subject: The New Trend Of Healing Called Complementary Care [print this page] Alternative medicine is a term that encompasses a whole lot of different types of treatments. Herbal remedies are one group of remedies within this larger category, and is the group I know the best.
There's an unfortunate tendency for traditional medical professionals to scoff at herbs and herbalism. They should not. Many of the medicines they prescribe come from herbs.
The bias against herbalism is slowly starting to change, thankfully. There's a new ethic of care called complementary care. In this type of care, traditional medical doctors work together with alternative medical practitioners to figure out the best means for treating the patient.
Complementary care has a number of important benefits, especially with regards to herbal remedies. While herbal remedies can be very useful, they are not inert. Herbal remedies can make some conditions worse rather than better, can have side effects, and can interact with some medications. I know many of these complicating factors, though not all of them, but I can find more information on the ones I don't know by heart.
Your average medical doctor doesn't know much about herbs. I know a couple who have a decent knowledge, but the majority know little to nothing on the subject. In fact, some doctors aren't comfortable when their patients are taking herbs because they have no idea what the effect of the herbs will be. This is where I can come in and really contribute.
I work with doctors, and this is helpful to me because I can't prescribe. The doctor can do that because he or she has the appropriate training for this. When it comes to standard medicines, I'd just be guessing as to what would work best and clearly that is not the way to go.
Traditional medication is also a benefit of complementary care. Sometimes, the only thing that will fix a condition or heal a problem is traditional medicine. Sometimes herbal remedies just won't do.
For instance, in case of a heart attack, you'll want to go to the hospital. I cannot give you herbs that can save heart tissue; the doctors at the ER can. What I can do is to help you maintain heart health afterward, by recommending herbs that can help you regulate cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and thin the blood.
Complementary car allows the best of all worlds. The patient can benefit from the best that traditional medicine has to offer, and can access the help that can come from alternative medicine as well.
