Question: Should I Try Alternative Medicine?
Your chronic pain is hard to bear. You’ve tried a number of medications, and nothing seems to work. Your patience and tolerance are running thin, and you want some relief. Should you chuck it all and try an alternative treatment?
Answer: I’m going to give you a pretty vague answer here: maybe?
Alternative medicine differs from complementary medicine in that it is the only treatment approach you use to control your pain. That means no medication; no traditional pain treatments. It’s a big step!
Before you go alternative, consider a few things.
- Am I putting myself at risk? Do you have a complicated diagnosis? Do you have other major medical problems? Have you been taking medication for your condition(s) for a long time? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you need to talk to your doctor. Find out the potential risks of quitting your medications before you take that step. They might be more severe than you think.
- Is the treatment safe? When you make the change to alternative medicine, you must consider not only the risks of quitting your medications, but the risks of the new treatment you plan to undertake. Take dietary supplements, for instance. Sure, most of them are natural, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have unpleasant side effects or potential risks for certain health conditions. Ask your doctor if your alternative medicine of choice will be safe for you.
- Is the treatment effective? Relying on acupuncture and yoga to treat your chronic pain may sound wonderful and relaxing, but will it be as effective as your medication regime? Make sure you do your research before you try something new, especially if you have a complicated chronic pain condition. Also, look closely at the claims made by alternative medicine providers. Check their credentials and success rates. Find out how effectively they can treat your particular condition.
If any questions are on your mind about taking the leap, it might be best to ease yourself into using alternative medicine. Why not try some complementary approaches first? Before you quit your old regimen cold turkey, make sure you try a few things on for size.
Source:
National Institutes of Health: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. “Are You Considering Using a CAM?” Accessed 4/16/09. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/decisions/consideringcam.htm
