Life is fraught with many kinds of dangers. There is a possibility of accidents even though extreme pains are taken to avoid one. There is also the inevitability of getting sick no matter how one tries to lead a healthy lifestyle. The last source of danger comes from something that could not be avoided and it is the weakening of the human body due to old age. Put all three together, and it is easy to feel the burden of living. The reason why humans can go on with their daily routine is the assurance that there are medicines that can take care of these problems the moment they arise. In a world where disease and illness have challenged conventional medical practices, healthcare practitioners have turned towards the use of Alternative Medicine.
Now, why is it that there is now a revolution that is happening in the medical field in general and pharmacology in particular? There seems to be a wider understanding on the true nature of some modern medicines – that they are sometimes merely masking the true problem and offer temporary solution rather than total cure.
This study will look into the idea of alternative medicines, its definition and how it compares to modern medicines. There is only one question that needs to be answered and it is to find the answer as to why modern society must turn to alternative forms of medicine for their healthcare needs.
Burton Goldberg describes conventional medicine or Western medicine as the world of, “…medical doctors who rely on drugs and surgery to treat disease symptoms and who inadvertently align themselves with multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry” (2002). Aside from the use of invasive surgery and tools that remove diseased parts of the human body as well
as treating specific problems areas, conventional medicine relies on drugs that usually are synthetic or made with laboratory-designed chemicals. Eric Lien gave a more technical description of how a drug created by the Western medicine philosophy, acts upon a human body. In his book about drug design he wrote the following, “To understand the mechanism of drug action at the molecular level, it is important to know the intermolecular forces that bind drugs to their receptors […] it is now generally accepted that most structurally specific drugs attach themselves to their receptors…” (Lien, 1987). An example of this process was given by Lien and he said, “Captopril, a synthetic derivative of praline, is an oral antihypertensive based on the inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) […] preventing conversion of angiotensis I to angiotensin II and leading to its antihypertensive effect” (1987).
Based on the above statements most people can see why many advocates of alternative medicine are sounding the trumpet about the danger of using only conventional medicine because it seems to only cure the symptoms but has no way of treating the root of the problem (see personal). It is also no coincidence that the title of Eric Lien’s book shows two major concepts: drug design and side effects. The side effects listed below could scare anyone that is faced with taking medication.
A sample of some common side effects was listed by Jerome Litt (2004) as follows:
· Acneform lesions - inflammatory follicular reactions that resemble acne vulgaris and
manifested clinically as papules. Most common drugs causing this reaction are: Phenobarbital, danazol, tuberculostatics etc.
· Alopecia - the hair loss from cystostatic agents, which is dose-dependent, is due to interruption of the growing cycle of hair. This is an effect
when using common drugs such as captopril, hormones, etc.
· Black hairy tongue - BHT represents a benign hyperplasia these benign papillary
elongations, associated with black or yellow pigmentation is
caused by overgrowth of bacteria. The culprit is oral antibiotics.
· Bullous eruptions - Blisters and vesicles occur as a complication of the administration of drugs. Common drugs that cause this reaction are: nadalol, penicillamine etc.
There is also another kind of problem. When two or more drugs are taken together by a patient, these drugs interact with each other. The resulting interaction will either lessen the effectiveness of the medication and may also affect the patient. Here is a sample of what Chi-Jen Lee et al, had listed as common drug interaction problems: 1) altered gastrointestinal absorption – prevents absorption of another drug; 2) altered metabolism – affects intensity and duration of pharmacologic activity; 3) altered renal excretion – affects how the body excretes drug from system; and 4) altered transport system and effects at receptor sites – limits the access of certain drugs into cells (1987)
Aside from side effects and drug interactions that adversely affect the patient, a testimony of an expert in the science of conventional medicine has this to say about the limitations of this type of cure, “I was adequately taught the prevailing concepts of Western medical thought, which, although marvelous I focused acute and traumatic situations, left me puzzled and inept when these principles were applied to complex chronic and multi-organ disease” (Diamond, 2001)
Goldberg made a convincing argument while looking upon the benefits of alternative medicine when he made the assertion that:
Alternative medicine is more cost-effective in the long-term, because it emphasizes prevention and goes after causes rather than symptoms […] It does not trap people on the merry-go-round that begins with one drug and requires them to take others to compensate for the side effects each one causes. (2002)
There is now a need for an alternative to conventional medicine. There are many reasons why, and it starts with the realization of its side effects. And when two or more drugs from the conventional pharmacology are taken, the result can be negative drug interactions that lessen the efficacy of the drug.
The merry-go-round phenomenon described by Goldberg is a sad commentary to the science of modern medicine. The idea given by W. J. Diamond about holistic approach of alternative medicine is truly an eye opener.
Not only has Western Medicine failed in certain areas, but also Alternative Medicine has proven to have substantial benefits. A study of over 40 personally interviews, of people with serious health issues, shows improved physical well-being, improved emotional well-being, improved global well-being, and cure. The patients interviewed for this study looked forward to an improved quality of life, to effectively manage their pain, and to be rid of their ailments. The patients received exactly what they were looking for in Alternative Medicine. People look for the same benefits in Western Medicine as they would any healthcare. Only they receive unforeseen side effects, and sometimes cause more health issues without even curing their initial health problem. (Verhoef, 2005)
Alternative medicine is a sound approach since it not only considers the whole person in the healing process, but it also does not create adverse side effects specially when using
scientifically tested herbs and other natural remedies such as acupuncture, massage therapy, and aromatherapy. Today’s medical practices offer many different integrative forms of healthcare that fall into Alternative Medicine. So, if the thought of landing back into the doctor’s office, or possibly even the emergency room does not sound appealing, consider Alternative Medicine as primary healthcare.
References
Boon, H; Mulkins, A; Verhoef, M. (2005). Integrative Healthcare: How Can We Determine
Whether Patients Benefit?. Journal of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, 11, 57-
65. August 25, 2006, EBSCOhost in University of Phoenix Library.
Goldber, B. (2002). Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
Lien, E.J. (1987). SAR: Side Effects and Drug Design. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.
Diamond, W.J. (2001). The Clinical Practice of Complementary, Alternative and Western
Medicine. Florida: CRC Press.
Lee, Chi-Jen et al. (1987). Clinical Trials of Drugs and Biopharmaceuticals. Florida: CRC Press.
Tyler, L. (2000). Understanding Alternative Medicine: New Health Paths in America.
New York: The Haworth Press, Inc.
Roe, S. (2002). Facts for Medical Practice. Iowa: Blackwell Science, Inc.
Litt, J.Z. (2004). Litt’s Drug Eruption Reference Manual. UK: Taylor and Francis.
Whyte, S., Geest, S. & Hardon, A. (2002). Social Lives of Medicines. New York: Cambridge
University Press
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