"Doctor, can I take 'Abcdxyz' for control of my Diabetes?"
The patient in front of me was asking about one of those numerous alternative 'medicines' for Diabetes advertised all over the media.
Iam asked such questions very often and my standard reply was I am a practioner of Modern Medicine and had little or no knowledge of other Medicinal Systems.
"Is there any harm in taking such medicines?" will be the next question and I will reply that I do not know.
Do I really do not know anything about such alternative medicines? If so why? Should I have been able to guide my patients better about the usage of alternative medicines?
Modern medicine is the science that tries to use all the new knowledge and technology available for mankind to improve the health of human beings. Being a practitioner of Modern Medicine and a keen follower of all research that is taking place in this field I should be able to tell whether a therapeutic method is superior, inferior or useless in comparison to currently accepted treatment method.
So how can I research the data regarding these so called ‘wonder alternative medicines’ for Diabetes? Is there any research ever done for these drugs?
The truth is no good quality research takes place before such products come into market. The Company that produces and markets such drugs never provides any research data. Just plain logic should make all of us realise that these medicines are ineffective because a medicine that can be proven to reduce blood sugar even by few milligrams can make billions if it was scientifically approved. The mere fact that no effort is made to get scientific approval for such products by conducting scientific studies tells us that these products are just placebos sold to unsuspecting public with massive advertisement budgets.
Should we stop such Fake therapies?
Many will say that even though such therapies are ineffective they can do no harm, so why one should try to stop them.
The Companies are fooling unsuspecting people using the name of ancient Indian science Ayurveda. People are wasting their hard earned money by buying and consuming useless products. They could have used this money for a much more useful purpose in bettering their lives.
Also how can one surely say that there are no harmful effects for such products without any proper studies? So stopping of such fake therapies is important for society's health.
How can we stop such Fake therapies?
Most important step should come from the Government. All such alternative medicines and supplements should undergo rigorous scientific testing before they are sold in the market. Advertisements with exaggerated or false claims should be severely curbed.
As a practising doctor I should strongly discourage patients from taking such unproven therapies. I should explain to them that their money will be wasted and no one has any idea of the side effects that it can produce.
With increasing awareness among Indian consumers I feel that people of our country cannot be taken for granted any more. Useless [and maybe harmful] products minting money for unscrupulous Companies should be stopped.
Showing posts with label Alternative Medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alternative Medicine. Show all posts
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Chronic cough and Alternative medicine
"Doctor, He is coughing badly for the last 4 months."
A man in his mid 20s was saying about his thin and frail looking father who was sitting slumped on my patient's chair.
"4 months!!! You did not take him to any doctor?" was my angry question.
Son: "Yes, he was under a doctor's treatment for 4 months".
Me: "Were any blood tests done or any sputum or X ray examination done?'
Son: 'One blood test was done long back, which was normal.'
Me: 'Who was the doctor who treated him?' [I was curious].
Son: 'Father does not like strong modern medicines, so he was under the care of a
Homeopathic doctor'.
Me: 'Then why have you brought him here?'
Son: 'He is becoming weak day by day, lost weight and is not eating anything'.
I was almost sure of the diagnosis before I examined him. There were nothing obvious in his clinical exam except some altered breath sounds and pallor. So I asked him to take an X ray film of the Chest without wasting anymore time.
In an hour's time the Son came in to my room with the X ray. Yes as I suspected the X ray showed tell tale signs of Tuberculosis of the Lungs.
"It is TB". I offered him reference to the Government Health Center [for confirming the diagnosis by sputum examination and for free medicines]. He, as I guessed took the offer as he was not that well off.
Few days ago I had another man of about 65 years with almost similar history. Cough for 3 to 4 months and homeopathy treatment. He also turned to be suffering from sputum positive Tuberculosis.
Why these doctors are not thinking about TB? Are they taught the signs and symptoms of Lung TB? Can they treat Tuberculosis?
Only modern anti tuberculous antibiotics can cure a patient of TB, not homeopathic or ayurvedic medicines.
I know many homeopathic and Ayurvedic doctors who refer patients to Modern Medicine doctors as soon as they realise they cannot help the patient. But some never do, may be fearing they will be considered incompetent or due to sheer lack of knowledge.
I know all doctors can make mistakes. I have made many mistakes too. But if you find a patient is not getting better, a doctor should re-think the diagnosis, do further tests or refer to some one else better equipped to deal with the illness. I always do that.
Both the above patients must have spread the tuberculosis bacteria around their house and surroundings in the 3 to 4 months they were coughing out sputum.
If the situation is like this how can we ever eradicate or control TB?
A man in his mid 20s was saying about his thin and frail looking father who was sitting slumped on my patient's chair.
"4 months!!! You did not take him to any doctor?" was my angry question.
Son: "Yes, he was under a doctor's treatment for 4 months".
Me: "Were any blood tests done or any sputum or X ray examination done?'
Son: 'One blood test was done long back, which was normal.'
Me: 'Who was the doctor who treated him?' [I was curious].
Son: 'Father does not like strong modern medicines, so he was under the care of a
Homeopathic doctor'.
Me: 'Then why have you brought him here?'
Son: 'He is becoming weak day by day, lost weight and is not eating anything'.
I was almost sure of the diagnosis before I examined him. There were nothing obvious in his clinical exam except some altered breath sounds and pallor. So I asked him to take an X ray film of the Chest without wasting anymore time.
In an hour's time the Son came in to my room with the X ray. Yes as I suspected the X ray showed tell tale signs of Tuberculosis of the Lungs.
"It is TB". I offered him reference to the Government Health Center [for confirming the diagnosis by sputum examination and for free medicines]. He, as I guessed took the offer as he was not that well off.
Few days ago I had another man of about 65 years with almost similar history. Cough for 3 to 4 months and homeopathy treatment. He also turned to be suffering from sputum positive Tuberculosis.
Why these doctors are not thinking about TB? Are they taught the signs and symptoms of Lung TB? Can they treat Tuberculosis?
Only modern anti tuberculous antibiotics can cure a patient of TB, not homeopathic or ayurvedic medicines.
I know many homeopathic and Ayurvedic doctors who refer patients to Modern Medicine doctors as soon as they realise they cannot help the patient. But some never do, may be fearing they will be considered incompetent or due to sheer lack of knowledge.
I know all doctors can make mistakes. I have made many mistakes too. But if you find a patient is not getting better, a doctor should re-think the diagnosis, do further tests or refer to some one else better equipped to deal with the illness. I always do that.
Both the above patients must have spread the tuberculosis bacteria around their house and surroundings in the 3 to 4 months they were coughing out sputum.
If the situation is like this how can we ever eradicate or control TB?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Is homeopathy good for Chickenpox?
Is homeopathy good for Chickenpox?Many people ask this question to me.I will tell them my experience.
A Staff Nurse working in my Hospital came to me with the typical rash of Chickenpox.The eruption started only that morning. I told her it is chickenpox and in most of the cases it wont create any problem.It is a self limiting[meaning will subside by itself] viral infection.She asked about the anti viral treatment.I told her with treatment the recovery is faster by few days especially if started on the day of the eruption of rash.As she did not have much leave she opted for anti viral treatment[Acyclovir]. She recovered fast and was back to work in 8 days.
About 4 weeks later the Nurse came again to me with her mother who had healing and active rashes all over her body.She had secondary bacterial infection of her skin as a complication of Chickenpox.She was exhausted and dehydrated.Her mother developed rashes 10 days ago.She was taking homeopathic treatment, but was suffering badly. She was advised salt free diet and other dietary restriction. I gave her treatment for skin infection due to bacteria and few symptomatic remedies,asked her to take salt normally and reassured her.It took another 10 days for her mother to become all right again.
At that time the Nurse's sister a College student was shown to me with early chickenpox rash.I again gave her the option of just taking symptomatic medicines or taking anti viral medicines also.She did not opt for anti virals. Her illness had an uneventful course and she recovered completely in 12 days.
Chickenpox is self limiting and usually do not produce any complications in young persons.Anti viral therapy reduces the number of eruptions and increases the speed of recovery.Anti viral therapy is a useful option in those who want to recover fast.
Homeopathy do not have any additional proven benefit in management of Chickenpox.But severe diet restriction along with some stronger homeopathic medicines are found to increase the number of eruptions and increase the exhaustion and fatigue in patients, there by delaying the recovery.
Chickenpox in older people may cause complications.Such patients may have to be looked after carefully.
For more authentic information on Chickenpox visit here
A Staff Nurse working in my Hospital came to me with the typical rash of Chickenpox.The eruption started only that morning. I told her it is chickenpox and in most of the cases it wont create any problem.It is a self limiting[meaning will subside by itself] viral infection.She asked about the anti viral treatment.I told her with treatment the recovery is faster by few days especially if started on the day of the eruption of rash.As she did not have much leave she opted for anti viral treatment[Acyclovir]. She recovered fast and was back to work in 8 days.
About 4 weeks later the Nurse came again to me with her mother who had healing and active rashes all over her body.She had secondary bacterial infection of her skin as a complication of Chickenpox.She was exhausted and dehydrated.Her mother developed rashes 10 days ago.She was taking homeopathic treatment, but was suffering badly. She was advised salt free diet and other dietary restriction. I gave her treatment for skin infection due to bacteria and few symptomatic remedies,asked her to take salt normally and reassured her.It took another 10 days for her mother to become all right again.
At that time the Nurse's sister a College student was shown to me with early chickenpox rash.I again gave her the option of just taking symptomatic medicines or taking anti viral medicines also.She did not opt for anti virals. Her illness had an uneventful course and she recovered completely in 12 days.
Chickenpox is self limiting and usually do not produce any complications in young persons.Anti viral therapy reduces the number of eruptions and increases the speed of recovery.Anti viral therapy is a useful option in those who want to recover fast.
Homeopathy do not have any additional proven benefit in management of Chickenpox.But severe diet restriction along with some stronger homeopathic medicines are found to increase the number of eruptions and increase the exhaustion and fatigue in patients, there by delaying the recovery.
Chickenpox in older people may cause complications.Such patients may have to be looked after carefully.
For more authentic information on Chickenpox visit here
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Chronic severe Joint pain of Chikungunya
The rainy season due to the South West Monsoon over the Indian sub continent is over.Epidemic of acute severe joint pain and swellings associated with fever due to Chikungunya infection has also subsided.Now I am seeing more and more patients with Chronic severe joint pain of varying duration, a sequel of Chikungunya infection.
Let me tell you a little more about this virus and the illness it causes in humans.
Chikungunya is a re-emerging, mosquito-borne viral infection causing fever, rash and acute or sudden severe joint pains of several joints.Chikungunya (Chick’-en-GUN-yah) in Swahili an African language meaning “that which contorts or bends up” refers to the contorted (stooped) posture of patients who are afflicted with severe joint pains (arthralgia) the most common feature of the disease.
Chikungunya virus is a single-stranded RNA Alphavirus, from the family Togaviridae. Other Alphaviruses also causing fever, rash and arthralgia, include O’nyong-nyong, Mayaro,Barmah Forest, Ross River and Sindbis viruses. Chikungunya virus is most closely related to O’nyong-nyong, but remains genetically distinct.
The disease was first described by Marion Robinson and W.H.R. Lumsden, following an outbreak along the border between Tanzania(erstwhile Tanganyika) and Mozambique, in1952. Since 1953, the virus has caused outbreaks in Africa and South Eastern Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, which are well documented. There is historical evidence that Chikungunya virus originated in Africa and subsequently spread to Asia. Phylogenetic studies support this theory, with Chikungunya virus strains falling into three distinct genotypes based on origin from West Africa, Central/East Africa or Asia.
Chikungunya is transmitted by the bite of the infected Aedes mosquito from an infected person to a healthy person. The disease does not get transmitted directly from human to human (i.e. it is not a contagious disease). In a pregnant woman with Chikungunya there is risk of transmitting the disease to her foetus.
The fever starts usually about 2 to 3 days after the entry of virus into the human body. There will be severe chills and shaking of the body at the onset of fever.At the same time the joint pain and swelling starts.The patient will not be able to move with in minutes of onset of illness.The joints of hands mainly the metacarpo phalangeal and proximal inter phalangeal joints become warm swollen and very painful.Wrist and elbow are also affected to a lesser extend.The joints of ankle,feet and to a lesser extend hip are all affected.
Itchy reddish raised rash is typically seen[70%] when the fever subsides, which in most of my patients was by 3 days.Many patients and Physicians confuse it with drug rash due to allergy to the medicines the patient took for fever and joint pain.
Rash is typically seen on the cheeks, nose and outer part of ears.The ear lobe is typically painful to touch. The rash is also seen over the trunk and limbs with severe itching which lasts for only 2 days. There will be painful swelling of ankle and shin with dark red discoloration. Painful oral ulcers are also seen during this time.Last year I had few patients with enlarged cervical lymph nodes, which disappeared in few days.
Although rare, the infection can result in meningo-encephalitis, especially in newborns and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Pregnant women can pass the infection to their foetus. Severe cases of Chikungunya can occur in the elderly, in very young ones (newborns) and in those who are immuno-compromised.
Chikungunya outbreaks typically result in several hundreds or thousands of cases but deaths are rarely encountered.
Differential diagnosis of Chikungunya includes Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever,
O’nyong-nyong virus infection and Sindbis virus infection.
It has been reported that attack rates in susceptible populations may be as high as 40-85 per cent and the ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic patients is about 1.2:1.
Children are less likely to experience joint pain, but may have other features such as febrile fits, vomiting, abdominal pain and constipation.
The discoloration of the nose usually lasts for months.I call it the seal of Chikugunya as I can identify a person who had Chikungunya in the recent past seeing that seal.
Some patients may remain feverish for some more days. The joint pain become less in few days. In about 60 percent of the patients the ilness including the joint pains last only about a week.They become completly all right with only a little bit of tiredness remaining.
But in about 40% of patients joint pain increases or persists.The chronic joint pain of Chikungunya resembles that of Rheumatoid arthritis. The joints commonly involved are the wrists and the knees.The ankle and smaller joints of feet and hands are also involved.Stiffness of these joints in the morning lasting more than 30 mts is typical. The patient feels better as he/she continues to move the joints.
The joint stiffness and pain lasts for about 3 months in about 30% of patients in my practise. But in an unfortunate 10% it may last indefinitely.
Lab Diagnosis of Chikungunya fever
Virus isolation and PCR techniques are costly and is available in very few centres. Serological diagnosis is possible only after a week of onset by detecting antibodies. As the treatment is mostly symptom specefic diagnosis will not alter patient management much. So the typical triad of fever, acute onset joint pains and rash along with a low white cell count in blood sample is sufficient enough to diagnose Chikungunya fever
Treatment of Chikungunya fever
Paracetamol 10 to 15mg per kg body weight given 3 to 4 times a day reduces the fever.It is needed only in the first 2 to 3 days of illness.
Non Steroidal anti inflammatory agents have to be given liberally to reduce the pain and swelling. This may have to be continued for few weeks in some patients with persistent joint pain. Renal and Gastric safety have to ensured while taking such medicines.
Short course of steroids like Prednisolone also helps in resistant cases.
Other analgesics like Tramadol are also useful.
Disease modifying anti rheumatic agents like Chloroquine have been found useful in some studies.Personally I feel Chloroquine is not of much help as it is a slow acting drug taking almost 3 months to be fully effective.
Most of the patients who turned to alternative systems of medicine for relief came back to me saying there is no relief to pain.Many had to take NSAIDs along with their Ayurvedic and Homeopathic medicines which proved that other systems have nothing much to offer.
In short Chikungunya fever is easy to diagnose but not that easy to treat, but to those who suffer it is pure hell.
Let me tell you a little more about this virus and the illness it causes in humans.
Chikungunya is a re-emerging, mosquito-borne viral infection causing fever, rash and acute or sudden severe joint pains of several joints.Chikungunya (Chick’-en-GUN-yah) in Swahili an African language meaning “that which contorts or bends up” refers to the contorted (stooped) posture of patients who are afflicted with severe joint pains (arthralgia) the most common feature of the disease.
Chikungunya virus is a single-stranded RNA Alphavirus, from the family Togaviridae. Other Alphaviruses also causing fever, rash and arthralgia, include O’nyong-nyong, Mayaro,Barmah Forest, Ross River and Sindbis viruses. Chikungunya virus is most closely related to O’nyong-nyong, but remains genetically distinct.
The disease was first described by Marion Robinson and W.H.R. Lumsden, following an outbreak along the border between Tanzania(erstwhile Tanganyika) and Mozambique, in1952. Since 1953, the virus has caused outbreaks in Africa and South Eastern Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, which are well documented. There is historical evidence that Chikungunya virus originated in Africa and subsequently spread to Asia. Phylogenetic studies support this theory, with Chikungunya virus strains falling into three distinct genotypes based on origin from West Africa, Central/East Africa or Asia.
Chikungunya is transmitted by the bite of the infected Aedes mosquito from an infected person to a healthy person. The disease does not get transmitted directly from human to human (i.e. it is not a contagious disease). In a pregnant woman with Chikungunya there is risk of transmitting the disease to her foetus.
The fever starts usually about 2 to 3 days after the entry of virus into the human body. There will be severe chills and shaking of the body at the onset of fever.At the same time the joint pain and swelling starts.The patient will not be able to move with in minutes of onset of illness.The joints of hands mainly the metacarpo phalangeal and proximal inter phalangeal joints become warm swollen and very painful.Wrist and elbow are also affected to a lesser extend.The joints of ankle,feet and to a lesser extend hip are all affected.
Itchy reddish raised rash is typically seen[70%] when the fever subsides, which in most of my patients was by 3 days.Many patients and Physicians confuse it with drug rash due to allergy to the medicines the patient took for fever and joint pain.
Rash is typically seen on the cheeks, nose and outer part of ears.The ear lobe is typically painful to touch. The rash is also seen over the trunk and limbs with severe itching which lasts for only 2 days. There will be painful swelling of ankle and shin with dark red discoloration. Painful oral ulcers are also seen during this time.Last year I had few patients with enlarged cervical lymph nodes, which disappeared in few days.
Although rare, the infection can result in meningo-encephalitis, especially in newborns and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Pregnant women can pass the infection to their foetus. Severe cases of Chikungunya can occur in the elderly, in very young ones (newborns) and in those who are immuno-compromised.
Chikungunya outbreaks typically result in several hundreds or thousands of cases but deaths are rarely encountered.
Differential diagnosis of Chikungunya includes Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever,
O’nyong-nyong virus infection and Sindbis virus infection.
It has been reported that attack rates in susceptible populations may be as high as 40-85 per cent and the ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic patients is about 1.2:1.
Children are less likely to experience joint pain, but may have other features such as febrile fits, vomiting, abdominal pain and constipation.
The discoloration of the nose usually lasts for months.I call it the seal of Chikugunya as I can identify a person who had Chikungunya in the recent past seeing that seal.
Some patients may remain feverish for some more days. The joint pain become less in few days. In about 60 percent of the patients the ilness including the joint pains last only about a week.They become completly all right with only a little bit of tiredness remaining.
But in about 40% of patients joint pain increases or persists.The chronic joint pain of Chikungunya resembles that of Rheumatoid arthritis. The joints commonly involved are the wrists and the knees.The ankle and smaller joints of feet and hands are also involved.Stiffness of these joints in the morning lasting more than 30 mts is typical. The patient feels better as he/she continues to move the joints.
The joint stiffness and pain lasts for about 3 months in about 30% of patients in my practise. But in an unfortunate 10% it may last indefinitely.
Lab Diagnosis of Chikungunya fever
Virus isolation and PCR techniques are costly and is available in very few centres. Serological diagnosis is possible only after a week of onset by detecting antibodies. As the treatment is mostly symptom specefic diagnosis will not alter patient management much. So the typical triad of fever, acute onset joint pains and rash along with a low white cell count in blood sample is sufficient enough to diagnose Chikungunya fever
Treatment of Chikungunya fever
Paracetamol 10 to 15mg per kg body weight given 3 to 4 times a day reduces the fever.It is needed only in the first 2 to 3 days of illness.
Non Steroidal anti inflammatory agents have to be given liberally to reduce the pain and swelling. This may have to be continued for few weeks in some patients with persistent joint pain. Renal and Gastric safety have to ensured while taking such medicines.
Short course of steroids like Prednisolone also helps in resistant cases.
Other analgesics like Tramadol are also useful.
Disease modifying anti rheumatic agents like Chloroquine have been found useful in some studies.Personally I feel Chloroquine is not of much help as it is a slow acting drug taking almost 3 months to be fully effective.
Most of the patients who turned to alternative systems of medicine for relief came back to me saying there is no relief to pain.Many had to take NSAIDs along with their Ayurvedic and Homeopathic medicines which proved that other systems have nothing much to offer.
In short Chikungunya fever is easy to diagnose but not that easy to treat, but to those who suffer it is pure hell.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Obstinate Patient?
The other day I had a tough time with one of my patient.
She was 54 years of age.She was diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes 5 years ago. Her blood sugar was under fair control with a tablet taken in the morning before breakfast. But for the last 3 months it was high in the mid 300s. I wanted to increase the dosage of her medicine.I told her it will be better to take half a tablet before dinner also.
But her response surprised me.She refused to take medicine in the evening.
'Why'? I asked.
' I am taking an Ayurvedic herbal powder as medicine for Diabetes in the evening' I cant stop that.
I got irritated.May be I was in an irritable mood.
'You first decide on the system of medicine you want to follow.If you want to follow modern medicine you obey my instructions' I shouted.[ I never shouts but my voice was raised].
She was taken back by my raised voice.
'I have been taking that powder for last 3 years'. She pleaded.
'So what?' 'It is not reducing your Blood sugar.So better stop'. My voice was still raised.
She pleaded again but I held on to my tough stand.
Her eyes were red and tears appeared. I did not know what to do for some time.
Then I relented. 'You take your powder in the evening 2 hours before the tablet'.
'If both are taken in the evening will there be any interaction?" She was worried.
I said there wont be any problem. She was relieved and I was able to defuse a difficult situation.
May be I should have proposed that compromise formula earlier.I should not have raised my voice.Some days I may become too irritable.
She was 54 years of age.She was diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes 5 years ago. Her blood sugar was under fair control with a tablet taken in the morning before breakfast. But for the last 3 months it was high in the mid 300s. I wanted to increase the dosage of her medicine.I told her it will be better to take half a tablet before dinner also.
But her response surprised me.She refused to take medicine in the evening.
'Why'? I asked.
' I am taking an Ayurvedic herbal powder as medicine for Diabetes in the evening' I cant stop that.
I got irritated.May be I was in an irritable mood.
'You first decide on the system of medicine you want to follow.If you want to follow modern medicine you obey my instructions' I shouted.[ I never shouts but my voice was raised].
She was taken back by my raised voice.
'I have been taking that powder for last 3 years'. She pleaded.
'So what?' 'It is not reducing your Blood sugar.So better stop'. My voice was still raised.
She pleaded again but I held on to my tough stand.
Her eyes were red and tears appeared. I did not know what to do for some time.
Then I relented. 'You take your powder in the evening 2 hours before the tablet'.
'If both are taken in the evening will there be any interaction?" She was worried.
I said there wont be any problem. She was relieved and I was able to defuse a difficult situation.
May be I should have proposed that compromise formula earlier.I should not have raised my voice.Some days I may become too irritable.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Alternative Medicine
Can I use this Ayurveda Medicine along with what you had prescribed for me for Diabetes?
Can I use this 'Insulin leaf' for controlling my blood sugar?
Can I use this homeopathy medicine to prevent getting Chikungunya fever?
I hear such questions again and again.The popularity of Alternative Medicine is ever increasing.As long as there are illnesses there will be Alternative Medicine.
Recently I read an interesting article in The Guardian' titled 'A bad week for alternative medicine' by Rose Shapiro.I agree with most of her points. For those who do not have time to read the article in full here are some excerpts that I liked.
Alternative medicine users are apparently prepared to suspend all normal critical faculties when they encounter an alternative practitioner
Quacks often use language that is abstract and subjective but is ultimately meaningless. Words such as "quantum" sound impressive to those of us with only a weak grasp of theoretical physics, but are in fact nothing but pseudo-scientific window dressing designed to lure a gullible public.
Quacks will often tell you that feeling worse is a sign of getting better. Most detox regimes describe symptoms such as spots, bad breath, headaches and nausea as proof that the detox is working. Such a notion is central in homeopathy, which enables practitioners to rationalise away the worsening of their patients' symptoms
The orthodox doctor treats what you have, and the alternative practitioner says you have what she treats
Quacks are flattering and will appeal to your vanity. They tell you that you are unique and extraordinary and not like other people. On the rare occasions that they find nothing wrong they say you need maintenance treatment "in order to keep your energies in balance
Many alternative practitioners sincerely believe in what they are doing and want to help their clients. But there have surely been enough cases now of blatant recklessness if not outright deceit to confirm that practising alternative medicine is very often the last refuge of the scoundrel.
I live in an area of India were ancient Indian Medicine [Ayurveda]have strong roots. Even the name Charakan, I chose in respect of a great ancient Indian Physician called Charaka who lived about 2000 years ago. At that time Ayurveda was one of the most scientific of all medical systems, but it stagnated and went into decay as Scientific medicine within a few hundreds of years. Still, the Ayurveda practitioner used to uphold ethics of high standard. Now in the 21st century, Ayurveda is also fast deteriorating into a money-making business exploiting gullible public like all other Alternative Medical systems.
How do I answer the the above questions of my patients regarding Alternative Medicine?
I just answer 'I don't know'.
Then I explain saying, 'I have not studied Alternative Medicines. And as far as I know they don't have any scientific basis. So if you want to experiment on yourself you may take them.Otherwise don't take them.'
Then they will ask 'as there are no''side effects''what is the harm?'
My reply will be 'I have seen many patients who suffered from severe side effects due to Alternative Medicines.Also such medicines may interact with the medicines I have prescribed.'
Hearing all this most of my patients wont dare to take Alternative Medicine.
Can I use this 'Insulin leaf' for controlling my blood sugar?
Can I use this homeopathy medicine to prevent getting Chikungunya fever?
I hear such questions again and again.The popularity of Alternative Medicine is ever increasing.As long as there are illnesses there will be Alternative Medicine.
Recently I read an interesting article in The Guardian' titled 'A bad week for alternative medicine' by Rose Shapiro.I agree with most of her points. For those who do not have time to read the article in full here are some excerpts that I liked.
Alternative medicine users are apparently prepared to suspend all normal critical faculties when they encounter an alternative practitioner
Quacks often use language that is abstract and subjective but is ultimately meaningless. Words such as "quantum" sound impressive to those of us with only a weak grasp of theoretical physics, but are in fact nothing but pseudo-scientific window dressing designed to lure a gullible public.
Quacks will often tell you that feeling worse is a sign of getting better. Most detox regimes describe symptoms such as spots, bad breath, headaches and nausea as proof that the detox is working. Such a notion is central in homeopathy, which enables practitioners to rationalise away the worsening of their patients' symptoms
The orthodox doctor treats what you have, and the alternative practitioner says you have what she treats
Quacks are flattering and will appeal to your vanity. They tell you that you are unique and extraordinary and not like other people. On the rare occasions that they find nothing wrong they say you need maintenance treatment "in order to keep your energies in balance
Many alternative practitioners sincerely believe in what they are doing and want to help their clients. But there have surely been enough cases now of blatant recklessness if not outright deceit to confirm that practising alternative medicine is very often the last refuge of the scoundrel.
I live in an area of India were ancient Indian Medicine [Ayurveda]have strong roots. Even the name Charakan, I chose in respect of a great ancient Indian Physician called Charaka who lived about 2000 years ago. At that time Ayurveda was one of the most scientific of all medical systems, but it stagnated and went into decay as Scientific medicine within a few hundreds of years. Still, the Ayurveda practitioner used to uphold ethics of high standard. Now in the 21st century, Ayurveda is also fast deteriorating into a money-making business exploiting gullible public like all other Alternative Medical systems.
How do I answer the the above questions of my patients regarding Alternative Medicine?
I just answer 'I don't know'.
Then I explain saying, 'I have not studied Alternative Medicines. And as far as I know they don't have any scientific basis. So if you want to experiment on yourself you may take them.Otherwise don't take them.'
Then they will ask 'as there are no''side effects''what is the harm?'
My reply will be 'I have seen many patients who suffered from severe side effects due to Alternative Medicines.Also such medicines may interact with the medicines I have prescribed.'
Hearing all this most of my patients wont dare to take Alternative Medicine.
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