Receiving a glaucoma diagnosis at your optometrist appointment can be a major disappointment. After all, there is currently no cure to glaucoma. However, there are several treatment options available to you to help slow the progress of glaucoma-related vision loss. In fact, in some cases you may be able to partially reverse vision loss you have already suffered. Through the use of various alternative medicine treatments to complement conventional medical treatments, you can guarantee yourself the best possible chance at managing and treating your glaucoma.

Chiropractic Care

You may be skeptical about seeking out alternative medicine treatments for your sports-related injuries. However, even for the skeptic, the benefits of chiropractic care are quite obvious.

Chiropractic care stems from the belief that a misaligned spine (or other skeletal misalignments) are the root cause of many physical injuries and ailments. This is because the spine, in particular, is the hub of your central nervous system.

Your nerves are responsible for communications throughout your body. They transmit messages to and from the brain to the rest of your body.

Pinched or blocked nerves that result from a misaligned spine cannot carry out their duties. In the case of your eyes, pinched nerves could prevent proper nutrients from being sent to your eyes to help with eyesight impairment, for example. 

While chiropractic care cannot completely restore vision lost as a result of glaucoma, it has been shown to partially restore vision in most patients. Treatment at the chiropractor works to realign the spine and other components of your skeletal system so that your body and brain can properly communicate and operate. This can only be beneficial to your athletic training and career.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a treatment that may send the skeptic in you running for the door. But before you go, understand this. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice. People have used it for thousands (yes, thousands!) of years to treat aches, pains, and ailments of the body and mind.

Acupuncture works under the theory that the human body is made up of systems of flowing energy throughout the body. When the energy is not flowing properly, this causes problems.

To treat these energy flow deficits, an acupuncturist uses tiny needles that they insert into specific energy points throughout the body. These needles stimulate the flow of energy and help correct imbalances throughout the body. 

In the case of your glaucoma, acupuncturists will stimulate two areas of the body. Obviously, one of these areas is the eyes. Energy points directly surrounding the eyes will be stimulated to help improve vision and blood flow. Additional abdominal energy points will be stimulated to ensure that proper nutrition is being sent from the digestive system to the eyes. Acupuncture theory links the eyes and vision to organs such as the liver and kidneys. Thus, if these organs are not functioning correctly, your vision and eyes could suffer.

A great variety of glaucoma treatments are available to you, both through alternative and conventional medical practices. By complementing conventional medical glaucoma treatments with alternative treatments you give yourself the best chance at slowing the progress of your vision loss and maybe even regaining some that has already been lost. (For additional questions regarding glaucoma treatments, direct them to a clinic such as Leader Heights Eye Center)