There are reasons why people chose alternative medicine and
reasons why they avoid it, preferring conventional medicine. Alternative
medicine is safer than standard health treatments and usually works.
It's true that it can't be used in severe conditions like car accidents
or other severe emergencies, but 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 may come up
with the solution. Furthermore, it's better for preventing illnesses
than standard medicine. More and more physicians nowadays agree upon the
benefits of alternative medicine and also even advise their clients to
choose the best natural treatment for them.
One of the advantages
of alternative medicine is that it encompasses a broad range of
therapies, treatments and products, thus the search for obtaining
positive results doesn't flow on a narrow path at all.
A pretty important disadvantage states the idea that, even though the expenses of using acupuncture or chiropractic are sometimes covered by health insurances, the majority of alternative treatments are not reimbursed.
A pretty important disadvantage states the idea that, even though the expenses of using acupuncture or chiropractic are sometimes covered by health insurances, the majority of alternative treatments are not reimbursed.
There are certain risks that come along with the usage
of natural remedies. Despite the use of herbs throughout the years and
even ancient times, not all of them have been studied regarding their
safety and efficiency. There are issues concerning their purity and
their possible interaction with other substances related to conventional
therapies. The majority of information regarding herbs have been
perpetuated throughout history and with the help of tradition. Many
people assume that herbal medicines are better than synthetic drugs
simply because, well, they are natural and not synthetic, therefore
present no risk. But they are not risk free; they can do more harm than
good if taken without having the details of their effects over the body.
People
might abuse of natural medicines the same way as they do it in the case
of synthetic drugs. They have the misconception that if unconventional
medicine consists of herbal products which are natural, then there is no
harm done if they triple the dosage or more. This is totally wrong and
can have serious consequences. Take vitamins for example. They are just
vitamins, right? They can't possibly do any damage inside the body. But
they do. Vitamin overdosing or vitamin toxicity can lead to unpleasant
effects depending on the vitamin that has been taken one too many times.
Vitamin A over dosage can cause liver problems, osteoporosis, hair loss
and other dangerous effects and Hypervitaminosis D leads to
dehydration, vomiting, anorexia and even kidney stones.
An
advantage of using herbal remedies concerns the effectiveness related
with chronic health issues that don't respond well or even at all to
traditional medicines. If long term medication is needed, then herbs are
pretty much safer than conventional drugs. The alternative medicine
industry takes advantage from this and keeps evolving and developing due
to the constant need for natural remedies.
Another advantage is
the low cost of herbal products compared to synthetic drugs which are
highly priced for the simple reason that researching and testing the
products is expensive. Furthermore, herbal products can be bought
without a prescription and are easy to procure. The availability of
natural remedies is outstanding; chamomile for example can be easily
picked out 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
illness, to consult a physician upon the proper medication and dosage
and if you do chose the alternative medicine, try to gather enough
information upon both kinds of treatments, natural or synthetic, so you
may reassure yourself that you took the right decision to balance your
health situation.