Alternative Medicine
Latest articles on Alternative Medicine
The use of hypnosis in medicine has drastically increased during the last decade as it has become an accepted treatment alternative for a wide range of health and medical issues.
When stressful situations go unresolved, the body is kept in a constant state of activation, causing deterioration and reducing the body's ability to repair and defend itself. Biofeedback teaches patients to modify these responses.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, complementary and alternative medicine are based on different principles: In general, complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, while alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.
Hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, and difficulty concentrating are very common in women going through menopause. For some, they present minimal burden on daily activities, but for others, they can affect quality of life.
By definition, complementary medicine is used along with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is practiced in place of conventional medicine. In reality, the practices often overlap.
Symptoms associated with PMS vary widely, says Patricia Mehring, RN, MSN, WHNP: "I have been a nurse for 35 years and I've learned that PMS is not the same for all women."
Lynn M. Rusy, MD, FAAMA, saw vast improvements in patients' pain scores after appropriate acupuncture treatment. "It was clear to me that one acupuncture protocol was much better than the other in relieving pain," she says.
"I've used acupuncture to treat many kids," says Lynn M. Rusy, MD, FAAMA. The drug-free, very minimally invasive and relatively pain-free nature of acupuncture helps to make it an especially useful tool for some young patients.
Some alternative products and therapies have been shown to contribute to health, but the claims of others haven't been supported by scientifically valid studies. Some even have the potential to cause harm.
"How could I get cancer? I take all of these pills so faithfully!" I looked down the carefully printed list of herbs and antioxidants. I wasn't quite sure what to tell her.
Joan Pleuss, RD, MS, CDE, CD, Bionutrition Research Manager at the Medical College of General Clinical Research Center, urges consumers to take a dose of caution when using herbals.
What if you want to drive but become ill whenever you enter a car, ship or plane? In this case, antihistamines aren't the answer. Dr. Julie Mitchell advises.
Researchers have been looking at the health-related effects of an ancient remedy for anger and resentment: forgiveness.
Poor nutrition is implicated as a contributing factor in 5 of the 10 leading causes of death in women. “As we age, a number of issues emerge that require changes in the nutrients we need,” says Joan Pleuss, RD, MS, CDE, CD.
Excessive amounts of common medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) can dull your body’s natural pain relievers and actually cause more headaches, says Dr. Paul Millea.
As women seek natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms, Western medicine has shown an increasing interest in investigating what once were termed "folk" remedies. Dr. Bonnie Tesch reports on Dong Quai, Red Clover, Vitamin E and Wild Yam extract.
Most of the ingredients in Control X are thought to stabilize renal function and regulate water passage. However, not all of these supplements have hard scientific evidence to support these claims.
Many alternative medicines have been inadequately studied and their potential benefit or harm will remain unknown until they are subjected to the same scrutiny as non-natural medications.
Acupuncture is helpful in treating nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy, headaches, menstrual cramps, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, arthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, shingles, and many other conditions.
by Richard M. Effros, MD
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