| There has been a surge in recent years of people | | | | of alternative treatments that are of questionable |
| looking to alternative medicine for treatment of | | | | value. They may be literally risking their lives by |
| illness. It is a practice that generates a great deal of | | | | treating illness with unproven alternative medicines |
| controversy both inside and outside of the traditional | | | | rather than scientifically validated traditional medicines. |
| world of medicine, and an issue that some experts | | | | Another common risk associated with alternative |
| say does not receive enough attention. | | | | medicine is when a patient uses both traditional and |
| What Is Alternative Medicine? | | | | alternative methods of treatment but does not |
| The most commonly accepted definition of | | | | disclose this to their medical doctor. It is very |
| alternative medicine is a treatment or substance that | | | | common for prescription medications to produce |
| is untested or unproven using accepted scientific | | | | negative interactions when taken at the same time |
| standards. Common types of alternative medicine | | | | as alternative medicines like herbs and plant extracts. |
| include herbs, supplements, therapies and activity | | | | These interactions may range from diminished |
| programs that fall outside of traditional medical | | | | effectiveness all the way up to and including toxicity |
| practice and are questionable in terms of safety and | | | | that causes serious harm. If the medical doctor is not |
| effectiveness. For example, acupuncture, massage, | | | | made aware of any other substances the patient |
| meditation, herbal teas, and plant extracts are quite | | | | may be taking, he or she may unknowingly prescribe |
| popular forms of alternative medicine that many | | | | a medication that produces and unwanted or harmful |
| medical doctors say are ineffective at best and | | | | interaction. |
| dangerous at worst for some conditions. | | | | How To Recognize Potentially Risky Alternative |
| Why Is Alternative Medicine So Popular? | | | | Medicines |
| Alternative medicine has grown in popularity as more | | | | A good rule of thumb to follow is that if a product, |
| and more people face the inevitable aches, pains and | | | | substance or therapy sounds too good to be true |
| illnesses that come with aging. In some cases, | | | | then it probably is. While you may already be familiar |
| traditional medicine has failed to produce a cure and | | | | with this cliché, it is worth repeating because it |
| patients go in search of other options for treatment | | | | is often true when it comes to alternative medicine. |
| of their illness. In other cases, patients believe | | | | Beware of any product that claims to be |
| strongly that natural methods of treating illness are | | | | "miraculous", "a scientific breakthrough", "amazingly |
| superior to traditional medicine so they seek | | | | effective", "an ancient remedy", "a secret formula" or |
| treatment from alternative practitioners rather than | | | | possess some other attribute that supposedly makes |
| medical doctors. | | | | it superior to more traditional medicines. |
| The Risks Of Alternative Medicine | | | | If you are considering an alternative form of therapy, |
| Some of the greatest risks associated with | | | | such as reflexology, acupuncture, biofeedback or the |
| alternative medicine come from the use of | | | | like, carefully check the qualifications of the therapy |
| substances that are untested, ineffective, and | | | | practitioner before undergoing treatment. What kind |
| sometimes unsafe. The makers of such substances | | | | of training has he or she received, and is that training |
| often make exaggerated claims of effectiveness and | | | | from a reputable source? Research the treatment |
| or misrepresent the science associated with the | | | | itself to determine if it is something that has been |
| substance in order to convince consumers to buy | | | | scientifically tested, evaluated, and found to be |
| their product, even if use of the product may | | | | effective. Don't take the practitioner's word for it, |
| endanger the consumer's health or well-being. | | | | and don't accept at face value the claims of anyone |
| For example, some herbal remedies are promoted as | | | | who stands to make money or benefit in some way |
| having the ability to improve memory, increase | | | | if you choose to undergo the treatment. |
| metabolism, or even cure diseases like cancer and | | | | Finally, ask your doctor about any form of alternative |
| heart disease. In practice, though, some remedies | | | | medicine that you are considering. If you don't feel |
| may actually cause physiological harm when taken in | | | | comfortable doing so then find a doctor with whom |
| excessive amounts, ephedra being one well-publicized | | | | you feel more at ease and discuss the alternative |
| recent example. Another risk is that a person with a | | | | treatment you are considering. Remember that a |
| serious condition such as cancer, heart disease or | | | | trained medical professional has the education and |
| some other chronic illness will forego more traditional | | | | experience to help you make good, safe decisions |
| treatments that have been proven effective in favor | | | | about whether or not to use alternative medicine. |