therapy [therah-pe] activity therapy in the nursing interventions classification, a nursing intervention defined as the prescription of and assistance with specific physical, cognitive, social, and spiritual activities to increase the range, frequency, or duration of an individuals (or groups) activity. animal-assisted therapy in the nursing interventions classification, a nursing intervention defined as the purposeful use of animals to provide affection, attention, diversion, and relaxation. art therapy in the nursing interventions classification, a nursing intervention defined as facilitation of communication through drawings or other art forms. aversion therapy (aversive therapy) a form of behavior therapy that uses aversive conditioning, pairing undesirable behavior or symptoms with unpleasant stimulation in order to reduce or eliminate the behavior of symptoms. The term is sometimes used synonymously with aversive conditioning.
client-centered therapy a form of psychotherapy in which the emphasis is on the patients self-discovery, interpretation, conflict resolution, and reorganization of values and life approach, which are enabled by the warm, nondirective, unconditionally accepting support of the therapist, who reflects and clarifies the patients discoveries.
cognitive therapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy) a directive form of psychotherapy based on the theory that emotional problems result from distorted attitudes and ways of thinking that can be corrected. Using techniques drawn in part from behavior therapy, the therapist actively seeks to guide the patient in altering or revising negative or erroneous perceptions and attitudes.
1. treatment, usually in a psychiatric treatment center, that emphasizes the provision of an environment and activities appropriate to the patients emotional and interpersonal needs.
1. the use of music to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational problems. Music therapy is used for a wide variety of conditions, including mental disorders, developmental and learning disabilities, Alzheimers disease and other conditions related to aging, brain injury, substance abuse, and physical disability. It is also used for the management of acute and chronic pain and for the reduction of stress.
[G. therapeia, medical treatment]
ablation therapy the destruction of small areas of myocardial tissue, usually by application of electrical or chemical energy, in the treatment of some tachyarrhythmias.
antiplatelet therapy the use of platelet-modifying agents to inhibit platelet adhesion or aggregation and so prevent thrombosis, alter the course of atherosclerosis, or prolong vascular graft patency.
art therapy the use of art, the creative process, and patient response to the products created for the treatment of psychiatric and psychologic conditions and for rehabilitation.
behavior therapy a therapeutic approach that focuses on modifying the patients observable behavior, rather than on the conflicts and unconscious processes presumed to underlie the behavior.
biological therapy treatment of disease by injection of substances that produce a biological reaction in the organism.
cognitive therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy that based on the theory that emotional problems result from distorted attitudes and ways of thinking that can be corrected, the therapist guiding the patient to do so.
convulsive therapy treatment of mental disorders, primarily depression, by induction of convulsions; now it is virtually always by electric shock (electroconvulsive t.) .
dance therapy the therapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual in the treatment of a variety of social, emotional, cognitive, and physical disorders.
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) a treatment for mental disorders, primarily depression, in which convulsions and loss of consciousness are induced by application of brief pulses of low-voltage alternating current to the brain via scalp electrodes.
endocrine therapy treatment of disease by the use of hormones.
family therapy group therapy of the members of a family, exploring and improving family relationships and processes and thus the mental health of the collective unit and of individual members.
fibrinolytic therapy the use of fibrinolytic agents (e.g., prourokinase) to lyse thrombi in patients with acute peripheral arterial occlusion, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or acute myocardial infarction.
gene therapy manipulation of the genome of an individual to prevent, mask, or lessen the effects of a genetic disorder.
group therapy psychotherapy carried out regularly with a group of patients under the guidance of a group leader, usually a therapist.
massage therapy the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing them, thereby enhancing health and healing.
milieu therapy treatment, usually in a psychiatric hospital, that emphasizes the provision of an environment and activities appropriate to the patients emotional and interpersonal needs.
music therapy the use of music to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational problems.
occupational therapy the therapeutic use of self-care, work, and play activities to increase function, enhance development, and prevent disabilities.
oral rehydration therapy (ORT) oral administration of a solution of electrolytes and carbohydrates in the treatment of dehydration.
orthomolecular therapy treatment of disease based on the theory that restoration of optimal concentrations of substances normally present in the body, such as vitamins, trace elements, and amino acids, will effect a cure.
photodynamic therapy intravenous administration of hematoporphyrin derivative, which concentrates selectively in metabolically active tumor tissue, followed by exposure of the tumor tissue to red laser light to produce cytotoxic free radicals that destroy hematoporphyrin-containing tissue.
1. treatment by physical means.
2. the health profession concerned with the promotion of health, the prevention of disability, and the evaluation and rehabilitation of patients disabled by pain, disease, or injury, and with treatment by physical therapeutic measures as opposed to medical, surgical, or radiologic measures.
PUVA therapy a form of photochemotherapy for skin disorders such as psoriasis and vitiligo; oral psoralen administration is followed two hours later by exposure to ultraviolet light.
1. treatment to replace deficiencies in body products by administration of natural or synthetic substitutes.
2. treatment that replaces or compensates for a nonfunctioning organ, e.g., hemodialysis.
substitution therapy the administration of a hormone to compensate for glandular deficiency.
thyroid replacement therapy treatment with a preparation of a thyroid hormone.
1. Treatment of illness, injury, or disability.
2. Psychotherapy.
3. Healing power or quality: the therapy of fresh air and sun.
Etymology: Gk, therapeia, treatment
the treatment of any disease or a pathological condition, such as inhalation therapy, which administers various medicines for patients suffering from diseases of the respiratory tract.
[G. therapeia, medical treatment]
n revealing of emotional aspects of a physical dysfunction by simultaneously testing an indicator muscle with its asso-ciated emotional neuromuscular reflex(es).
n.pl in holistic nursing, therapeutic approaches that involve ones sense of peace and awareness. The patient may use prayer, meditation, quiet contemplation, and imagery.
n.pl in holistic nursing, directed therapeutic ap-proach that involves several con-ventional medicine techniques, such as traditional procedures, medications, and surgery with a specific goal or outcome.
n.pl in Ayurveda, the processes that patients undergo at the end of the days treatment that serve to eliminate impurities, which have been loosened during the therapies. See also anu and naruha.
n.pl ap-proaches where expressive arts are employed to promote awareness, healing, and growth.
n.pl therapies such as hypnosis, visual imagery, yoga, relaxation, and meditation, in which the mind and body are used in conjunction to assist or catalyze the healing process.
n.pl therapeutic modalities that involve body postures, breathing, movement, prayer, and/or meditation to facilitate relaxation and awareness of mental, emotional, and spiritual states.
n.pl various traditional and modern herbal treatments and ceremonies used to address physical complaints and psychospiritual maladies.
n.pl techniques that use nature-based animals or plants that reconnect patients to the natural environment and its rhythms to improve and hasten healing and improve quality of life.
n technique in which animals are brought into contact with patients who are recovering; provides touch, builds connection, empathy, and enjoyment.
n therapy that involves treating a patient with nosodes prepared from the patients blood sample or a pooled sample from several patients. Occasionally the patients blood is mixed with homeopathic potencies before admini-stration. Also called autosanguine therapy.
n therapeutic method that stimulates the patients innate ability to heal, as when a healing touch removes blockages or constrictions within the bodys energy flow. Therapy that frees the body to heal itself. See also medicine, natural.
n the use of venom derived from bees for medicinal purposes; used in the treatment of skin, pulmonary, rheumatologic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, sensory, psychological, and endocrine conditions. It has also been used to treat bacterial and viral infections; administered by a variety of methods. Persistent nodular lesions and allergic reactions are a concern. Also called therapy, bee venom and BVT.
n branch of psychotherapy that emphasizes modifying specific behaviors. Sessions include analysis of a behavior and devising ways to change it to a more desirable response.
n therapy that uses music to affect nonmusical behavior; developed from behavior modification theory to facilitate social and cognitive learning and operant conditioning.
n pr. a mind-bodyintegrated therapy developed by Gerda Boyesen, a Norwegian physiotherapist; uses a variety of methods such as massage, talking, sensory awareness, and meditation to refresh the body. Also called the Gerda Boyesen technique or biodynamic psychology.
n any healing practice that addresses the patients biofield, uses the biofield of the practitioner, or a combination of both. See also biofield, reiki, and therapeutic touch.
n a therapeutic modality that uses the biological response modifier, part of the bodys immune system, to fight disease and infection or to protect from the side effects of other treatments. Also called biological response modifier therapy, biotherapy, BRM therapy, or immunotherapy.
n a dietary system, developed by Keith Block, MD, that recommends 50% to 70% complex carbohydrates, 10% to 25% percent fat, and the remaining percentage as protein in the diet. The primary objective of this regimen is decreasing and subsequently removing dairy, refined sugars, and meat from ones diet while increasing the number of calories from complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Also called BINT.
n form of psychotherapy that holds that emotions are encoded in the body as areas of restriction and tension; movement, breathing, and manual therapy are used to release such emotions.
n a biofeedback therapy in which sensors are placed on the patients abdomen and chest to observe and measure the rhythm, location, volume, and rate of airflow by which the patient learns deep abdominal breathing; used for respiratory conditions, hyperventilation, asthma, and anxiety.
n.pr developed by clinical psychologist Dr. Roger Callahan, therapy that draws on specific energy meridian points in a particular progression in order to eliminate the cause of negative emotions, as well as their effects on health.
n an unconventional cancer treatment containing sodium sulfite, potassium hydroxide, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and catechol.
n a treatment for cancer in which embryonic animal cells from tissues or organs corresponding to those with the cancer are injected into the cancer patient, with the understanding that these healthy cells are incorporated into the organ, thus repairing or replacing the cancerous cells. This treatment may have side effects, including infections, serious immune responses to the foreign proteins in the cells, and death. Since 1984 the FDA has banned the importation of all injectable cell-therapy materials. Also called cellular suspensions, cellular therapy, embryonic cell therapy, fresh cell therapy, glandular therapy, live cell therapy, organotherapy, or sicca cell therapy.
n.pr a treatment used for cancer, offered in the Dominican Republic, in which the client is exposed to a donut-shaped magnetic device (with an electromagnetic field weaker than in MRI) that allegedly reduces the cancer burden (i.e., destroys enough cancer cells) so that the immune system can take care of the remainder.
n 1., removal of heavy metals, such as lead, iron, and mercury, through the use of chelating agents, usually given intravenously. 2., the purported removal of heavy metals, plaque, and other toxins through intravenous infusion of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), a synthetic amino acid and chelating agent.
n treatment that seeks to change behavior (i.e., habits) by addressing the underlying beliefs that drive the behaviors. Comparable to and often used in concert with behavioral therapy.
n psychotherapeutic approach used to alter thinking and behavior.
n treatment with lasers made from helium-neon or gallium aluminum arsenide and used to treat a host of neurologic problems including carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, arthritis, vertigo, and soft tissue injuries. Also called low-level light therapy (LLLT).
n the use of professionally administered whole-bowel enemas combined with analysis of fecal chemistry, evaluation of environmental and psychologic factors in the patients life, and regular exercise to maintain bowel health. Based on the belief that the health of the colon is directly related to the health of the whole body and that poor colon health can manifest as a variety of illnesses. Also called colonic hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation.
n treatment of the tissues and fluids of the skull to correct body rhythms and induce self-healing.
n the practice of using ones hands to assess the rhythms of the tissues and fluids in the skull area and to direct those rhythms into healthful patterns. A version of cranial osteopathy sometimes conducted by nondoctors, including massage therapists and physical therapists.
n the integration of artistic abilities into therapy to alleviate patients suffering. Activities include but are not limited to drawing, painting, dancing, poetry writing, singing, and gardening.
n therapeutic use of improvisational music to encourage stimulation and development of musical intelligence, confidence, and self-actualization. Psychodynamic and humanistic theories are often used. Also called Nordoff-Robbins improvisational music therapy.
n the use of quartz crystal energy with a persons energy to facilitate a cascade of spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical changes simultaneously or following a hierarchy of cure.
n therapy used for the prevention of serious allergic responses, in which the patient is regularly injected with increasing doses of a purified allergen to reduce the sensitivity of the immune system to that allergen.
n.pr method used for cancer treatment that employs substances such as bromocriptine, melatonin, and retinoid solution.
n cancer treatment that aims to stimulate cancer cells beyond their undifferentiated state to differentiate like normal cells to halt their uncontrolled proliferation.
n the use of digitalis glycosides to increase the hearts rate of contractions and speed. This protocol can decrease the conduction speed of the atrioventricular node and create negative dromotropy, thus leading to heartbeat irregularities.
n technique that employs intravenous transfusions containing disodium EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) to remove minerals, toxins, and other substances from the blood and vessels. No known risks if used properly. Also called chelation.
n treatment system developed by Max Wolf, MD, in the 1930s using orally ingested enzymes derived from animals and plants to address enzyme deficiency and several illnesses.
n treatment of mental and physical conditions through therapeutic interactions (e.g., riding) with horses. Also called hippotherapy, riding therapy, or therapeutic riding. See also therapy, animal-assisted.
n induction of fever for healing purposes using herbal, biological, or mechanical (e.g., hot baths) preparations. Also called pyretotherapy.
n biofeedback therapy in which the rate and force of the pulse are measured and used for controlling anxiety, hyperten-sion, cardiac arrhythmia, and other conditions.
n the use of specific high-frequency oscillations to destroy pathogenic organisms or cancerous cells and restore health. Also called energoinformational therapy or Rife frequency therapy.
n See healing, crystal.
n therapy in which genes are introduced into the patient in order to cure or treat a disease. Also called somatic cell gene therapy.
n.pr an unorthodox anticancer treatment that includes a diet that comprises vegetables and fruits with nutritional supplements, liver extract injections, and coffee enemas.
n.pr a method of humanistic psychotherapy that examines the present emotions of the patient without consideration to the past to gain a new level of self-awareness. Instead of explaining the meaning of these emotions, the therapist works with the patient to elucidate his or her own understanding of these feelings.
n.pr a group-oriented, process-driven form of art therapy created by Janie Rhyne and based on the humanistic Gestalt psychology of Fritz Perls.
n a treatment in which tissue extracts of organs such as spleen, thymus, adrenal glands, or liver are used orally to help with a number of conditions, including asthma, autoimmune diseases, cancer, chronic fatigue, cystic fibrosis, eczema, inflammatory diseases, low white cell count, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions.
n a form of therapy wherein people meet with each other and a therapist in order to interact and discuss their problems.
n use of heat on all or part of the body to encourage hyperemia, increase circulation, facilitate sweating, and relax muscles. Used in sports and rehabilitation medicine and as a cancer treatment.
n a method for treating symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, decreased sexual desire, vaginal dryness, sleep disorders, and mood swings by using estrogen alone or in combination with progestin.
n a subcategory of nature-assisted therapy focused on gardening and horticultural activities for therapeutic benefits.
n a means of enhancing a patients ability to recognize, express, and enjoy humor. Used to help patients learn, express anger, relieve tensions, or manage painful emotions. See also therapy, laughter.
n a cancer treatment based on the belief that hypoxia and resulting anaerobic metabolism promote the growth of cancerous cells. In these therapies, the patient is treated with oxygenating agents, such as germanium sesquioxide, hydrogen peroxide, or ozone. Germanium compounds can have lethal nephrotoxicity. Also called bio-oxidative therapy or oxidative therapy.
n the use of heat either systemically or locally.
n psychotherapy based upon the idea that behaviors have their roots in a clients family dynamics, instinctual drives, childhood development, and genetic traits. Therapy in this vein consists of delving into these areas for information resulting in treatment of disorders.
n.pr a treatment for scotopic sensitivity, a condition of perceptual stress accompanying autism and some learning disorders. In this therapy, the patient wears lenses that have been tinted to a specific color to minimize or eliminate their sensitivity.
Originally posted here:
Genetic Medicine