There are so many diseases, conditions and disorders that can negatively affect human beings that are inconvenient, problematic and, some can be fatal. That said finding treatments and cures for these ailments is paramount, but not everyone is comfortable with the many different chemicals and drugs that are supported by physicians and the pharmaceutical industry. Some people have, do and will continue seek out different treatments, outside the traditional medical approaches. These different approaches are called “alternative medicine.” Alternative medicine can include choosing medicinal marijuana instead of prescription pain killer, faith healing and acupuncture. However, many argue that if the approaches in alternative medicine is proving beneficial in peoples treatment and recovery, then it is not alternative it is just not mainstream medication and therapies (Lombardi 1). There are millions of people in the United States who option every single day to consider and implement “alternative” therapies and treatments over prescription options; so much so that it has become common place. That said after reviewing the available information it becomes clear that alternative medicines are often less invasive, cause fewer side effects and the practice of alternative medicine is really not that “alternative” any more.
The alternative medicine of today was, in fact, the standard approaches for people all across the globe, long before the invention of modern medicine. They lost favor and were seen and presented as primitive by the healthcare community, which led to many embracing modern medical therapies and drug treatments and abandoning many of the practices that existed before. Again there are many types of alternative medicines that are offered for a variation of treatment, be it chronic pain issues, diabetes and or cancer. Some of the most common are being seen today in high numbers (University Wire 1).
Acupuncture: This ancient treatment of using small needles and specific placements on the body to improve the bodies function. It is also intermixed with other possible alternative treatments, which can aid the patient in multiple ways (Lombardi 1).
Herbalism: There are many people turning to all-natural remedies, free of laboratory chemicals. Many people are relying on herbs, minerals and other natural substances that are beneficial in many instances (Ellis 1).
Yoga: Yoga is primarily considered a form of physical exercise, but it also teaches relaxation, meditation and very specific movements that are meant to bring balance and health to the individual practicing them, in ways that many cannot seem to find among all of the side effects of modern medicine (Binder 1).
Medicinal Marijuana: For years prior to the development of pharmaceutical companies many people grew, smoked, and cooked with and relied on marijuana for many ailments. At this time the plant was not illegal. Once it was made illegal many had little choice but turn to modern medicine. However, marijuana, more specifically the active ingredient THC, has been rediscovered by the alternative medical realm. Such alternatives are now showing to benefit people suffering from a plethora of conditions and diseases (Offit 1).
There is no question that modern medicine has contributed to the health and well-being of many people; bringing vaccines, treatments and cures for many incredibly dangerous and lethal conditions, diseases and disorders. However, while many positives can be found there is also a very frightening side to modern medicine, particularly in modern medical treatment (Lombardi 1). Most people have seen those television and internet commercials talking about a new drug or therapy. They describe the diseases meant to be treated, how the medications improve the target conditions and then ends with an exhaustive list of side-effects and potential consequences for taking this new drug. These side effects are often far worse than the symptoms of the condition it was developed to treat. Therapies for psoriasis, an unpleasant skin ailment, which cause scaling rashes, claim to reduce the flare ups of the skin conditions, but it also lists things like sterility, lung failure, kidney damage and, as yet, identified brain conditions; all of which are worse than the psoriasis they are initially suffering from. Similarly, there are erectile dysfunction medications meant for men that offer them a more vigorous sex life, but it may also lead to heart attack, stroke and death. Many people see all of these side effects and are scared away from the modern medical approaches and are turning in large numbers to alternative therapies and treatments, for no other reason that the consequences are nominal compared to their benefit (Offit 1).
More than 40% of Americans, nearly half, are embracing alternative medicines and, in many cases, a mixture of different alternative therapies working together to help a person achieve wellness (University Wire 1). If more and more people are turning to alternative options then these approaches will no longer be “alternative,” it will simply be considered treatments as beneficial and viable as modern approaches. There is a great deal of dedicated research to the effectiveness and benefit of different alternative approaches and, while, they cannot confirm all the things that they may help with, what they can prove is that there are far less side effects and consequences than what is seen in mainstream drugs and treatments (Ellis 1). Now modern drug companies and biased members of the medical community will speak out against many alternative therapies in order to influence their choice towards mainstream medicine. However, much of these discouragements are scare tactics being used by the medical community to keep people away from alternative options.
The truth is that it really is about money. Drugs, vaccines, therapies and cures are big business. Pharmaceutical companies make millions off of the people who purchase their products. They will speak out against pain management patients choosing medical marijuana because it is still listed on the Drug Schedule as being as useless and non-beneficial as heroin, and warn people away from it. However, in the same breath they would steer you towards the options they offer, pain killers like Vicodin, Percocet and Oxycontin. These opioid painkillers do not cure anything; they simply dull the pain (Offit 1). All of the painkillers are highly addictive and can lead to years of dependency on these medications. They argue that marijuana is as bad as heroin and should be avoided; however they will happily place you on a medical regiment with substances that are actually made from the same source as actual heroin. This hypocritical game played by the modern medical industry has many people simply tired of the dishonesty and hypocrisy and turning toward alternative options. Alternative medicine is becoming the choice of more and more Americans (University Wire 1).
Prescription medicine is a lucrative industry and it does not want to lose its monopoly on how people receive treatments and medical care. Advertisers have one goal, make profit. Many doctors develop relationships with different companies and are more likely to promote the therapies and drugs that they develop over the options from other companies, even if another companies therapy or drug has been more successful. This is why many people choose to turn to alternative medicine. The people do not trust the industry the way that they once did (Ellis 1). In many ways the pharmaceutical companies as being a massive legal drug cartel and physicians are the dealers. Many are feeling that there physicians may not have their best interests at heart and feel that alternatives eliminate that worry.
Choice is one of the many wonderful freedoms that people enjoy in the modern America era. One can choose whether or not they want modern or “alternative” treatments. Unfortunately the pharmaceutical companies would happily seen alternative approaches abandoned and the people having no option but to accept the costly options they offer, regardless of how uncertain and riddled with negative side effects they may be. This is why alternative medicines are becoming more and more popular and more and more common place; alternative medicines now profit, nearly, $34 million dollars per year (Binder 1). People have become suspicious of the medical community and do not trust their motivations when it comes to what treatments, drugs and therapies that they promote for the patient.
Human beings face diseases, conditions and disorders that can cause inconvenience, discomfort, pain and even death. However, after reviewing some of the different therapies and treatments there is a high likelihood that the possible side effects of the treatment could be far more detrimental to their health than the actual symptoms of the conditions they are attempting to treat. Physicians may not have the best interests of their patients in mind, but more about pitching a drug that they will make money from prescribing. Highly addictive pain killers are creating unintentional addicts. It really is not a question as to why people are turning away from modern medicine and leaning toward alternative options; the question is why they would not? Disease is frightening, but sometimes, in the modern era, so are the potential treatments and cures. The numbers of people turning toward alternative medicines are increasing every day. Alternative approaches are not on the “fringe” as they might once have been; they are modern, current and contributing to people’s good health in many ways. They are becoming more and more mainstream and are now competing, in some cases, with the alternative therapies that people are optioning to embrace.
WORK CITED
Binder, L. and et, al."What are the Biggest Misconceptions People have about Alternative
Medicine?" Wall Street Journal (Online).ProQuest, 11/22/2013. Web. 6/2/2016. <
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304337404579210332428805354>.
Ellis, Glenn. "There is no 'Alternative' to Medicine?" Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest,9/2/2014. Web. 6/2/2016. <http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.berkeley.org/docview
/1563072220/71B56F0EA0B34160PQ/1%203?accountid=38129>
Lombardi, Jennifer. "A Closer Look at Alternative Medicine on the Grand Strand."The Sun News.ProQuest, 1/28/2014 Web. 5/2/2016. <http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.
library.berkeley.org/docview/1492070429/E953260349014B16PQ/8?accountid=38129>
Offit, Paul. "Alternative Medicines are Popular, but do any of them really Work? (Posted 2013-11-14 15:39:00)." The Washington Post.ProQuest, 11/14/ 2013.Web. 5/2/2016.
<http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.berkeley.org/docview/1459084931/61A47E6
12989411BPQ/1?accountid=38129>
Wire.ProQuest, 10/31/2014.1. Web. 6/2/2016. <http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.berkeley.org/docview/
1645932002/71B56F0EA0B34160PQ/7%20?accountid=38129>
