Your Familys Health
 
   
CMaward
 
 
About YFH
What's New ?
Home Page
Contact Us
 
Your Family's Health
IF ITS NATURAL,
ITS OK...RIGHT?

 

According to a study* published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, 11/11/98), four out of ten people in the United States used alternative medicine therapies in 1997. This, according to the prestigious publication, represents an increase of 50 percent over the number of visits made to alternative practitioners in 1990 and exceeded the number of visits to U.S. primary care physicians.

Even more dramatic, Americans

apparently paid a record $21.2 billion for alternative medicine that year. The out-of-pocket expenses for alternative therapies -- including professional services, herbal products, vitamins, diet products, books and classes -- were conservatively estimated to be $27 million. 

What are consumers paying all this money for?

According to the study reported in JAMA, the top 16 alternative therapies include: relaxation techniques, herbal medicine, massage, chiropractic, spiritual healing by others, megavitamins, self-help, imagery, commercial diet, folk, lifestyle diet, energy healing, homeopathy, hypnosis, biofeedback and acupuncture.

People reported using the alternative techniques most often for chronic conditions including back and neck problems, anxiety, arthritis and headaches. The study found that 42 percent of all alternative therapy is used for existing illness while 58 percent is for prevention and/or health maintenance. 

A sure sign that alternative medicine is not a passing fad is the fact that an increasing number of U.S. in surance companies and managed care organizations are now offering coverage of these therapies and services, and a large number of American medical schools are now offering courses in alternative therapies. In 1992, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) created its Office of Alternative Medicine to study popular techniques and modalities that fall outside the realm of conventional treatment.

Treating the Whole Person...

One of the factors that has contributed to the increase in use of non-traditional therapies has been the gnawing dissatisfaction of patients with a health care system that has become increasingly depersonalized and remote. 

People complain about being treated as a part of an assembly line or as an "internal organ" rather than as the person attached to it. Another concern expressed is that, all too often, after taking expensive pharmacological treatments, they have simply traded symptoms for side-effects. 

Patients with chronic illnesses especially express this frustration and say it is necessary for them to regain control over their disease. They believe there might be something beyond the limits of conventional medicine that could offer a cure or at least a more humane treatment -- all they have to do is find it.

At the heart of the alternative medicine "boom" appears to be the importance of the patient’s unique relationships, values, attitudes, beliefs, spirituality and emotions, with the center being the unwavering belief in the body’s ability to heal itself. Closely related is the focus on the belief that all aspects of a person -- body, mind and spirit -- are interrelated and should be treated as a "whole." The key concept of many alternative therapies revolves around balance -- balance between a person’s physical and spiritual self, life and environment.

Herbal Therapies

One of the therapies that has recorded the greatest increase in usage is herbal medicine -- the use of various parts of plants to treat symptoms and promote health.

Herbs have been around for centuries and have a long history in medicine; in fact, about 25 percent of all our prescription medications are derived from them. People think that because herbs are natural, they can be taken at will. That is completely incorrect. The problem is that herbs contain chemical components that can produce dangerous -- even fatal -- reactions with certain medications. 

The Eisenberg researchers reported that less than 40 percent of patients disclose their use of alternative therapies to their doctors. This, they say, is cause for concern because many people take prescription and herbal remedies concurrently.

One in five people who take prescription medications also take herbs, high-dose vitamin supplements -- or both -- the report states; a practice that may be putting an estimated 15 million adults at risk each year for potential unintended interactions between prescriptions and herbal remedies.

Many people say that herbal remedies for routine ailments like colds, hay fever and the flu don’t affect them as strongly and seem to help without the "mediciney" feeling side effects. These botanical remedies are packaged as capsules, tablets, concentrated extracts, teas, tinctures and salves.

All this natural medicine may be relatively new to Americans, but Europeans have long considered botanicals an important complement to conventional medicine. In Germany, for example, doctors routinely prescribe herbal preparations for insomina, colds, depression and even for heart problems. Half the antidepression prescriptions written by German doctors are for Saint-John’s-wort -- an herb now under active study as an AIDS drug.

Today, there are pharmacologic experts on herbal medicine at leading universities throughout the country. Many are convinced that the proper use of herbs can add a positive dimension to health care. They argue that herbal medicine is like any other kind of medicine; it should be used with discretion. Let’s find out what really works, they say, and get rid of what doesn’t. 

Interestingly enough, there are a lot of people today who don’t have a second thought about swallowing a hand-full of herbal capsules but who won’t take a single aspirin. It is this faith in botanical or herbal remedies that has both medical doctors and naturalists alike concerned.

There are more than 600 botanical remedies sold in the U.S. Only sixteen or so of these are allowed to make medicinal claims by the FDA. On the other hand, the FDA lists nine herbs that can cause serious problems, including kidney failure and stroke: chaparral, comfrey, germander, jin bu huan, lobelia, magnolia, ma huang, stephania, and yohimbe.

The potential for drug interactions with herbs is not so obvious, but the problem is finally receiving considerable attention in the popular media. 

Since research has shown that patients who use alternative medicine tend to combine it with conventional therapies, the two may not be that far apart phisolophically. Both medical doctors and practitioners of alternative therapies share the Hippocratic ideal: First, do no harm.

Most people agree that those who decide to use nontraditional therapies should obtain as much information as possible about the treatment and the people who will be providing it, and that certainly includes herbs or botanical therapies. Start with the fact that "natural" doesn’t necessarily mean "safe." Herbs and vitamins might be safe, but they can still cause potential dangerous side effects. Don’t experiment without checking with your doctor.

Be honest and advise your physician and any specialists you may see about any alternatives you may be considering. 

Obtaining an accurate diagnosis and having a candid discussion of proven treatment options is the best place to start before "self-medicating" with botanicals or herbs. These treatments should not be used at all if the patient is pregnant or contemplating pregnancy.

Physicians should, on the other hand, ask about the use of herbal therapies and diet supplements, note them on the patient’s chart, and discuss any potential herbal-pharmaceutical interactions. 

Herbal treatments should not be used for more than several weeks or in larger-than-recommended doses. And, in cases where side effects are experienced, all herbal remedies should be discontinued at once. 

*Conducted by David M. Eisenberg, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

The table below lists some of the 
popular herbs, what they are used for, 
and cautions about their use.


HERB
USE
SAFETY WARNINGS
Chamomile Used as a mild sedative and to treat digestive disorders, skin conditions Rare allergic reactions; cramps, throat tightness
Echinacea Used at the first sign of a cold or flu; mild stimulatory effect on immune system Should not be taken by people with high blood pressure, anxiety disorder, glaucoma, heart disease or by those who take MAO inhibitor drugs
Feverfew Used to prevent migraine and to ease arthritis pain Consult physician; may interfere with the ability of blood to clot
Ginkgo An antioxidant that promotes blood flow; appears to improve short-term memory, headache, depression Do not take with anti-coagulants; may interfere with the blood’s ability to clot. Large doses may cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, irritability and restlessness.
Hawthorne Used to help dilate blood vessels and to lower blood pressure. People with heart-related problems should not take this; large doses can cause significant drop in blood pressure.
Licorice Effective as an expectorant; to soothe irritated tissue in the throat. Large doses can cause headache, water retention, high blood pressure and heart attack or heart failure.

About YFH
What's New ?
Home Page
Contact Us
 
  Aging
 
Alzheimer's A to Z
 
Complete Denial
 
 

 

Alternative Medicine
 
First Do No Harm
 
 Is Natural OK?
 
  Cardiology
 
What You Should Know About Diabetes and Heart Disease
 
Aspirin and Heart Disease
 
A Four Letter Word that can kill you: FEAR
 
How Heart Smart Are You? A Women’s Heart Health Test 
 
High Blood Pressure
 
Yes! You Can!
 
Have A Great Vacation...
But Don’t Over Do It!
 
Smoking Quiz
 
  Cancer
 
Nice Guys Finish….FIRST! - prostate cancer
Karen's Story Part I
 
Karen's Story Part II
 
Karens Story - Part III
 
Karen's Story - Part IV
 
Karen's Story - Part V
 
Letters to Karen
 
The Legend continues... Arnold Palmer
 
  Children's Health
  
How to Talk to Your Children About War and Other Horrific Events… 
Painless Potty Training
 
Five Ways to Help Your Kids "Make the Grade"
 
Home Alone - Safety tips for working parents with Latchkey Kids
Home Alone Part Two
 
Emergency Medical Care for Children 
 
Bike Safety Quiz
 
Fun in the Sun
 
Fat Not Fit
 
Have an injury free summer
 
  Community Health
 
Its hot out there!
 
Medics on Patrol
 
Domestic Violence
 
Prom Nightmare
 
  Diet & Nutrition
 
Summer Chicken Salad
 
  Emergency Medicine
CCEMS…
Celebrating 25 Years
 
When you call 911
 
Hurricane!
 
Life Saving Drug...
 
  Family Health
  
Travel With Confidence 
 
Headaches
  
When a Parent Dies
 
Get your flu shot!
 
Excuse me, what did you say? Coping with hearing loss... 
 
Antibiotics are not always good for what ails you... 
 
Greatest Gift
 
Flee, Fleas...Please!
 
Getting Along With Your Healthcare Providers
 
Laughter and Stress
 
  Healthy Feet
 
Treating Heel Pain
 
Early diagnosis of bunions helps keep you on your feet
 
My Feet Hurt!
 
An ounce of prevention... 
 
  Internal Medicine
 
Fibromyalgia
 
Hypothyroidism 
 
  Mens Health
  
Nice Guys Finish….FIRST! - prostate cancer
What Makes a Man
 
Prostate Cancer: A Woman’s Perspective 
 
To Test, Or Not to Test ... That is the Question!
 
BPH
 
Prostatitis
 
Transplant
 
 Kidney transplant
 
 Kidney transplant update
 
  Surgery
  
Houston’s Tattoo Removal Program Succeeds Where Others Have Failed...
 
Wish You Hadn’t Done It? Here’s the scoop on tattoo removal...
 
Putting your best face forward ...
 
Chronic Heart Burn
 
Breast Implants
 
Tummy Tucks
 
   
  Women's Health
 
Preconception Planning
 
Want to lose weight?
 
What Are All Those Tests... And Why Do I Need Them?
 
A Woman's middle years bring choices and changes
 
An Old Problem...
 
All Breasts Are Lumpy...
 
 
 

 

 

 
Your Family's Health
   
VERIO
 
Google

YourFamilysHealth.com is NOT a medical website. It was developed to provide what we hope will be useful information for individuals and their family members. We do NOT have doctors to answer your questions, we do NOT make medical referrals or offer second opinions, and we will not reply to questions about any specific case. Instead, we hope that you will use the links at the bottom of the articles or our LINKS section to locate other sites of interest; utilize our message boards to discover related events; and to use the Forum area to “discuss” health issues with others who share your interests and concerns. We reserve the right to delete any objectionable postings.

The health and medical information on the World Wide Web comes from many sources and changes daily. There are likely to be errors and omissions in this information. This web site, its contributors nor its sponsors represents or warrants that the information in this Web Site or accessed through this Web Site is accurate or complete.

Please direct your medical and health questions to your health care provider.

It is our objective to promote an exchange of information. We do not endorse or recommend specific medical treatments, but we encourage visitors to our site to explore a variety of points of view.  A link to an outside product or site does should not be viewed as a recommendation or endorsement of a product. Consult your doctor.

Sponsor: Rackmount Solutions is an industry leader in supplying server racks, server cabinets,
wall mount racks, computer racks, network racks, LAN racks and portable rackmount cases.

Are you searching for Houston Real Estate or Houston furnished apartments

Houston Web Design - Houston Colocation

©1999-2006 YourFamilysHealth.com. All rights reserved

Houston web design by The Texas Network