Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Health Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, modalities, philosophies, and physiological effects across Humor, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Meditation, Bodywork, and Energy/Sound Therapies.

Humor

A diverse concept encompassing anything perceived as amusing, funny, or comical, representing the capacity to recognize and express the amusing aspects of a situation.

Gelotology

The study of laughter and its effects on the body, encompassing both psychological and physiological perspectives.

Laughter

The experience or manifestation of mirth, amusement, scorn, or joy.

Comic Vision

A narrative perspective that emphasizes humor for commentary or critique, viewing the world and human experience through a comedic lens highlighting absurdities, ironies, and inconsistencies of life.

Humor at work

The use of lightheartedness, jokes, or shared amusement among colleagues to build trust, ease communication, lower stress, and foster team cohesion.

Coping humor

Using jokes, witty anecdotes, or sarcasm to transform stressful, painful, or overwhelming situations into something manageable and reduce emotional exhaustion.

Cry humor

A form of dark, gallows, or stress-induced humor where people laugh or crack jokes about a deeply distressing or miserable situation because the alternative is breaking down or crying.

Hoping humor

An optimistic or forward-looking style of humor used to reframe bleak prospects, maintain morale, and inject a sense of possibility or resilience when the future is uncertain.

Nonsense humor

Bizarre, absurd, or illogical humor that relies on total silliness, surreal juxtapositions, or a complete lack of real-world sense to distract the brain from serious pressures.

Four components of humor

Social context, cognitive-perceptual processes, emotional responses, and expressive components.

Four types of sense of humor

Conventional, life of the party, creative, and good sport.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

A medical tradition that sees mind, body, and spirit as interrelated elements that are also intertwined with nature and the universe.

Reductionism

The philosophy underpinning the Western scientific view of medicine, which seeks to understand all life by isolating it into its smaller parts.

Moxibustion

A traditional medicine technique involving the burning of moxa (ground, dried mugwort floss) near specific acupuncture points to stimulate circulation, warm channels, and target polymodal nerve receptors.

Direct moxibustion

A moxibustion technique in which a small, cone-shaped pellet of moxa is placed directly on the bare skin and ignited.

Indirect moxibustion

A moxibustion technique in which the burning moxa never touches the skin directly, remaining kept at a distance or shielded.

Cupping

An alternative therapy that uses suction cups placed on the skin to lift soft tissue, increase blood flow, and relieve muscle tension.

Acupressure

An alternative medicine technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that involves applying physical pressure with the fingers, palms, knuckles, or specialized tools to specific points on the body without using needles.

Ayurvedic Medicine

A traditional healing system that aims to cure disease and enhance health, creative growth, and well-being; it defines three basic doshas influencing health and emphasizes the powerful influence of the mind on the body.

Tridoshas

Constitutions unique to each individual that determine each person's composition and govern all the biological, psychological, and physiological functions of the body, mind, and consciousness.

Vata

An Ayurvedic dosha meaning 'to move' or 'wind'; the most important dosha, which governs air and space, is responsible for physical and mental movement, and governs breathing, heart pulsations, and circulation.

Pitta

An Ayurvedic dosha meaning 'to heat' or 'to burn'; governs fire and water, and is responsible for all metabolic activities, biochemical reactions, and production of heat.

Kapha

An Ayurvedic dosha meaning 'phlegm' or 'bodile water'; governs water and earth, supports memory, lubricates joints, maintains immunity, and serves as the source of the body's development and reproductive activity.

Thee Gunas

Sattva, rajas, and tamas.

Seven Dhatus

Constructing elements responsible for the entire structure and development of the body, consisting of Rasa (digestion), Rakta (blood and oxygenation), Mamsa (muscle), Meda (fat and body lubrication), Asthi (bone and cartilage), Majja (bone marrow and nervous system), and Shukra (reproduction and immune capacity).

Three Malas

Waste products that result from digested or processed food/drink: urine, feces, and sweat.

Ojas

Vitality or bodily strength that nourishes and strengthens the body, which can be increased or decreased by foods and emotions.

Agni

Metabolic transformation described as the 'fire' that burns within an individual's body and mind to stimulate all biological processes of life, related to digestion and absorption of food.

Srotas

13 communication channels in the body believed to be where food, oxygen, urine, feces, and sweat move in and out.

Four types of examination in TCM

Inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation.

Biofeedback

A technique that allows a person to develop a deeper awareness and voluntary control over physical processes.

Hypnotherapy

A therapeutic technique using guided relaxation, focused attention, and intense concentration to help individuals reach a heightened state of awareness or trance to address psychological/emotional disorders, change habits, and manage pain.

Tai Chi

A form of slow-moving exercise that assists in uniting the mind-body connection, requiring a good sense of balance.

Zen Buddhism Meditation

A seated meditation practice emphasizing mindfulness, direct experience, focusing on the present moment by observing the breath, and letting go of thoughts and sensations without judgment.

Tibetan Buddhism Meditation

A meditative tradition aimed at developing inner peace, wisdom, and compassion through practices including mindfulness of breath, mantra recitation, visualization, and analytical meditation.

Guided Imagery

A practice used to relieve symptoms, heal disease, promote relaxation, or achieve a sense of well-being.

Therapeutic Massage

A type of massage therapy focused on achieving specific physical benefits and addressing health issues rather than just relaxation, utilizing manual manipulation of soft tissues.

Neuromuscular Massage

Also known as Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT), a specialized massage focusing on the nervous system and muscles to alleviate chronic pain and dysfunction by targeting trigger points, nerve compression, and postural imbalances.

Swedish Massage

A classic massage technique known for relaxing and therapeutic benefits that combines long, gliding strokes, kneading, friction, and tapping to improve blood flow, reduce muscle tension, and promote relaxation.

Sports Massage

A specialized massage tailored for athletes and active individuals focused on injury prevention, performance enhancement, and recovery using techniques like deep tissue massage, stretching, and compression.

Aston Patterning

A bodywork and movement education system developed by Judith Aston that integrates bodywork, movement education, fitness training, and ergonomic assessments to improve alignment and reduce tension.

Shiatsu

A Japanese bodywork therapy that involves applying pressure to specific points on the body, often along energy pathways called meridians, to promote relaxation, relieve tension, and improve well-being.

Reflexology

A complementary health practice where pressure is applied to specific points on the feet, hands, and ears believed to correspond to other parts of the body.

Jin Shin Jyustu

An ancient Japanese healing art that harmonizes the body's life energy through gentle hand placements to restore balance and support natural healing abilities.

Trager Approach

A bodywork approach that relieves muscle tightness through a method of passive, gentle movements with traction and rotation of extremities.

Feldenkrais Method

A method that teaches a person how to alter the way the body is held and moved in order to improve flexibility, coordination, and range of motion.

Alexander Therapy

An instructional therapy where poor posture habits are identified and conscious control of movements is taught using gentle hands-on guidance and verbal instruction.

Rolfing

A system developed by Ida Rolf that reeducates the body about proper posture by massaging the myofascial connective tissue surrounding and supporting muscles.

Hellerwork

A bodywork system developed by Joseph Heller that combines deep touch, movement education, and verbal dialogue, incorporating emotional content as part of treatment.

Osteopathy

A healthcare approach that restores structural balance of the musculoskeletal system by combining joint manipulation, physical therapy, muscle energy techniques, and postural reeducation.

Contraindications to Bodywork

Health conditions where bodywork is inappropriate or restricted, including vascular conditions, infectious diseases, certain forms of cancer, skin conditions, cardiac conditions, and fever.

Energy Therapy

A category encompassing various complementary therapies that aim to balance and harmonize the body's energy systems to promote healing and well-being.

Reiki

A Japanese technique where practitioners channel healing energy through their hands to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and support the body's natural healing abilities.

Healing Touch

A gentle, hands-on therapy that aims to clear, energize, and balance the body's energy field to promote relaxation, reduce pain, and enhance well-being.

Qigong

A Chinese practice combining movement, breathwork, and meditation to cultivate and balance vital energy (Qi).

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

A self-help tapping technique that involves tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on a particular issue to release emotional blockages.

Pranic Healing

A system of energy medicine developed by Grandmaster Choa Kok Sui that utilizes prana (vital energy) to balance, harmonize, and heal.

Sound Healing

The use of vibrational frequencies of sound forms combined with music or its elements to promote healing.

Music Therapy

The professional use of music and its elements as an intervention in medical, educational, and everyday environments.

Frequency

The rate at which sound waves vibrate per second.

Resonance

A frequency of vibration in which one entity harmonizes closely with the natural frequency of another.

Entrainment

The process of using specific rhythms and frequencies to synchronize brainwaves and body movements.