There are reasons people have turned to alternative medicine and reasons they avoid it and prefer conventional medicine. Alternative medicine is safer than traditional health treatments and usually works. While it is true that it cannot be used in serious conditions such as car accidents or other serious emergencies, be that as it may, there are enough situations in which alternative medicine is recommended. When it comes to emotional and spiritual needs, non-conventional medicine can find the solution. In addition, it is better suited to prevent diseases than standard medicine. More and more doctors today recognize the benefits of alternative medicine and even advise their clients to choose the natural treatment that is best for them.
One of the advantages of alternative medicine is that it encompasses a wide range of therapies, treatments and products, so the search for positive results is by no means a narrow path.
A fairly important downside is that although health insurance sometimes covers the cost of acupuncture or chiropractic care, most alternative treatments are non-reimbursable.
There are certain risks that come with using natural remedies. Despite the use of herbs throughout the years and even ancient times, not all have been studied for their safety and effectiveness. There are issues regarding their purity and their potential interaction with other substances associated with conventional therapies. Most information about herbs has been perpetuated through history and with the help of tradition. Many people assume that herbal medicines are better than synthetic drugs simply because they are natural and not synthetic and therefore pose no risk. But they are not risk free; They can do more harm than good if taken without knowing the details of their effects on the body.
Humans can abuse natural remedies just as much as synthetic drugs. They have the misconception that if unconventional medicine consists of herbal products, which are natural, there is no harm in trebling the dosage or more. This is completely wrong and can have serious consequences. Take vitamins for example. It’s just vitamins, isn’t it? They cannot possibly cause harm in the body. But they do. A vitamin overdose or vitamin poisoning can lead to unpleasant effects depending on the vitamin taken too often. Vitamin A overdose can cause liver problems, osteoporosis, hair loss and other dangerous effects, and hypervitaminosis D leads to dehydration, vomiting, anorexia and even kidney stones.
One benefit of using herbal remedies relates to effectiveness in the context of chronic health conditions that do not respond well or at all to traditional medicines. When long-term medication is required, herbs are quite a bit safer than traditional drugs. The alternative medicine industry is taking advantage of this and evolving due to the constant need for natural remedies.
Another advantage is the low cost of herbal products compared to synthetic drugs, which are expensive for the simple reason that the products are expensive to research and test. In addition, herbal products are available over the counter and are easy to obtain. The availability of natural remedies is excellent; Chamomile, for example, can be easily picked from a nearby field.
The advantages of using herbal medicines are numerous, but so are the disadvantages. The best idea would be to consider modern medicine according to the severity of the disease, consult a doctor about the right medication and dosage and, if you have decided on alternative medicine, try to get enough information about both types of treatments, natural or synthetic, so you can be sure you’ve made the right decision to balance your health situation.
Thanks to Peter Rosenblum
