Thomas Pretty asked:


Healthcare in the western world is experiencing a major shift in how people want to be treated and the treatments they choose to undertake. Seemingly patients are increasingly open to the idea of pursuing alternative medicine rather than the medical practises of established medicine. But what is behind this shift? Why are patients choosing alternative medicine over the regular variety and what implications will this have on not only the medical profession but also society more generally?

One of the most touted reasons for the increased use of alternative medicine is the increased cost of regular treatments. While in this country we have a nationalised healthcare system, in many countries around the world medical expenses are a major concern. This is why all over the western world; those who have to pay for medical treatment are choosing the alternative route instead of the conventional one.

The reason for this increase in cost is not due to medical staff receiving more money but instead a rise in the costs of supplies and operation. That said, the end result is the same, patients have to pay more for their treatments and understandably utilising alternative forms of treatment that prove to cheaper has become popular, especially when used over a long period of time.

Even countries that use a system of personal insurance to pay for medicine and treatments are experiencing this shift towards alternative medicine. The shift is a result of the fact that for minor afflictions and problems many policies are not paying out; as the patient then has to pay for their drugs, seeking alternative and cheaper forms of treatment is wholly understandable. As long as insurers refuse to pick up the tabs for patient’s bills, alternative practitioners will experience the financial benefits as people head to them in droves.

It may even reach the point where alternative medicine becomes the predominant form of treatment. Courses of naturopathy, hypnotherapy, yoga and chiropractic treatment are becoming evermore popular and challenging drugs and surgery as the primary means of treatment for a number of disorders. Doctors are already experiencing a downturn in patient numbers as they head instead to the alternative practitioners.

While this does not in itself worry doctors who are under high levels of stress already, one consequence is patients not telling their doctors of the treatments they have had for fear of disapproval. Understandably doctors want the entire picture of a patient’s past treatments, alternative or regular to work out a suitable course of action.

As peoples’ faith in western medicine clearly diminishes, alternative medicines are becoming popular for the relief they offer. This has worried doctors somewhat due to the fact that without a professional medical opinion it is easy to diagnose symptoms incorrectly resulting in patients undergoing treatments they do not need that could in fact harm their chances of recovery. The era of self diagnosis seems to be upon us, the ramifications of this have not yet been ascertained but if the fears of doctors are realised, a great deal of subsequent health problems may arise in the future.

The internet has played its own part in this rise of alternative medicine. As an information resource it is unrivalled but the questions remain over the quality of said information. If people continue to self-diagnose, the health implications could be great. Overall however if you are looking into using alternative medicine it is advisable to take a mixed approach. The knowledge of your doctor should not be ignored and is a far greater resource than the internet. By using this advice and finding a practitioner who is both knowledgeable and trustworthy is key to finding a healthy balance between existing treatments and alternative therapies.



Carmen

arabian_angel_2791 asked:


does it include undergrad, or is it more of a get an undergrad degree and then move on to an alternative med grad school?

Alicia

Bernadette Hopkins asked:


Alternative medicine for fibroids has been used by herbalists for many hundreds of years and like alternative treatments for all manner of conditions, is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Until recently, doctors were all too quick to perform a hysterectomy to get rid of fibroids but it in now realized that this is very rarely the best treatment and can have side effects which are as bad as, if not worse, that the fibroids themselves.

Other surgical treatments for fibroids are rarely successful. Removing the individual fibroids is all well and good if you can stop new ones growing. Unfortunately, once doctors have performed the surgery, women are very rarely given any advice which will help them prevent regrowth.

Alternative medicine for fibroids usually consists of herbal preparations which can be taken which are widely believed to be beneficial for shrinking fibroids. With some medical conditions, it would not necessarily be advisable to try alternative treatment methods as delaying conventional medicine could prove dangerous. As fibroids are very rarely life-threatening, once you have received a diagnosis, trying alternative treatments is most certainly worthwhile as it has been proven that fibroids respond very well to natural treatments.

If left untreated, fibroid symptoms will very rarely disappear and will persist until the menopause. The symptoms will usually become more severe as the fibroids naturally increase in size and it is sensible to treat the fibroids before they become so large that they are causing unbearable symptoms. Having said this, natural treatments can be successfully used to shrink even large fibroids.

When looking at herbal remedies which can be used to treat fibroids naturally, it is important that you take into account your own individual circumstances as treatments often consist of multiple ingredients which as combined to make the best treatment for you. For example, if you carry excess weight and you have excess estrogen because of this, you may require a different combination of ingredients to someone who has an inflammatory condition which is believed to aggravate fibroids.

Herbs Commonly Used As Alternative Medicine For Fibroids

* Spica Prunellae

* Concha Ostreae

* Rhizoma Sparganii

* Herba Dendrobii

* Semen Litchi

* Rhizoma Zedoariae

* Rhizoma Cyperi

* Sargassum

* Fructus Corni

As well as herbal fibroid medicines, there are various other possibilities if you would like to treat fibroids naturally. If you would like to learn all-natural methods which will show you how to eliminate uterine fibroids naturally,by using a 7 step treatment method which comes with a complete guarantee, visit Shrink Fibroids Naturally

To learn all about the different types of fibroids plus the different treatments for each, please visit Types Of Fibroids If you are considering surgery or drug treatment for your fibroids, you have nothing to lose by trying alternative medicine for fibroids beforehand. A little time and effort now can pay huge dividends in the long run.



Nathaniel

David Marlow asked:


Magnet therapy is an alternative medicine that has been utilized for centuries. It is a natural way to align ions within the human body. You may be a skeptic, but there are millions of people who have tried magnetic therapy magnets and been astounded by the results!

How are the ions constructed within the human body and how does magnetic therapy help to relieve pain and illness? As you know by now, the Earth has a magnetic field that constantly pulls and pushes molecular ions that you cannot see. These ions are so small that they even exist within your body. Magnet therapy seeks to align and purify negative ions from within the body. Without magnetic influence, these ions can build up over time in the human body and cause friction in tissues, which can lead to irritation, disease and pain.

Many struggle with some kind of physical injury, joint problem, or persistent pain. Did you know that there’s an all-natural renewable product out there that can help heal your joints and muscles? That’s right, magnets!

Magnet therapy has been used to supplement treatment for all sorts of illnesses ranging from diabetes to kidney problems. Magnetic therapy has also been most useful in treating arthritis, sprains, and post-operative joint care. Over time, wearing a magnetic product will help align the ions within your body and reduce pain, inflammation and friction. For example, do you have problems with an ankle, knee, shoulder or back injury? Believe it or not there are wide variety of braces available with magnets for use with specific body injuries and give prominent and proven treatment to these areas. There are magnetic ankle and shoulder braces available for those who’ve recently sprained their ankle, dislocated their shoulder or are recovering from surgery. Magnetic knee braces help reduce inflammation and friction within your knee joint. Likewise, if you have back problems, magnetic back supports help straighten your spine and purify your spinal fluid.

With magnetic therapy you have an all-natural safe supplement to your healing program to bring you back to full health. The best part about magnets is that they are completely renewable. Once you buy one magnet, it will last forever. Also, magnets are completely free of any side effects or negative health consequence. It is easy to utilize whenever ad wherever you want. There are countless health benefits to magnetic therapy. Don’t you think that it is time that you treated that old injury with magnetic therapy today? Being perfected for centuries, now is the perfect time to get started.



Victoria

nicky asked:


What types of alternative care are available? How do you feel about traditional medicine versus alternative modalities of treatment?

Milton

Danny Wright asked:


There has been a growing debate over whether or not alternative medicine is effective. While it has not been scientifically proven to heal illnesses, it has been known to work for many people. And because of this, the various treatments continue to grow in popularity. Here are 5 types of alternative medicine you may find yourself needing in the future.

1. Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be done for a number of different conditions. The treatment consists of placing fine needles into the body at various points along the body’s energy channels. It has been found to be a promising treatment for dental pain and nausea for chemo. Additionally, it is used to treat arthritis and back pain, but has not been proven to help either of these conditions.

2. Biofeedback

This is one of the more controversial alternative medicine treatments because of the effects it has on the mind. It is a procedure in which electronic monitors help train a patient to use the mind to relax and control pain. Throughout the procedure, the heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tensions are measured. It has been found to help patients with back pains, headaches, fibromyalgia, and muscle pains.

3. Chiropractic

Chiropractic has become perhaps the most practiced alternative medicine out. There are thousands of chiropractic offices where a patient can go in and get adjusted and be on their way. Chiropractic is a system of spinal adjustments or manipulations that help correct misalignment of the vertebrae. It can be helpful for back pains, neck pains, headaches, sports injuries and anything else related to the spinal cord.

4. Hypnosis

This is a practice that induces an intense state of focused attention with the hope that the subconscious mind becomes more powerful. There is some solid evidence that this alternative medicine treatment can reduce pain and anxiety. It can also assist in relieving chronic pain, severe burns, and disorders that are worsened by stress.

5. Magnet therapy

Magnet therapy is done by placing magnets on the body to stimulate circulation and increase the release of the body’s own-relieving chemicals. There is little evidence that can prove that this method really does work. However, there are a number of athletes that are adamant that this treatment works.

For now, many alternative medicine treatments do not have concrete evidence that they do work effectively. Despite this, many of the methods continue to grow in popularity and more and more people every year are turning to alternative medicine to treat their illnesses.



Julia

Shane B asked:


I have vasovagal, and I need an alternative medicine route to heal it.

Thanks!

Timothy

Caleb Anderson asked:


Alternative medicine has a number of benefits. It is a practice of consuming a medicine without the use of drugs. This may involve herbal medicines, self-awareness, biofeedback, or acupuncture. With alternative medicines, a person becomes an active participant in techniques involved in the cure. Individuals understand their physical body functions well and understand the way it relates to their health.

Holistic medicine comes under alternative medicine. Nature, as a whole, has an important role in the usage of fruits, herbs, detox, and vitamins for purification, stimulation and healing. Use of such therapies has gained popularity in recent times, since they offer great health benefits to users. Many people are directing their attention toward alternative medicine and natural therapies for prevention of illnesses and solving their day-to-day health-related issues.

Benefits and Usage:

The natural therapies present in alternative medicines are age-old as compared to western form of treatments such as antibiotics and surgeries. According to physicians, most alternative medicine therapies started with clinical impressions or scientific research. The medicines are safe and involve natural substances. One primary objective of alternative medicines is to relieve people from depending largely on drug usage and help them manage their lives naturally. For users’ convenience, below given are some ways to use alternative medicines:

1. People following an alternative medicine may do physical exercises such as osteopathy, yoga, infuse physical activity, tai chi, meditation and reflexology. To do these exercises, place the pillow on a surface providing comfort to the body, since these exercises stimulate and manipulate structural balance of the body. In addition, the exercises improve overall bodily functions. Users may practice these exercises for mental, physical, spiritual and emotional benefits.

2. Users may undergo massage therapy, which involves manipulating and rubbing the body tissue for mental and physical relaxation. They may do this either at home or at a massage clinic. When at home, apply massage oils to the neck, forehead, feet and hands.

3. Change the way of thinking. Exercise the mind first, so the body follows it. Meditate for relaxing the mind, thinking positively and clearing stress. Take deep breaths for better healing. Simultaneously, make use of enhanced visualization of objects for forming good thought patterns.

4. For relaxing the body, drink herbal teas. Improvement of bodily functions depends on what people eat and drink, since the same relieves, stimulates and has a healing effect on the body. Consume fresh fruits, vegetables and vitamins daily so that the body gets essential nutrients. Drink ginger tea since it is effective in the cure of nausea and heals the body naturally.

5. Those who wish to develop strong bones and healthy muscles may seek the help of a chiropractor. Chiropractic is a method of treatment that manipulates the body structures, especially the spine to relieve low back pain or even headache or high blood pressure. The chiropractor shows people their pressure points.

6. A simple, yet curable method that comes under alternative therapy is laughter as being the best medicine. People have experienced miraculous changes in certain health disorders due to mere laughing. As such, it is advisable people watch comedy shows on TV. Read magazines and books that promote laughter. Alternately, cleanse the entire body with essential oils, herbs, fruits that have certain therapeutic benefits on the skin. Combine herbs, natural products and fruits together as a remedy to skin disorders.

7. Users may try alternative medicines such as the electromagnetic therapy and biofeedback, which controls body functions such as heart rate, brain activity and blood pressure.

People have turned to using alternative medicine, since it offers multiple health benefits and cures them from long-term ailments in a natural way.



Troy