The Positives and Negatives of Alternative Medicine

Treatments of conditions through means not generally used in conventional medicine is called alternative medicine. It is usually not researched through controlled medical studies. There is much negative criticism regarding this form of treatment. Most of this criticism is unfounded. There are also positive aspects to non-traditional treatment options.

The main criticism regarding alternative treatments is that it has not been researched or studied. The dangers have not been discovered and there is no proof that the treatment will work. Some people who claim that the treatments have worked, have experienced a placebo effect. They have willed themselves healthy. Treatments that do not work could cause a delay in using conventional medicine to treat the condition. In diseases such as cancer, treating the cancer in a timely matter is very important in preventing its spread. Some alternative medicines are actually conventional medicine that any doctor can administer. Waiting to see someone that only administers non-traditional medicine instead of their normal doctor will create a delay in this treatment. Most alternative treatments are not regulated by the government. Anybody can administer these types of treatments. People who administer alternative medicine may even misdiagnose conditions.

Varying care and treatment options can be good for society. It gives patients more treatment options. This will allow them to search for a treatment that works for them. A form of alternative medicine may work better for them than conventional methods. When combined with conventional methods, alternative medicines have a greater chance of curing the condition. Many alternative treatments work great. There have been studies on some alternative treatments that have shown positive results. Message therapy has been shown to reduce stress and lower pain in patients. A patient has willed themselves healthy did it through alternative therapies.

Overall, unconventional medicine has had a positive reception in the medical community. Most people in the United States have tried an alternative treatment. It has become a popular form of treatment in the US. Many universities and colleges in the US have started teaching courses in alternative medicine. It is becoming more prominent in the medical community and more doctors are suggesting alternative treatments to patients.