Alternative Medicine: Myths And Facts – If you have noticed the latest trends as of late, it is readily apparent that old school is once again the new school. This is true even concerning something as important as healthcare. Many individuals are turning to more holistic, traditional treatment methods often referred to as “alternative medicine.”
As with any trendy topic, there is a plethora of misinformation available pertaining to alternative medicine. The deception goes both ways. On one hand, you can quickly find dishonest practitioners of these methods looking to cash in on what is hot right now, with no genuine concern for your healthcare.
On the other hand, many people disregard any form of an alternative method as a viable option without any personal experience.
In this article, we are going to discuss only a few of the most common myths as well as facts concerning alternative method, giving you a better perspective to make conscious choices in your healthcare.
Myth #1: You Should Turn To Alternative Medicine For ANY Condition
Similar to many advocates of other alternative lifestyles, some supporters of alternative medicine will advise that you use this option for virtually any ailment. This is far from sound advice. While there are certain discomforts that afford experimentation to find different solutions to alleviate, such as sinus congestion or a mild headache, more serious situations call for heavily researched and proven protocols.
For instance, in the case of a cancer diagnosis or other life-threatening health condition, time is of the utmost importance. While complementing modern treatment with some form of alternative medicine may be beneficial, rejecting what is known to be effective can be, literally, a fatal mistake.
Myth #2: Any Form Of Alternative Medicine Is Dangerous
This myth tends to come from the camp of people quick to give their input on anything straying from the mainstream without any personal experience or insight. When one takes the time to learn the basics of many forms of alternative medicine, this notion is easily dispelled.
Most forms of alternative medicine seek to avoid the overuse of powerful pharmaceutical agents and harsh treatments methods, instead of using the bodies own healing properties and natural substances readily available in nature.
Even though the true effectiveness of alternative medicine as a whole may still be up for debate, any adverse health effects risked by undergoing most forms of this practice can usually be dismissed through common sense alone.
Fact #1: Some Forms Of Alternative Medicine Are Actually Proven To Be Beneficial
While there are various practices included in alternative medicine that range from complete pseudoscience to somewhat supported by research, several techniques have an immense amount of data supporting their effectiveness.
Included in this category are things such as yoga, tai chi, massage therapy and acupuncture. These age-old practices are still very much in use today, with millions of patients singing their praises. Furthermore, since these techniques are so commonplace, much research has been done to evaluate how well they actually work.
Just because some forms of alternative medicine are sketchy at best, be careful to not lump every technique into the same category without digging a little deeper first.
Fact #2: Modern Medicine Is Far From Harmless
Truth be told, there are most likely some risks to be considered when deciding whether or not to implement some form of alternative medicine in your healthcare. What is often unreported by naysayers of this decision are the readily apparent dangers posed by modern medicine.
Examples of this fact include the devastating opioid epidemic plaguing our society today, responsible for millions of deaths thus far. Furthermore, the overuse of antibiotics has led to the development of bacteria impervious to almost any form of treatment available. Even the everyday imaging techniques implemented by modern medicine, such as x-rays, expose patients to dangerous levels of radiation.
Whether you turn to modern medicine or an alternative form of treatment, there are always risks being evaluated.
Jayne Bennett
Aromatherapist, Alternative Health Practitioner