Alternative Medicine

[LeXeU]

My opinion: There is no alternative medicine. There is only scientifically verified medicine and unverified medicine.

Although some of the latters are verified, acupuncture for example. However, with verification the eastern mystical nonsense surrounding acupuncture has been put to rest...

Why do people hold alternative medicine to a different standard expected from the rest of modern society?

Do you buy a product expecting that it might work some of the time?

You see those products that claims to enhance memory. If studied, I suspect that the product would show no evidence of memory enhancement. But who cares, a few bucks for a dream, what do you have to lose?

If you consider those with a more serious illness. A cancer patient may have a lot to lose from a delay in treatment. Faced with certain death, a cancer patient may be willing to try any advertised cure.

To those who believe in alternative medicine, do you believe that the alternative medicine community is free of exploitation? If you acknowledge that abuses can and do occur, how should abuses be redressed?

It Seems to me, a lot of people are reaping benefit from a lack of evidence based medicine. What is the rational for refusing an evidence based approach to alternative medicine?

[dandann]

Alternative medicine is a major issue, esp for sick people who take them for curative purposes.

There are different kinds of alternative therapies, ranging from behavioral therapy (Yoga, acupuncture, breathing exercises for stress relief...) that usually has no dangerous adverse effects, to so called "supplements" usually, in the form of tablets that can potentially have severe side effects.

Supplements, after all, are chemical ingredients that are destined to have a certain effect in your body. But what are medicines then? the same !
The difference is that supplements do not go through the rigourous testing procedures that an approved medication is submitted to (Bio studies, animal
studies, 3-phase human studies).

The fact that some supplements are derived from herbs does not make them safe whatsoever. Digitalis, one of the older medications for heart failure, that has enormous side effects is derived from a plant.

Furthermore, many supplements can interfere with the way your body processes other medications you are taking. Some supplements can raise (or decrease) the blood levels of some medications, potentially worsening the side effects or decreasing the efficacy of that drug.
Well if you're only taking a medication for back pain, who cares....but for patients who are on heart medications or chemotherapy this can have disatsrous side effects.

Why are supplements so popular?
Well i think that it's one way for a person to feel that he/she in some way have some control over their health.
Besides, supplements are frequently advertised as wonder drugs, with no side effects (totally untrue).
Finally, like LeXeU said, do you really think that this is business free of exploitation? I think its mostly made of it !

My advice is eat healthy, exercise, and if you really want something a multivitamin a day is ok.

[LeXeU]

Agree with dandann,

But also want to mention that Dietary Supplements are one type of Alternative Medicine. And I would say this one be the most unharmful yet the most popular one !!!

Also, there are some very weird and different AM types. Just to give an idea of what I am talking about:

• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Mind-body medicine :meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance.
• Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, and massage.
• Energy therapies (involve the use of energy fields) electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields.

And I say it again, I think alot of AMs are scams and are just ways to rip people off...