Pharmacology is the study of drug actions on biological systems. It embraces knowledge of the sources, chemical properties, biological effects and therapeutic uses of drugs.

Some components of pharmacology include:

• Study of how drugs work at the cellular and molecular level.
• The use of drugs as tools to dissect aspects of cell function.
• Formulation of clinical guidelines for the safe and effective use of drugs.

Nutritional therapy is a system of healing based on the belief that food, as nature intended, provides the medicine we need to obtain and maintain a state of health: our food is our medicine and our medicine is our food. Although some health problems require specific medication, many conditions can be relieved effectively with nutritional therapy. These include disorders ranging from chronic fatigue, energy loss, insomnia and depression, to backache, skin complaints, asthma, and headaches.

By experimenting with the effects of different foods, many people find they also revise old beliefs about the role of food in their lives. Nutritional therapy is not just about eating different types of food — it is also about increasing your awareness of how you eat and of where the food you eat comes from, of how you store and prepare it, and of how you perceive yourself and your place in the web of life. The benefits of nutritional therapy are sometimes immediate, but its study is timeless and its effects can bring about long-lasting changes in your attitude to life.

Physical therapy restores optimal function by minimizing physical impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to congenital and acquired conditions. Physical therapists help people maintain their health (preventing future deterioration or illness) and make environmental adaptations that enable people to function independently.

Physical modalities include cutaneous stimulation, immobilization, transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS), and acupuncture. Their use may decrease the need for pain-reducing drugs, but they should not be used as substitutes for medication. These modalities should be introduced early to treat generalized weakness and deconditioning as well as aches and pains associated with periods of inactivity and immobility.

Psychological assessment and counseling provides education in behavioral strategies found to be effective in the management of chronic pain. Medical professionals recognize that emotional stress can excite neuromuscular body systems, worsening any pain experienced.

Counseling provides an opportunity to address personal issues and concerns, which may complicate the medical condition. Special attention must be given to the emotional distress, which can result from having a chronic or unresponsive medical condition. Couple’s counseling is available and may be a necessary part of the entire program for some patients.

The goal of all these interventions is to enhance the individual’s ability to cope, and improve their quality of life in family, social and work situations.