Prescription | Chiropractic Professional Resource

Alternative Medicine Is Not Completely Free Of Risks And Complications

Is it advisable to choose alternative medicine simply because it happens to be less expensive as compared to conventional medicine? Conventional medicine is a very safe option because there are many safeguards present to protect the interests of the patients. From the regulatory authority that prescribes the course for doctors to the institution that regulates hospitals and medical institutions in the country-There are many protective agencies at work. These agencies did not exist for alternative medicine therapies.

If you have a choice between conventional medicine and alternative medicine, it makes sense to opt for the former unless the cost is prohibitively high. Of course, alternative medicine is not always a less expensive option. It often adopts a holistic approach that requires wholesale changes in the lifestyle.

Well you may not be spending a lot on medicine and hospitals if you opt for this form of medicine. However, you will have to spend a lot for implementing the changes in your lifestyle. This is unavoidable.From changing your staple diet to various herbs and medicines that you may have to buy-the costs may quickly add up.

Another reason that you have to consider is whether the alternative medicine is genuine and offers real relief. There are many fraudulent people who come up with fancy names describing a set of exercises as Chinese and Indian medicine and charge a lot of money from their patients. Make sure you deal with a person who is a registered practitioner of alternate medicine.

Filed Under: Cure & Care, Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Health, Medicine

What Is Alternative Medicine?

You might have heard about alternative medicine, and some of you might even have sought help from such practices at one point of time to get rid of the illness that has been plaguing you for a long time. So what exactly is alternative medicine and why is it considered different from the conventional medicine? Why it is not considered equal to the traditional medicine?

Alternative medicine or medical practice is a practice which is different from the conventional practice. This is to say that the way the treatment is done is not similar to the way done in traditional medicine. For example, take acupuncture. This treatment uses needles and vitals points of the body to treat and cure a person of the illness he has, like for drug addiction.

Though there are some alternative medical practices that have turned to be a complete waste of time, there are some which are truly effective. The effective practices are well established and known for their efficiency to cure for a particular disease. Also, it should be noted that the alternative medicine sometimes does not include all the aspects of traditional medicine, or a treatment for every disease.

It is different from traditional medicine and not considered equal to it because the traditional medicine is based on established scientific facts and tests. Traditional medicine theories and practice is based completely upon scientific findings and plenty of tests on various matters before actually launching it for the treatment of the public.

The alternative medicine, on the other hand is based on historical or cultural treatments. This is not to say that it is not good, only that it doesn’t have a solid scientific foundation, or so some experts say. It would perhaps be safe to assume that medicine, be it alternative or not, can be effective for some people while not so for others.

Filed Under: Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Health, Medicine

Chiropractic for Alzheimer’s disease

There is no seemingly valid answer for what causes Alzheimer’s disease. The scientific community has established the fact that there is no single cause for this disease. A combination of genetic and external factors contributes toward this condition. The disease manifests itself in varying degrees of intensity in its patients.

What was before something small has spiraled into a world health issue. Moving along the lines of an epidemic, the disease is seeing a rise in the number of patients who are getting affected with it. Alzheimer’s disease is the result of the dysfunction of the dynamics of the brain. It is said that certain fluids in the brain hold the key to the solution for this disease. And this is where chiropractic kicks in for Alzheimer’s care.

The cerebrospinal fluid is higher in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. This is because their brains shrink and the fluid replaces this volume. Alzheimer’s disease experts feel that this could be the reason behind the loss of memory and slow body movements of patients.

Talking about chiropractic, let us take a glimpse into the practice. Chiropractic concentrates on the spinal cord and its relationship with the nervous system. Conventional belief has it that this system of healing is done for small niggles in the back or neck. But this is not true. Although the application of chiropractic pressure is in and around spine, it is seldom just a back pain reliever. There is much more to it.

Chiropractic experts feel that when the brain is starved over a period of time of something vital, it creates the disease. Adversely affecting the biochemistry of the brain, the disease slowly sets in. Some experts believe that a lack of glucose creates this condition in the brain. Chiropractic focuses on increasing the blood supply to the brain. When blood supply increases, the brain starts to get nourished again.

Filed Under: Chiropractic Care, Chiropractor, Prescription Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, Chiropractic

A Look at Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Have you thought about seeking alternative or complementary medical treatment? There are five general categories of these types of medicine that are outlined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. They include?

–A variety of techniques are used in mind-body medicine. These techniques and therapies are intended to improve a mindâ€™s ability to affect the bodyâ€™s symptoms and functions. Some of these types of therapies have been recently accepted into the mainstream medical community, from their beginnings with the alternative medicines. These include such therapies as cognitive-behavioral therapy and support groups.

–Alternative medical systems are those that have been based on total systems of practice and theory. Some examples of this type of medical therapy include naturopathic and homeopathic medicine. Many of these types of systems were developed before conventional medical practices with many having been developed outside Western medicine.

–The use of nature substances including herbs, and natural foods and vitamins are the basis for biologically based therapies. This type of alternative and complementary medicine uses herbal products and dietary supplements, and in addition may use other natural (but scientifically unproven) theories and therapies. One example of this is the use of shark cartilage in the treatment of cancer.

–Body-based and manipulative methods used in alternative medicine concentrate on movement or manipulation of parts of the body. These types of therapies can include massage therapy and chiropractic manipulation.

–The use of energy fields involved in energy therapies can be found in two types of methods: biofield and bioelectromagnetic. Biofield therapies are used to affect those energy fields surrounding the body (the existence of which as not been proven scientifically). Examples of this type of therapy include Reiki and therapeutic touch.

Bioelectromagnetic therapies use alternative use of electromagnetic fields. These fields include alternating or direct-current fields, magnetic fields and pulsed electromagnetic fields.

Filed Under: Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Medicine, Reiki

What is Chiropractic Medicine?

A doctor of chiropractic medicine is someone who has gone through four years of chiropractic college, much like a traditional medical doctor. However, instead of learning about various diseases and their treatments, chiropractors believe that many diseases and pains have to do with a malfunctioning nervous system. Chiropractors pay particular attention to the spinal column to find displacements that affect spinal nerve roots. Fixing these displacements, often with manipulation by hand, can do away with pains and diseases. Specifically, chiropractors believe that improperly aligned spinal columns interfere with the body’s nervous system. The end result is diminished health and lower resistance to disease.

Unlike traditional doctors, the chiropractor does not rely on drugs or surgical solutions. Exercise, diet, and issues related to heredity and environment are studied to make treatment recommendations. The chiropractic doctor does follow the same investigatory initial routine as a medical doctor, however. Chiropractors may order X-rays, lab tests, will take time to learn the patient’s medical history and will conduct a physical exam in an effort to come to a diagnosis. All chiropractors will look at a patient’s posture for a clue to a misalignment of the spine.

The treatment from a chiropractor often includes a manual adjustment that is designed to get the spinal column back into its optimal position. There are many chiropractors who also use massage and heat therapies to benefit the spinal column. Other therapies include ultrasound, electric currents, heat, water and light. Chiropractors look at the whole picture and may also include exercises, lifestyle changes and stress management as a way to eliminate whatever caused the misalignment of the spine.

A common chiropractic treatment for back or neck pain, for example, would typically include several weeks of exercises, along with spinal adjustments and perhaps heat or massage treatments. If there was no improvement after a couple of courses of treatment, it would be common for a chiropractor to send a patient for a second opinion to another chiropractor.

Filed Under: Chiropractor, Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Chiropractic, Health, Medicine

Alternative Medicine: An Overview

Alternative medicine is a concept that has gained much popularity in recent years, especially in the Western world. When people think of alternative medicine, they often imagine acupuncture, chiropractics, and/or meditation. While these do fall under the alternative medicine umbrella, there are many other practices that fit such categorization, which will be discussed shortly. Alternative medicine is often grouped with “complementary medicine”, or practices done in conjunction with mainstream techniques (i.e. surgery, medication, etc.). This is important to note – complementary and alternative medicines are generally seen as opposition to conventional medicinal techniques. Though this is sometimes true, some studies show that though alternative medicines may not necessarily cure a patient’s symptoms (for example, cancer), they do provide a method of coping and can lead to an overall healthier and more positive view on life. Another important note on alternative medicine lies in the definition and the patient’s goal. Someone could do yoga just for the exercise benefits. In this case, it would not be considered alternative medicine. However, if that person practices yoga with the belief that it stabilizes the body’s life force in an attempt to cure sickness, it would fall under alternative medicine.

Though both alternative and complementary medicinal techniques are generally defined as healing practices that are outside the realm of conventional medicine, some practices may be categorized differently depending on the region and existing laws. This is especially true with herbal therapies. While some are considered mainstream or conventional in Europe, the same practices are considered alternative or complementary in the United States. Integrative medicine is the combination of alternative medicinal practices with mainstream medicine for diagnosis. This has been shown to be a safe route. A reliable diagnosis is made using modern instruments and techniques, and the patient can then use natural, relatively minimally invasive treatment methods.

Filed Under: Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Medicine, United States

Chiropractic Can Help With Attention Deficit

Prescriptions for Ritalin in children to lessen the symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are on the rise in this country. In fact, the United States now prescribes 90% of the world’s Ritalin. Ritalin is a stimulant and can have numerous side effects, such as nausea, nervousness, dizziness, trouble sleeping or headache. These are the most common, but more severe side effects can also occur, like allergic reactions, behavior changes, mood disruption or even attempts of suicide. Doctors of chiropractic can help to lessen symptoms of Attention Deficit related issues without prescribing medication.

Unfortunately, all too often, issues unrelated to AD/HD, are treated with Ritalin. There are numerous reasons for this. Sometimes school officials press for a diagnosis of AD/HD in children who are experiencing learning problems because such certified diagnoses allow schools to receive additional funding. Sometimes teachers just aren’t sure how to deal with a rambunctious child or one with a different learning style. In cases like these, it’s not uncommon for a diagnosis of AD/HD to be the end result when more intense investigation may have revealed something else entirely.

Chiropractors know that the development of postural muscles affect brain activity. If there is an imbalance in the spine, there is also likely to be an imbalance of brain development. Behavioral issues such as those related to AD/HD may manifest simply due to this musculoskeletal imbalance.

Through testing methods such as checking reflexes, shining light into the eyes or playing music in one ear at a time, a chiropractor can determine which area of the brain is not functioning optimally. Doctors of Chiropractic perform adjustments and teach patients exercises they can do at home to begin to improve symptoms. Nutritional and lifestyle changes are also recommended. These steps lead to lifelong changes in brain functioning, unlike the temporary results seen with medication treatment.

Filed Under: Chiropractic Care, Cure & Care, Prescription Tagged With: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Disorders, Mental health

New Medicines As Reliable and Cheaper Than Auto Insurance

The evolution in pharmacology has had a profound effect on our lives. We are living longer and enjoying a better quality of life thanks to the improvements in old drugs and the introduction to the market of new ones. Illnesses, even rare ones not seen in large numbers, are getting attention from the pharmaceutical community.

When you are a safe driver and not involved in accidents, over time your auto insurance goes down. Similarly it’s been shown that many individuals have saved significant amounts of money thanks to new medications approved for their conditions. Management systems and new medications for diabetes for example, have shown to provide savings for patients who are diligent about their use. They also show savings through a much lower rate of hospital admissions and emergency room visits for these patients.

Also new medications developed for gastrointestinal disorders have been hugely beneficial. Thanks to these new formulations, surgery to correct ulcers has all but become a thing of the past.

The development and use of statins has had a profound impact on those with coronary disease. These drugs have been documented to help in lowering cholesterol, resulting in fewer hospital stays for patients and fewer cardiac surgeries. They also have been shown to decrease the number of days a statin-taking patient needed to stay in the hospital when admitted, in addition to lowering the need for angioplasty and by-pass surgery.

New medications have been critically involved with saving lives for those suffering from cancer, strokes, AIDS, and allowing for a better quality of life for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s. As for depression, a fundamental change from hospitalization to treatment with medications has made a significant difference for those suffering from that malady.

New drugs will continue to play an increasingly important and necessary part of our lives in the future.

Filed Under: General, Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Health, Pharmacy, Vehicle insurance

Chiropractic Care For Children

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The birth process is actually a very traumatic event for babies. Traveling through the birth canal and manipulating through the cervix causes a great deal of stress on the developing spine. This stress can result in a number of issues for the newborn infant.

Excessive crying, colic, poor appetite, allergic reactions and breathing problems can all be results of the trauma suffered during the birthing process. As the baby grows, developmental milestones such as supporting its own head, learning to crawl and taking first steps add additional stressors to the spine. Regular visits to the chiropractor for adjustments will help to eliminate subluxations, or problems in the spine, that can lead to problems later in life. Subluxations prevent full range of movement, leading to “growing pains”, weakened immune systems, even scoliosis.

Chiropractic care is modified to fit children. Adjustment techniques can be undertaken according to a child’s size, weight, unique spinal problem and stage of development. It’s not unusual to hear reports from parents indicating that their children are overall healthier than their peers.

Studies have even shown that behavioral and neurological issues such as hyperactivity, inattention and learning problems can be improved through chiropractic care. Studies have shown that children with suffering from such difficulties saw an improvement in academics, demonstrated better coordination and an increase in motivation after receiving chiropractic treatment. Alleviation of spinal subluxations can result in numerous beneficial effects, leading to overall wellness.

There are a number of theories as to why regular chiropractic care is so beneficial. Some professionals believe that blood flow to the brain is improved through chiropractic adjustments, while others think that anxiety is lessened, leading to an improved sense of well-being. Still others are of the theory that it restores the nervous system by relieving pressure on the spinal cord. The jury is still out in regard to the reason why seeing a chiropractor is good for children, but most agree that kids do benefit from chiropractic care. Even babies in the womb can reap the rewards when pregnant mothers visit the chiropractor.

Filed Under: Chiropractic Care, Health Care, Prescription Tagged With: Chiropractic, Infant, Spinal cord