There is no RationalWiki without you. We are a small non-profit with no staff—we are hundreds of volunteers who document pseudoscience and crankery around the world every day. We will never allow ads because we must remain independent. We cannot rely on big donors with corresponding big agendas. We are not the largest website around, but we believe we play an important role in defending truth and objectivity. |
Fighting pseudoscience isn't free. We are 100% user-supported! Help and donate $5, $10, $20 or whatever you can today with ![]() ![]() |
Healing
Against allopathy Alternative medicine |
![]() |
Clinically unproven |
Woo-meisters |
Healing has two unrelated meanings.
In medicine[edit]
In medicine, healing is the restoration of structure and function of injured or diseased tissues.[1] Recognised healing processes include blood clotting, tissue mending, scarring, and bone healing.
In woo[edit]
In the field of alternative medicine, the definition of healing is expanded beyond the medical one to also include making you feel more energetic, increased wellness, or any other placebo-based outcome that the alternative medicine practitioner can take credit for.
Examples of woo "healing" which, when listed, sound like a bad Osmonds-style family woo-pop band:
- Crystal healing
- Energy healing
- Faith healing
- Pranic healing
- Sound healing
- Quantum healing
- Theta healing