|
| |
|
Complementary & Holistic Therapies |
Complementary
therapies, individualized care
|
The providers of Baystate Ob/Gyn
Group, Inc. believe in providing the best healthcare possible to meet your
individual needs, combining the best elements of both conventional and
complementary medicine. We
recognize that conventional approaches to healthcare alone may not always be
enough to promote wellness and establish and maintain optimum health. Complementary therapies are useful as part of a comprehensive
holistic treatment program and are often used as an addition to conventional
medical therapies to treat and care for the whole person.
|
Denise Vincent, C.N.M. offers a
number of complementary therapies and holistic approaches to women’s health to
support wellness. Denise has over
20 years of experience in the Ob/Gyn field and dedicates her work to meeting the
individual needs of women. Her
specialty in our practice is focused on providing a wellness and holistic
approach to women’s health from adolescence through menopause using
complementary therapies.
Nutritional
therapies
Herbal therapies
Natural hormones
Mind-body therapies
Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster™
program
Wellness seminars
|
|
|
Nutritional
therapies are
helpful for the management of PMS, perimenopause, menopause, and osteoporosis,
and are useful in promoting wellness throughout life. Nutritional supplements
(including vitamins, minerals, and other food factors) can be used to support
health and wellness and prevent or treat illness. Supplements
can also help strengthen the immune system and support the body’s natural
ability to heal itself. Nutritional
supplements and therapies are often part of a comprehensive plan to promote
health and wellness.
Top of Page
|
|
|
Herbal
therapies can be
useful in the treatment of symptoms related to uterine fibroids, PMS,
perimenopause, and menopause. Herbal
preparations come in many forms such as bulk herbs, teas, tinctures, fluid
extracts, and tablets or capsules, and are available at health food stores,
pharmacies, and supermarkets. It is
important to coordinate the use of herbs with your healthcare provider to
maximize the benefits of these products. Although
the popularity of herbs is growing in the United States, and the use of plants
as food and medicine has been common throughout history, currently the herbal
market is unregulated.
Top of Page
|
|
|
Natural
hormones (such
as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) can be used to
prevent disease or for the control of symptoms common in PMS,
perimenopause, and menopause. They
originate from plant substances (either wild yam or soy), and
work in your body the same way your own hormones function. Doses
can be adjusted to maximize therapeutic effectiveness and minimize any
side effects associated with the hormone.
Top of Page
|
|
|
Mind-body
therapies involve
using psychological strategies to influence your physical state.
These therapies are useful for states of anxiety, tension, insomnia,
post-operative healing, and for the relief of pain, especially pain of a chronic
nature. These therapies include:
|
 | Relaxation
breathing |
| Guided
imagery and visualization |
| Progressive
muscle relaxation |
| Therapeutic
Touch or Reiki |
Top of Page
|
|
|
The
Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster™ program, developed by Peggy Huddleston, M.T.S., is helpful for
pre-surgical preparation. It
is especially useful for women fearful of surgery, or for pregnant women
fearing childbirth or a scheduled Cesarean birth. The
program can be modified to meet the needs of women receiving
chemotherapy or radiation. Prepare
for Surgery, Heal Faster is effective for reducing pre-operative
anxiety, post-operative pain and nausea, and it shortens healing time
after surgery.
Top of Page
|
|
|
Wellness
seminars focus
on various women’s health topics. Seminars
are broken down into individual session segments.
In most instances, you can register for individual classes or an entire
series. Examples of seminar topics
include Perimenopause to Menopause, Premenstrual Syndrome, Bone Health, Hormone
Replacement Therapy, Sexuality in Menopause; if you are interested in a specific
topic, please consult Denise Vincent, C.N.M.
For current seminar topics, dates, and locations, please consult your
healthcare provider or any one of our offices.
Top of Page
|
|
Some
of the complementary services available through our practice are “fee-for-service.”
We encourage you to create a dialogue with your
healthcare provider about your individual needs and concerns. If you have additional questions about the complementary
services available through our practice, please speak with your healthcare
provider. Denise
Vincent, C.N.M. is available for appointments in our South
Hadley and Springfield
Midwifery offices.
Back to list of Comprehensive
Healthcare Services
This page was
updated 1/12/01
|
|
