More and more people are opting for alternative forms of medicine. Also known as complementary medicine (used in conjunction with conventional medicine), wholistic medicine (meaning the whole person as opposed to isolating systems or symptoms), holistic medicine (meaning natural, non-chemical remedies), or traditional medicine (dates back to the majority of time until the industrialized revolution/chemicalized medicine), alternative medicine (umbrella term for all of the above), is more wide-spread than at any time since the beginning of the last century.
Conventional medicine, also known as allopathic medicine (a derisive and insulting term best not used), Western medicine, standard medicine, regular medicine and also confusingly called traditional medicine, is increasingly becoming an area of concern. While we benefit tremendously in their expertise in trauma medicine, keeping newborns alive that otherwise would have died due to certain birth defects, and they have been a godsend in so many life-threatening conditions, more and more the public is becoming disheartened with the “operate, medicate, or radiate” approach to disease.
Those who seek out the services of “alternative” forms of medicine are those who are tired of medications for everything and end up taking a bundle of them. Or, they strongly dislike the use of medications for anything, and seek alternatives from the beginning. Still others didn’t mind their medications in the beginning, but because of side effects, the desire to be drug-free or for other personal reasons want off their current medications (or only 1 or 2 of them).
Many try to stop their medications without medical advice. This could be a mistake. Many of them end up back on them again. That is because they didn’t handle the problem that necessitated the use of the medication in the first place.
Frequently, people use alternative practitioners to avoid surgery, choosing instead to use acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, nutritional therapy, physical therapy, etc. for pain, muscle spasms, digestive disorders, and a myriad of other diseases that are usually easily handled by other means.
The worst thing a person can do is nothing. Responsible doctors don’t generally care how a patient gets his/her health condition resolved, as long as they are proactive in resolving it. Nothing is more frustrating than a patient telling his/her doctor that they won’t do the surgery recommended, won’t do the meds, won’t do physical therapy, etc. A patient who is actively involved in resolving his/her condition is more likely to recover, and even if it wasn’t originally recommended by their medical doctor, most doctors are happy as long as something was done.
Conditions such as fatigue, headaches, brain fog, weight loss, hormonal imbalances, etc. also respond well to alternative forms of medicine. So many people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. More are finding relief in alternative medicine.
©2015 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
