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NaturalHealing Practices in Ancient Egypt

ThereweremanynaturalhealingpracticeswhichwerepartofthecultureofAncient

Egypt.Somearecommonsensetreatments,whichwerepartofeverydaylife,and

others, treatments instituted by professional doctors.

TheancienthealingartofreflexologywasfirstpracticedbytheearlyAncient

Egyptian,Indian,andChinesepeoples.Massageandreflexologyareancientforms

ofPhysiotherapy,whichalmostanyonecanlearnandapplyfortheirownhealth,

and that of their family and community.

Physiotherapy,alsoknownasphysicaltherapy,involvestheuseofvariedtech-

niques,includingheat,water,diathermy,ultrasound,massage,andexercise,totreat

diseasesanddisordersofthemusculoskeletalsysteminanattempttorelievepain

andtorestoreuseoftheaffectedparts.Theworkisusuallyperformedbyaphysical

therapist under direction of a specialist physician. 44

Plate 2: (left) An ancient Egyptian scene depicting doctor caring for the eyes of a patient.

Plate 3: (right) Ancient Egyptian scene depicting massage care of the hands.