Basically the only thing that these methods have in common is the fact that mainstream medicine rejects them.
The popularity of alternative medicine leads to one question. Why are people turning to alternative methods There are a number of reasons. Maybe conventional medicine is not solving a patient's problem. Some people may feel uncomfortable taking drugs to cure every ache and pain. Friends or family members often refer people to alternative medicine. Prescription drugs are unaffordable for the uninsured, and people don't want ailments to persist untreated. HMOs and Managed Care are driving people away from conventional medicine. A six minute doctor's visit is hardly worth the money spent. Some "incurable" diseases or chronic ailments can be treated with alternative medicine (Dillard 3). These reasons are more than enough motivation to send more and more people in search of an alternative choice, thus alternative medicine.
There are hundreds of techniques that fall under the category of alternative medicine. It would take a one-thousand page book to name all of them. Therefore, only a few of the more pop
Conventional medicine has many flaws. This is why people are seeking out alternative medicine. Western medicine is expensive, and only the affluent receive top quality care. Many conventional physicians are encouraged to limit the amount of time spent with the patient. Western medicine has stooped to a six-minute doctor visit. Insurance administrators are deciding the care provided these days, and many people are put off by this type of environment. In the end, patient care is neglected, and US citizens are being used and abused.
One danger of alternative remedies is present when a patient postpones successful forms of conventional medicine because of the use of alternative medicine. In some cases the patient may even die as a result ("A Professional . . . " 4). This problem can be eliminated with communication. If one communicates with an alternative practitioner andor a primary physician, the treatment options can be made clear. Then, the patient will have the option of making an educated decision on hisher treatment. In some cases, the person may prefer death to conventional forms of treatment. My grandmother had colon cancer. She had surgery and it was removed. The doctor suggested chemotherapy. Seeing as how she was 75, she opted not to receive chemotherapy, because she felt that it would compromise her quality of life. Five years later, she is still alive and kicking. She is using alternative therapies, but that is her choice, and she made an educated decision.
A source of much controversy, alternative medicine is the wave of the future. It allows more freedom to each individual, while treating people with dignity and respect. Some of the methods of alternative medicine date back five-thousand years. Having a history dating that far back, ads credibility. Seeing as how alternative medicine has become so popular, one must consider why it has been a success. Alternative medicine has been a success because it has worked for a number of people. They were pleased with the service received, and as a result continued using alternative medicine. As a result, alternative medicine is the key to a healthy body, mind, and pocketbook.
There are hundreds of techniques that fall under the category of alternative medicine. It would take a one-thousand page book to name all of them. Therefore, only a few of the more popular techniques of alternative medicine will be discussed. One of the more popular methods is homeopathy. Homeopathy, a practice founded by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, was brought to the United States in 1825. Several doctors, who were educated in Europe, brought the practice to America. It became widely used until medicine began to change. Eventually homeopathy became a relic of the past, and entered under the category of alternative medicine ("National Center . . . " 1)
Complementary medicine is the combination of alternative medicine and conventional medicine. Complementary medicine may be the solution to problems with both types of medicine. If alternative therapies began to be tested by doctors and combined with conventional medicine, new treatments could be utilized, while eliminating inefficient alternative practices. Dr. Burns feels that alternative medicine and conventional medicine should not be spoken of as separate sides of a coin. He feels that the future of medicine will involve the integration of the two (Burns). The use of complementary medicine is beneficial for several reasons. It would allow one to rule out the possibility of a serous illness. It would ensure that the alternative method does not interfere with anything else that is being done. It would make sure that, based on one's medical history, the alternative therapy is safe for each individual.
Acupuncture is an extension of Chinese Medicine. Rooted in ancient China, acupuncture can be used to treat physical, emotional, and psychological problems. It is used to diagnose and treat illnesses,
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