Question by dbobo: are times changing in med school?
Even medical students want conventional medicine to include alternative therapies
by S. L. Baker, features writer
(NaturalNews) Are up-and-coming young doctors going to practice the same kind of mainstream medicine as their predecessors? Will the next generation of docs turn up their noses at alternative therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, herbs and vitamins -- just like the majority of the current crop of docs? In what may come as a surprise to many mainstream physicians, the answer to those questions may be a resounding "no".
According to research published in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM), 75 percent of medical students surveyed think it would be beneficial for conventional Western medicine to integrate with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM places emphasis on natural therapies and using the body's own healing powers instead of relying on drugs, vaccines and other standard Western treatments.
A University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of California, San Diego, research team comprised of experts in the fields of CAM, integrative medicine, Western medicine, medical education and survey development created a first of its kind 30 question survey that was distributed to 126 U.S. medical schools. Some 1,770 medical students completed the survey -- roughly, about three percent of the 68,000 medical students nationwide. Although the response rate to the survey was fairly low, the researchers say it provided valuable insights into current medical students' perceptions of CAM.
For example, the findings revealed that 77 percent of the medical student participants agreed patients whose doctors are knowledgeable about complementary and alternative medicine in addition to conventional medicine benefit more than those whose doctors are only familiar with Western medicine. In fact, 74 percent agreed that a medical system which integrated conventional medicine with CAM could be more effective that either type of medicine used independently.
A whopping 84 percent of the participants surveyed said CAM contains beliefs, ideas and therapies that could benefit conventional medicine. Some of this attitudinal shift in medical students could be the result of personal experiences -- almost half
Best answer:
"even medical students" thats like the bottom the barrel in terms of authority.
1 what prevents "alternative therapies" from being used by "mainstream doctors" is that there is no data to show that they work. and thats how it should be, if you want to treat high blood pressure do you want to take something that has real data to back it up? or do you want the doctor to give you something that is only supported, data wise, by self reporting? (medical trials remove the problem of self reporting by comparing people who have taken the treatment with those who haven't, with self reporting its just a bunch of people saying "i got better while using this treatment" without any knowledge of how the treatment effected their recovery)
2 this is a survey in which the people were asked "if you think A is better than B" this isn't evidence ITS PUBLIC OPINION! the size of the earth isn't based on public opinion and neither is the efficacy of treatments, or the lack there of.
Natural Therapies For Back Pain: Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Yoga And Herbs
Article by Caroline Colby
Back pain can cause you immense pain. Other than drug medications, there are many natural therapy methods for your pain. Take a proactive approach to your pain and you will then be able to live life to its fullest.
Here are some facts to reveal how common back pain is. Back pain in the U. S. currently accounts for approximately 50-60% of pain complaints for workers. It is surprising to note that it does not matter what type of job you hold. Whether you are a factory worker to a professional, you are equally susceptible to back pain as your colleague.
Back pain not only afflicts the working population in general, but there are other causes for pain as well. Degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect more of the female population. Spinal cord injuries resulting from accidents are another leading cause to back pain.
Natural therapies for back pain tend to focus on holistic principles. This means the integration of the physical, psychological and spiritual components of life toward treatment. Some researchers say that your social, economic and cultural background can indicate whether you are more likely to experience back pain in the future or not.
Neuromuscular Therapy is a new type of natural therapy for back pain. There are many clinics that provide massage therapy in the U.S.Deep body massages can aid you by massaging away pain from nerves that are swollen within muscle tissue, and improve the flexibility of your body. Massage therapy also helps you to relax and that helps in back pain pain relief.
Another beneficial natural therapy for back pain that people have found advantageous is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment, which stimulates the nerve pathways through the spinal cord and to the brain, with the use of needles. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a painful therapy at all. The use of the needles stimulates the nerve pathways to release hormones, so your brain do not experience pain as much. Also, the body stimulates release of other hormones to aid in healing.
A good exercise for reducing back pain is yoga. The practice of yoga grew out of eastern therapies of medicine and religion beliefs. Hatha and sivananda yoga are beneficial because they are gentle in the physical training, and the two various styles of yoga use relaxation techniques through proper breathing and meditation states. Through relaxation and meditation, muscles relax and external stressors are eliminated. This benefits your body because the overactive electrical impulses that make your muscles tense are reduced.
Lastly, a natural therapy for back pain is with the use of herbs. Herbs are non addictive and in most circumstances, do not result in major side effects. One popular herb is boswellia because it does not produce inflammation. When boswellia is used it will reduce stiffness because blood supply is increased in the back.
Ginger is useful too in your fight on back pain. It stops pain-causing hormones from being released. Also, ginger can be used on a long-term basis. Over the counter back pain products that contain menthol and camphor are also particularly helpful.
Be sure to seek the advice of your healthcare practitioner the next time you pay him a visit. Discuss the various options of massage therapy, yoga or acupuncture as complementary therapies. Many healthcare practitioners are more open to these options than ever before. Who knows? One of these therapies may just be what you are looking for in terms of pain relief.
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