Key Principles Of Alternative Medicine London Ontario Residents May Find Worthwhile

By Edward Allen


Abbreviated as AM, alternative medicine is just, as the term suggests, an alternative to scientific methods of treatment. Its major setback is the inability to provide proof of efficacy in form of patient trials or research. The argument advanced by mainstream medicine is that one only stands to benefit from placebo effects of the treatment. If used in conjunction with conventional medicine, the patient may have the notion that they are improving yet what they could be experiencing is minimized side effects of the main drug. We will look at some of the key features of alternative medicine London Ontario people can learn from.

Plants and animal products are the most commonly used items in alternative medicine. Familiar substances in these area include fish oil, flaxseed oil, minerals, fungi, omega three fatty acids among others. The patient takes the substances not in their raw form but as capsules, tablets, juices or powders. The challenge with these herbal preparations is that some of them contain poisonous substances.

Supernatural powers are one of the key theories that govern alternative medicine. Such powers are believed to incorporate electric currents, electromagnetic waves and chiropractic therapies to cause cure of a given condition. It is said that the currents travel across the entire human body getting rid of abnormal conditions in the course of penetration. Even though use of such currents is the essence of physical sciences, their use in complementary medicine has no solid ground.

Religious beliefs are another critical concept in pseudoscience. These are based on the notion that there is a greater power that works hand in hand with healthcare providers to bring about healing. In this regard, patients live every single day with the hope that their health will be restored as long as they pray, believe and work closely with medical practitioners.

Just like any other treatment modality, alternative treatment comes with certain challenges. This can be difficult to contain given the fact that no studies have been done to reveal possible side effects and management. The main advantage of scientific methods is that they have undergone intensive research to ensure that any adverse effects are dealt with accordingly.

The other challenge of AM is delay in treatment which is normally caused by a patient not having total trust in pseudoscience. Minor ailments may respond to AM probably due to placebo effects. In instances where the individual gets a major illness, total reliance on the same pseudoscience may result in delayed diagnosis and deterioration to a point where salvage may almost be impossible.

Common side effects of these therapies include undesirable drug interactions, allergic reactions and organ damage. Damage to organs is common when using herbal medication. The liver and spleen suffer the most when it comes to chronic use of herbs. Some patients may be allergic to the medicinal preparations. This can be life threatening especially in a case where such is not anticipated and also in situations where the antidote is unknown.

In conclusion, pseudoscience has no foundation in terms of research and clinical trials. Because of this, it does more harm than good in the long run. Any positive outcomes are largely due to placebo effects or reduction in side effects of the main drug.




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