Re: Alternative medicines: alternative viewpoint

[Guest guest]

I agree Marge, I am not promoting them, just bring forth something worthy of

discussion. There are many things out there and it's good to separate fact

from fiction!

Jill

The glossary of alternative treatments you posted the other day is a

nice summary of currently promoted therapies, however, I do not think that

some of the claims being made for these therapies are accurate.

For an alternative look at alternative medicine, please see the

Quackwatch site, http://www.quackwatch.com

This site provides an overview of various therapies, their benefits, and

their drawbacks.

[Guest guest]

While I certainly agree that there are lots of quacks out there, I have to

say that this site looks like it's written by someone who is simply

prejudiced against alternative medicine on general principle. If you're

looking for reasons to prove something is all bad, then you will find them.

That's just as superficial a way of thinking as believing every new

alternative method is wonderful and will cure anything under the sun.

You have to judge each technique on its own merits. This author treats

acupuncture and ayurvedic medicine (which have been successfully used for

many centuries) with the same contempt as more fly-by-night stuff. That

immediately tipped me off that this site is really slanted, and perhaps has

an axe to grind, as opposed to a site that is genuinely examining the pros

and cons. Certainly he sites impressive-looking medical sources, but it's

just as easy to find an equal number of academic sources in favor of

acupuncture, etc. You just don't see it here.

The author takes a general tone that these alternative practitioners are out

to rip people off. Well, that shoe fits just as well on the other foot: as

more and more people try alternative medicine, that takes money away from

more conventional practitioners. In the 50's, the AMA tried to keep doctors

from even associating socially with chiropractors. This is not always based

on sincere concern for protecting the patients from quacks --it often has a

financial incentive as well.

I guess what I'm saying is that it just isn't that simple. Anyone can put up

a website and make really broad claims in one direction or another. It's up

to us to make our own judgements. I for one have a harder time believing the

claims of someone who is so obviously biased in his opinions.

Louise

[Guest guest]

Not all alternative therapists are frauds although I have met some that were

only out for as much money as they could get. I have tried colour therapy,

acupuncture and homeopathy with some success. I have also met some charlatans

but generally in the " laying on of hands " healing variety who would tell me

there was no reason for me to be in a wheelchair as there was nothing wrong with

me.

Recently I sent a link to the EDS tongue article to everyone I know who I felt

would be interested. One person (a nurse) responded saying that she felt it was

a tremendously accurate study. I wrote back and told her that as the study was

so small at only twelve people it wasn't a good idea to take it as gospel truth

as many people with the condition don't demonstrate that symptom. Received an

email back asking where did I get my sources to " refute " this article. I told

her that it was from speaking to other people with EDS as well as a couple of

doctors. WELL... I then had a lecture on that just being gossip and " lies, damn

lies " . So what does everyone think, are publications to be taken as gospel truth

just because they're in print? Are our opinions not worth their salt just

because they're not legitimate medical ones? I would appreciate your thoughts on

this.

Jen

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[Guest guest]

Hi Jen,

(snip)

> Received an

> email back asking where did I get my sources to " refute " this article. I

told

> her that it was from speaking to other people with EDS as well as a couple

of

> doctors. WELL... I then had a lecture on that just being gossip and " lies,

damn

> lies " . So what does everyone think, are publications to be taken as gospel

truth

> just because they're in print? Are our opinions not worth their salt just

> because they're not legitimate medical ones? I would appreciate your

thoughts on

> this.

Jen, you are right to question the accuracy of any study with such a small

sample size. Nothing is gospel truth just because it is in print. For

example. Dr. Atul Deodhar did a study on Osteoporosis and EDS several years

ago. That study is still published on the UK EDS Support Group website

today. More recently, however, Dr. Carbone et al published a study

with completely different results on the same topic. Which is right? What

caused the difference in the results? Dr. Carbone's study had a larger

number of participants and factored in exercise, body weight, age, etc. into

the equation. Does that mean her results are more accurate? Possibly.

Any statistical sampling has a margin for error. One study with a small

sample size does not guarantee that the results are accurate. With the

tongue study, there could be any number of factors which skewed the results.

For example, were the participants related? Did the participants share the

same ethnicity? Gender? Hometown? Other medical conditions?

It's a matter of using good reasoning skills. An initial study like this

one is a good starting point for further research, but it certainly isn't

gospel truth just because it is in print.

Of course, there will always be people who believe everything they read. I

knew someone who had an article written about her in the paper. The paper

made a typo on the year that she was married. Her mother-in-law called

screaming about " why did you lie to me about when you got married? " She saw

the wrong date in print and was convinced it was true because " newspapers

NEVER lie! " They argued about it for MONTHS.

-Barb

[Guest guest]

Remember, many claims for FDA approved medications are not real accurate

either. Often times when you look at double blind studies you would be

amazed at how similar the results are for the drug vs the placebo. There are

no absolutes in this life, and much is unexplainable, doesn't mean it doesn't

work. I happen to use a lot of alternative medicine, and I'm still here.

Not much left for us vasculars, so we try anything that might work. In fact,

if it weren't for my natural healer suggesting Vit C after the arterial

dissection, it would have taken over a year longer to find out about taking

it through the geneticist. Go figure. those quacks, huh? Ginley, RN,

CNC

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/1/2001 10:45:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

smginleyrn@... writes:

<< if it weren't for my natural healer suggesting Vit C after the arterial

dissection, it would have taken over a year longer to find out about taking

it through the geneticist. Go figure. those quacks, huh? Ginley,

RN, >>

That just reminded me that the docs at NIH suggested Vit C.!!! My poor

memory! I can't remember all the suggestions, good or bad ones, all the

diagnosises, correct or incorrect!!

Thanks for the reminder though!

[Guest guest]

I have to get my two cents worth in here.

I have been to a osteopath who cured my sciatica in five sessions after

suffering 18 months. I should point out that he only used cranial

osteopathy and did not lay a hand on my back at all.

I also had horrendous kidney spasms and severe haematuria in 1994. I

had all the tests for tuberculosis of the kidneys, cancer of the kidneys

and they could not tell me why. After 4 months of living like a zombie

on heavy medication, I went to a faith healer. At the end of the

service and as the evening wore on the pain lessened. I still have the

haematuria, but have never ever had they pain. I must also point out

that no charge was made and that a donation box was available for those

who wished to make a donation to the upkeep of the Healing Centre. No

one was asked to donate it was purely voluntary.

I also have recently been in the Homoeopathic hospital getting intensive

physiotherapy. This involved heat treatment to my knees, ultrasound to

my feet and knees and hot wax treatment to my hands. All joints are

much improved and this was all free under our National Health Service in

the U.K.

I also agree that there are charlotans in all walks of life and one must

be aware and vigilent.

I can come off my soap box now. Thanks for letting me add my opinion.

Love and hugs,

Lilian.

[Guest guest]

Hi Lana,

Sorry to learn your mum us suffering so much. No, I sneezed in the

shower and could not move for excruciating pain. I had just started

back at work in 1994 after my kidney episode and did not want to go back

on pain killers and become a zombie again so I just stuck with it. Then

my boss suggested I see one of our clients the osteopath - who

insidently had cured a stiff neck in one session. I had gone in with my

head turned over my left shoulder and came out able to move it anywhere

I wanted, pain free. Why I had not remembered him before I don't know.

However, I went to see him and he did cranial osteopathy. That means he

only worked on my head. After each 30 minute session I had more pain

for a couple of days but then it faded and the next session was bad for

a couple of days and then faded until after 5 sessions I had no back

pain at all. He just worked by pressure on certain parts of my head and

never actually touched my back at all.

Why it worked I have no idea, but I do know that it was successful. You

may ask why I did not go back to the faith healer. Well, I felt it

would be greedy to go back and ask again so soon after the pain relief

of my kidney problems. It may be daft, but I was just so thankful to be

rid of the kidney pain that the sciatica was liveable with. Mind you

after 18 months of pain from my back down my left leg and along the sole

of my foot was not fun. Unfortunately that osteopath went back home to

New Zealand so he is no longer available to me or anyone else in the

U.K.

Sorry I can't be any more help to you Lana, but I will pray for your mum

and you.

Love, hugs and blessings to you and all whom you love.

Lilian.