| |
| |
|
Alternative Treatments Information Update |
|
|
|
What are the Best Roles for Western and Alternative Medicine?
I think it's very confusing for patients to decide what the best roles are for Western medicine and alternative medicine. In this article, I'll try to clear some of that confusion with a few simple principles. I can tell you how I view the difference between the two systems of medicine and you can decide what to do for yourself and your family. First, a short explanation of alternative medicine. It is often also called complementary medicine, integrative medicine, wellness or holistic health. Alternative medicine is a catch-all term that includes many healing methods from many countries and cultures. From India it includes yoga, ayurveda, chakra healing, and herbal medicine. From China it includes tai chi, chi gong, acupuncture, acupressure, massage and another set of herbal medicines. From North America it includes homeopathy, naturopathy, massage therapy, reflexology and many other types of therapies. By Western medicine, I mean the usual type of medicine used here in the U.S. and Canada. Pharmaceutical drugs, antibiotics and surgery are the most commonly prescribed treatments under Western medicine. The name alternative medicine makes it sound like these therapies should be used instead of Western medicine. But this really isn't the case. Hardly anyone ignores Western medicine and just focuses on alternative medicine. My own approach can be summarized in four principles:
Using the safest, cheapest, effective remedy first is sensible, I think. Use safe, cheap remedies with no side effects first, then progress to stronger, more dangerous, more expensive treatments later. A good example of this is when my wife's allergies come on in springtime. She starts by taking an aromatherapy combination that she rubs on her nose and forehead. Most of the time, this works. But when it doesn't, she moves on to a homeopathic remedy for allergies. Usually, that will solve whatever problem the aromatherapy couldn't help. But if neither one works, she moves on to an off-the-shelf drug for allergies. And that usually fixes whatever symptoms the first two couldn't work on. I suppose if she was still suffering after that, she might go to the doctor and get a very strong prescription treatment. That hasn't happened yet, thankfully. Why not just take the over-the-counter drug first? Because it has bad side-effects. It makes her sleepy, it dries out her nose making it bleed, and lots of other bad stuff. And it is costly. But that's worth it if she's already tried the other safer, cheaper remedies. In another example, when I have a back problem, I'll go to a massage therapist, rolfer or Feldenkrais practitioner. They can usually help me. If not, I go to a chiropractor. Chiropractors are great for relieving back pain. If that doesn't help, then I'll think about taking off-the-shelf pain medication. If that isn't strong enough, I go to the doctor to get a prescription drug that can knock the pain out while I have the bodyworkers help me with the actual problem in my back. My second principle is that I use alternative medicine for the everyday problems and the chronic problems. By chronic, I mean the problems that linger day-after-day, week-after-week. Alternative medicine is well-known for helping people with the chronic ailments like diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc. Chronic problems can also be less severe like back pain, soreness, obesity, chattering mind, etc. Western medicine seems clueless when it comes to these problems. Third, I use alternative medicine for wellness and prevention. I go to see a massage therapist even when I don't have any problems, just to help me stay healthy. I go to see a naturopath as a "checkup" every six months or so to make sure I'm on the right track and to report any seemingly small symptoms that may turn into something worse down the road. Fourth, I definitely turn to Western medicine for acute or life-threatening problems. If my appendix starts hurt, I'm not going to see a massage therapist or reflexologist. I'm going to trot over to the hospital emergency room. If I've been involved in a car accident and my legs got crushed, I want the best surgeons to put me back together. I follow these principles, not just because they are healthier, less risky and more prevention-oriented, but also because of another consideration. Cost. Western medicine, especially when used as a "first resort," is just too expensive for me. My health insurance policy has a high deductible, because my wife and I are both self-employed and we cannot afford thousands of dollars a month for health insurance. So I want the best possible healthcare for the best price. And that seems to be alternative medicine more often than not. Daryl Kulak is the author of Health Insurance Off the Grid, a book that provides a simple, effective plan to reduce insurance costs for the self-employed, unemployed and underinsured. The book puts the new Health Savings Account (HSA) together with alternative medicine to create a workable, cost-effective plan for many Americans. The book is available at the Website http://www.healthoffthegrid.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Anxiety Warning Signs How do you know when you are suffering from background anxiety? It's important to be aware of the warning signs, because excessive levels of anxiety can disrupt your performance, stifle joy and lead to depression and illness.A good test of a person's physical fitness lies in their ability to do the things our ancestors did, routinely. Flu Vaccine Hysteria Last week the media circus surrounding the flu vaccine reached a crescendo.Half of all the flu vaccine supply is not available this year!Why? Because the British company that supplies half of the U. Beating Your Neck, Back and Shoulder Pain Suffering from neck, back and shoulder pain? If you are, you're in good company. Millions of people wake up every morning and endure every day experiencing pain in their necks, backs and shoulders. Ayurveda Approach to Genital Herpes Dosha theory which help in diagnosis of the diseases.According to ayurveda three doshas or three energetic forces control the activities of the body. Evening Primrose Oil Benefits The evening primrose oil which we use is extracted from the seeds of Oenthera biennis, a plant native to North America. The evening primrose plant resembles a primrose but is related to the willow herb group. Using Asian Herbal Combinations for Treating Hemorrhoids Asian HerbsI have found Chinese herb formulations quite effective in treating hemorrhoid symptoms. It is now easy to find these herbs, since there are Chinese herb store in most cities. Drug Addiction Treatment Centers: A Fresh Start Half a decade ago, I started working on a hotline to help addicts and their families find drug addiction treatment centers. Thousands of calls later, I still remember the first time I picked up the line. Genital Herpes - Natural and Alternative Treatment Remedies Modern medical science has not been able to produce a cure for the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and can only offer pharmaceutical solutions that help ease the pain and speed up recovery from a genital herpes outbreak. For those that don't want to turn to medication to manage a lifetime of outbreaks, several holistic and natural remedies may offer a safer alternative. History of Essential Oils Extracted from botanicals, that is, from plants and trees. They are part of the plants immune system processed by distillation but others such as the citrus oils may be extracted in different ways. Portrait of a Psychic / Intuitive Many people ask me how I started doing this work.As a child, my earliest memory is being 3 years old and telling my mother things that I could not have possibly known. Homemade Bath Products...the Pros and Cons When you surf the Internet to find proper bath products for your home spa bathing you can see many websites offering homemade bath product receipts:" Why to pay more for expensive bath products if you can make your own products?Forget (give up) these expensive bath products at bath (drug, department etc) stores?You can make your own inexpensive bath product at home etc?etc?etc?"Is it right? Yes and No?Let us describe three main levels of natural bath products depending on several factors. Each level differs from others by complexity of composition, structure, technology, therapeutic value and results, biological activity of ingredients etc. The Healing Power of Water Gardens If you experienced a day filled with running from one place to the next, one errand to the next, one meeting to the next, imagine a place where all your troubles can melt away. A place where the stressors of the day are nonexistent. What is Sound Therapy? As energetic beings, our electromagnetic energy field (aura) vibrates at specific frequencies. When there is an energy distortion, clutter, blockage, etc, the vibration of the energy field gets clogged, bogged down and heavy. Treating Arthritis- Naturally There are actually three common types of arthritis. These are Osteoarthritis which is the most common, affecting around 16 million Americans with an average age of 45. Kill Your Stuttering/Stammering Demons Apparently one percent of British people suffer from the speech impediment called stuttering. Only people who stutter can ever really know how difficult life can become when you are unable to speak fluently in all situations. Alternative Approaches to Pain Relief Pain. The great leveler. An Aspirin A Day Can Give You Cancer I want to share a health alert with you. So many people today are taking an aspirin a day - many upon the recommendation of their doctors and many simply because they think it is the "healthy" thing to do. Get Your ZZZZZZ's Naturally Insomnia - according to the dictionary is a chronic inability to fall asleep or remain asleep for an adequate length of time. We've all experienced this at least sometime in our lives. How Brewer's Yeast and MSM Clear Constipation Brewer's yeast can help to ease, reduce, or clear your constipation. If you can handle the taste, add it to your juices morning and night. Ginseng: Root of Immortality Translated to mean man root in Chinese, the name ginseng premises on the belief that the roots, with their attached limbs, resemble a human being. Due to its perceived kinship with the gods, the Chinese named it the root of immortality.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2010 |
