this ages back. In clinical trials they had recorded the lowering of heart rate and breathing in patients having Reiki, and through questionnaires recorded the perception of the patients that over time it had reduced their feelings of stress. High stress levels compromise the immune system. So the patients who received Reiki became less dependent on certain drugs and they could be reduced. That's just an example of why the NHS funds certain complementary therapies, they have been proved to have a beneficial effect.
 
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