Western Vs Alternative Medicine – Which is The Best For You?

Imagine this, you’ve just had another visit to your Doctor and been told yet again that your condition hasn’t improved and may even be getting worse.  There is nothing they can recommend for you. 

You’ve had all the tests, they’ve diagnosed your condition but the only thing they can offer you is a drug that may help relieve your symptoms.  And possibly only for the short term at that.

No Wonder Patients are Looking For Another Way!

There is a lot of controversy around whether you should use alternative medicine to deal with a health issue or whether you should stick with Western Medicine. 

If you ask most conventionally trained medical practitioners in the West, they will often deride the idea that alternative practices offer anything more than a placebo effect.

So why is it that so many people seek out the services of alternative health practitioners to help them achieve the good health they deserve?

In order to look at why you may choose one over the other its important to look at the pros and cons of both forms of healing.

But first a little back ground to alternative medicine and the rise of Western Medicine as we know it today.

Western Vs Alternative Medicine – A Brief History of Both

Alternative Medicine is an umbrella term that covers a number of practices that fall outside the practices of modern conventional (allopathic) medicine.  These include, but are not exclusive to, herbalism, acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, faith healing and various bodywork therapies including massage and osteopathy.

The history of alternative medicine dates back thousands of years and various forms of alternative medicine such as traditional Chinese Medicine has survived through many centuries and are still practiced widely today.  In fact in many Eastern Countries modern hospitals use these therapies alongside more conventional western medicine as the norm.  For example it’s not usual for acupuncture to be incorporated during surgery in China.

Western medicine as we know it today is a fairly recent discovery.  However its history goes back thousands of years.  Hippocrates, a Greek Philosopher is known as the Father of Medicine. Born around 460 BC, Hippocrates is credited with greatly advancing the systematic study of clinical medicine by summing up the work and findings of previous medical teachings.  Hippocrates or one of his pupils is credited with the writing of the Hippocratic Oath, which forms the basis of many oaths taken by practitioners of modern medicine.  One of the key elements of this oath was that the Doctor will prescribe regimens for the good of their patients according to the Doctors ability and judgment and never do harm to anyone.

The “Father of Medicine” or An Alternative Medicine Practitioner

Although Hippocrates is linked with the history of Western medicine his philosophy had many similarities with many alternative practices.  He believed that disease was due to the body being out of balance and often used herbal remedies as part of his healing. 

The Hippocratic School, in similarity to modern day medicine gave huge importance to the documentation of clinical findings and the treatment carried out.  He taught the importance of physicians recording their findings and medical practices in a clear, objective manner.  This allowed for good clinical practices to be passed on through the ages and is a mainstay of modern medical care.

Modern Medicine changed into how we know it today during the 19th and 20th Century when medical advances led to the discovery of bacteria and viruses.  One of the biggest breakthroughs in modern medicine was the discovery of penicillin with led to the development of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections.

Western Vs Alternative Medicine – The Pros and Cons of Each

To look at how Alternative Medicine stacks up against Western Medicine it’s important to look at some of the pros and cons of each.

Western Medicine – The Pros

• Evidence Based – Pharmaceutical Medicines have to go through strict trials to become licensed.

• Highly trained and skilled professionals – Physicians go through years of training and pass a huge number of exams to prove their skill.

• Strict Regulations – Both the Medical Profession and the Pharmaceutical Industry have very strict guidelines to abide by.  Non-adherence to these guidelines by Doctors can mean that they are struck off and unable to practice again.  Pharmaceutical Companies are subject to massive fines if they are found to be in breach.
  

• Quality Control Procedures – the manufacture of drugs is done under clean room conditions to prevent contamination of the end product.

• Doctors have access to highly accurate diagnostic equipment nowadays and they are trained to recognise and diagnose disease.

Western Medicine – The Cons

• Pharmaceutical drugs have side effects – some patients find themselves in a cycle of taking Drugs to deal with the unwanted affects of the Drugs they were originally prescribed.

• Western Medicine focuses on dealing with the symptoms of the disease in many cases and treatment suppresses these, rather than curing the problem. This can lead to a lifetime need for drug therapy.

• A one size fits all approach – if you are diagnosed with a particular condition you will be prescribed a particular type of Drug eg if you have raised cholesterol you will probably be given a statin.  Dosing and regimen is standardised – this is ok for the majority of patients.  But you may fall outside the norm and therefore the treatment doesn’t work as well for you or you have tolerability problems.

• Treatment with conventional medicine in many countries is very expensive and without access to health insurance can be out of the reach of many.  Even in countries where there is free access to health care, certain Drugs or treatments may not be available, due to the local health care services being unable to pay for them.

• The modern focus on disease and the time and other pressures many physicians are under means that sometimes the patient can feel like they are on a treatment treadmill and not being listened to.

Alternative Medicine – The Pros

• Most alternative medicine practices work to restore balance to the body.  This allows the body to heal itself.  This holistic approach can often impact positively on other aspects of the patient’s life. 

• Alternative Medicine and Alternative Therapies are about keeping the body in balance to maintain good health, whereas Western Medicine tends to focus more on treating disease once you have succumbed to it. 

• Side effects are rare with alternative treatments and treatments are often gentler on the patient and work in harmony with the body.

• Alternative practitioners tend to spend a longer time talking to their patients and addressing their concerns.  This helps the patient feel at ease and also helps with the healing process.

• Patients are actively involved in their healing with alternative medicine.  This gives them a sense of control over their health and bodies.

• Alternative Treatments can often be less expensive than conventional treatments.

• Alternative treatments often provide hope and even cures for “incurable” cases written off by conventional medicine.

Alternative Medicine – The Cons

• There is a lack of regulation around the alternative medicine field.  Therefore there is a risk of being ripped off by a “snake oil” salesman or putting your trust in someone who is not qualified to give you the treatment you are seeking.

• Alternative practitioners (unless medically qualified) are not able to provide you with a diagnosis.  There is a risk that you could have a serious condition that wouldn’t be recognised until its too late if you just rely on alternative treatments.

• Alternative Medicines such as homeopathy, aromatherapy and herbal remedies do not have to prove themselves via clinical trials or be subject to such rigorous quality control as pharmaceutical Drugs.  Most of the evidence is anecdotal and there is very little evidence to disprove the belief held by many scientists that benefits are purely placebo.

• It’s not always the case that alternatives are safe.  Certain aromatherapy preparations shouldn’t be used in pregnancy for example and common herbal treatments such as St Johns Wort can interact with prescribed medications. 

Western Vs Alternative Medicine – So Which Should You Choose?

As you can see there are positives and negatives to both forms of treatment.  When looking to treat any medical condition my advice would be to keep an open mind and investigate all the opportunities available to you.  Make sure when looking at alternative treatments you thoroughly research the background and qualifications of the individual you are considering using.

If you choose to seek more alternative routes, make sure you keep your Doctor informed of what you are doing.  That way they can ensure that you don’t inadvertently cause yourself harm by taking something that could interact with any prescribed medication.  Also your Medical Doctor has the skills, knowledge and diagnostic equipment to monitor your condition and ensure that the treatment you are using is improving your health.  Never stop taking a prescribed medication without consulting your Doctor first. 

Move Your Health to The Next Level

There are thousands of stories of patients’ lives being changed for the better when they sought out alternative medicine.  If you find that your current Doctor is negative towards alternatives then change your Doctor.  There are many health care professionals who are trained in both allopathic and alternative treatments.  Don’t let someone else’s closed mind stop you seeking other ways to achieve better health.

There is no reason why you cannot incorporate both forms of treatment into your health care and by doing so ensure that you are rewarded with the best health you can create.

To find out more on how Alternative Medicine can be used to improve your health visit

www.alternativemedicineanswers.com