Is alternative medicine effective?

While at work the other day, a co-worker and I got into a discussion as to just how effective so called natural forms of healing and medicine might be and how and why they have evolved into being so popular.

Another co-worker joined in the conversation and after she shared with us that her daughter suffered from sickle cell anaemia, her next question was to ask: Well, "is alternative medicine effective...I mean really?"

Suffice it to say that she did strike a nerve with me as
1. My sister suffers from the same circulatory disorder.
2. I have used alternative medicine and they have been effective for me for my acne, asthma and overall lethargy.

So, without missing a beat I responded: "Yes, alternative medicine is effective...or better still, non-conventional wisdom in regards to healing the human body CAN and DOES work when used properly!"

Apparently she is not alone in wondering just how is alternative medicine effective or of much use, and neither am I in advocating the wisdom of drug-free methods of healing the body.

Take a look at what I culled up online folks:

An article on the web indicates that in 1997 Americans made 627 million visits to practitioners of alternative medicine and spent $27 billion of their own money to pay for alternative therapies. In contrast, Americans made only 386 million visits to their family doctor.

In Australia 57 percent of the population now use some form of alternative medicine, in Germany 46 percent do, and in France 49 percent do. The growth of some types of alternative medicine is indeed astounding. Between 1991 and 1997 the use of herbal medicines in the United States grew by 380 per cent and the use of vitamin therapy by 130 per cent. These are impressive numbers by anyone's standard(1-3).

This may lead us to wonder why do people increasingly prefer alternative medicine to conventional options? Well, The reasons are pretty simple - it is safe and it works!

Admittedly, conventional healing by the medical fraternity does work well in the case of trauma and emergency, surveys are indicating that it is much less effective when it comes to prevention, chronic disease, and in addressing the mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of an individual.

Perhaps because these are precisely the areas where alternative medicine turns out to be so effective.

It may be safe to say that to most of the world's population, , alternative medicine being effective might be because it truly is not "alternative" at all, but rather the basis of the health care system.

Take for example, the use of ayurvedic medicine that has been practiced in India for the past five thousand years and which has recently undergone a renaissance in the West due, in no small measure, to the work and lectures of Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD.

Ayurvedic medicine uses diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, massage, herbs, and medication and, despite its long lineage, is as applicable today as it was 5000 years ago. For example, the seeds of the Mucuna pruriens plant have long been used to treat Parkinson's disease in India; it is now receiving attention in conventional circles as it is more effective than l-dopa and has fewer side effects(4).

Other examples of how alternative medicine proves as being effective are

-Traditional Chinese medicine which combines the use of medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and the use of therapeutic exercises such as Qi Gong. It has proven to be effective in the treatment of many chronic diseases including cancer, allergies, heart disease and AIDS.

-Homeopathy which was developed in the early 1800s by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. It is particularly popular in South America and the British Royal Family has had a homeopathic physician for the last four generations. It is often viewed as being excellent in the treatment of minor ailments such as earaches, the common cold, and flu.

-Chiropracty which primarily involves the adjustment of spine and joints to alleviate pain and improve general health. It was practiced by the early Egyptians and was developed into its present form by the American Daniel David Palmer in 1895. It is now the most common form of alternative medicine in the United States. Chiropractors not only manipulate spine and joints, but also advise their patients on lifestyle and diet matters.


Other ways in which alternative medicine shines as being effective are in the use of Biofeedback, body work, massage therapy, reflexology, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, and various other forms of energy medicine which round out the vast spectrum of alternative medicine modalities.

Now, that we've answered how is alternative medicine effective by illustrating the common forms used above, lets go over some differences between the medical fraternity and alternative medicine.

1. Conventional Medicine is preferred for traumas and emergencies, while alternative medicine is oft times seen as more useful for chronic illnesses.

2. Conventional medicine focuses on the relief of symptoms and rarely places emphasis on prevention or the treatment of the cause of a disorder. All alternative systems, on the other hand, strive to find and treat the cause of a disorder and frown on covering up the symptoms.

3. Conventional medicine often times organ specific, (which explains the presence of ophthalmologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, neurologists, etc.) On the other hand, alternative medicine considers each person as a unique individual and uses a holistic approach in treatment.

4. Conventional medicine prefers quick fixes (as do many patients). Alternative medicine believes in gentle, long-term support to enable the body's own innate powers to do the healing.

5. Conventional medicine often consists of the use of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and powerful pharmaceutical drugs. Alternative medicine uses time-tested, natural remedies and gentle, hands-on treatments.

Well, now that we've gone into how conventional and alternative medicine (healing) differs, in conclusion, let's say in response to my friend's question : 'Is alternative medicine effective?'; suffice it to say that the best response will be 'if one way is true, it's got to be the way of nature!

Aje


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