Trudi P. Says:
Can I get much access to alternative medicine in Portugal?
IL Contributor Terry Coles Writes:
Portugal has its share of alternative medicine practitioners, and as expats continue to move here in search of healthier lifestyles, the industry is flourishing.
You’ll find all kinds of therapies and treatments available in special centers and even spas, including acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine, complementary medicine, and manual therapies like therapeutic massage, chiropractic, Reiki, Thai massage, and more.
One note: the regulation for alternative care providers is irregular, so confirm the credentials of a practitioner before treatment, if that’s important to you.
Ponha Aqui o Seu Pezinho specializes in foot massage and has locations in Lisbon and in the north, in Guimarães. The name translates to “Put Your Tootsy Here.” How cute is that? They’re not just clever, but competent: They received the LTG (Luxury Travel Guide) Europe 2019 award for Boutique Spa of the Year.
Other locales of interest include thermal spas, which are scattered about the country, especially in the center and north. A few of note are Termas de São Tiago in Penamacor, Termas de Unhais de Serra in Covilhã, and Villa Termal das Caldas de Monchique in Monchique in the Algarve.
On a personal note, my husband Clyde and I are seeing an English-speaking chiropractor from the Netherlands in Albufeira who we love. She was trained in the UK, speaks excellent English, and spends an hour working on each of us. The cost, not covered by insurance, is $72 for the initial session and $42 for follow-up visits.
Throughout Portugal, foot doctors seem to be a different breed, more of a subspeciality. Although some do work out of hospitals, there are other foot care professionals that rent office space in pharmacies and clinics.
My husband recently had a toenail removed by one for $72 that included a bottle of essential oil used as an antifungal. He was very happy with the care he received.
Portugal topped the list for healthcare in IL’s 2023 Global Retirement Index. See why here.
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