In my foolish youth I first set out to University to take a pre med program with the idea of becoming a doctor. Later, I majored in something else. Then I worked in completely unrelated fields -then I retired. But I digress. We are talking Doctors and ...Hippies!
I did learn something about medicine. Basically Doctors are some of the most intelligent people in our society with the most demanding course of studies. My Doctors have all been fabulous! They really are impressive people. Doctors mostly all subscribe to something called the Hippocratic oath derived from the father of medicine Hippocrates in the 4th century BC. There are now various editions but one basic idea is that the doctor will -do no harm.
Now I am going out on a bit of a limb here but what I think has happened is that as a result to the general approach to the practice of medicine as outlined in the Hippocratic oath Doctors who are basically scientists are loath to outwardly reject as wrong the various non medical approaches to treating patients. Medical approaches have traditionally included prescription drugs, surgery, bed rest, psychiatry and exercise. As a partial result of this, alternative medicine has flourished due also in part to an interesting corollary.
You see the alternative medicine folks have no Hippocratic oath and often openly reject traditional medicine! Their methods include native medicine aromatherapy, massage or music therapy, rekkii, forms of meditation, religious rites, wacko diets, magic, herbs. potions, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, hypnotism, Naturopathy, Homeopathy and Bioenergetics, spirituality, faith healing etc all of which I will refer to (for lack of a better term) as "hippie medicine".
You may have guessed it already but I think the vast majority of hippie medicine is ...bullshit. But its become a multi billion dollar industry! It won't go away. Too many people are making a decent income from it.
So I did a bit of research and found The AMCC -The Alternative Medicine College of Canada. As anyone will understand I need to be careful what I say here. Very careful. There are legal issues. I can say that substantial fees are charged for courses. I can say that admission standards appear to be non-existent and cover anybody with or without high school, university or "life training". I can also note that a considerable amount of effort seems devoted to the financial terms of the institution. I can note that although they use the term "doctorate" they also admit in small print that ..."Please note that the doctorate program is not a University program as considered by the Law on University educational institutions." For legal purposes I don't really want to say much more other than possibly suggest that you visit the site and make up your own mind.
You may also wish to review a couple of medical programs say at the University of Toronto and McGill University and maybe the University of British Columbia just to give you a feel for the subject for comparison purposes. Just to set up your mind.
It's clear that "alternative medicine" is most definitely "alternative" -the question I have is - "is it medicine?"
This is an important distinction as people are paying good money to study it and more good money to be treated by alternative medicine. Other terms "alternative medicine practitioners" love to use are "healing" and "wellness" In fact instead of hospitals and doctors offices and clinics they have healing and wellness centers. It just gives you a warm fuzzy happy feeling when contrasted to the harsh terms "clinic" and "hospital." You don't want to go there! -that's where sick people go!
The biggest danger of alternative medicine is that you will be harmed or the procedures won't work as well as the traditional medicine approach. Harm could include a range of situations from being mildly uncomfortable to loosing ones' health, body parts or life.
In medicine, patients with chronic illnesses will normally make it to the palliative care stage which is usually in some form of hospice. Their illness cannot be cured so focus is on relieving the symptoms -usually the pain. At this point once could argue -what's the risk? why not allow alternative medicine at this point?
This argument is mostly raised by those in "alternative medicine" but lets take a closer look.
Put your sad self in the position of a cancer patient in the last few days or hours of life. Most of your systems have shut down and you can't pee or eat or even smell. You are being driven out of your mind with pain. Your doctor can prescribe something for that. And your nurse can give you a load of the stuff to get you over the hump into never never land -although this is generally not discussed openly. But instead, you chose the alternative medicine route. A girl in a velvet dress is chanting and waving a vial of scented oil under your nose. She has a tattoo of a small duck on her forehead and a nose ring. She is called Mistress Vespa and is the best dying coach your family could afford with that small account you left them. Why the woman gets $1500 to treat you with smells, laser lights and Gregorian chants as you make your long, final journey. She is good! Desperately you try to raise your hand - to grab her by the throat -but its too late for that- you have lost your movement. You are screwed! Eventually the pain kills you and then you die. Your last thought is that somebody should shoot Mistress Vespa. Pretty messy exit eh!
My suggestion is relatively simple. After all, I am a simple person. And retired. And I have ED and type II diabetes. Lets leave the practice of medicine to Doctors - real ones - MD's. As far as the rest goes lets not call it "Alternative Medicine" lets call it what it really is ....Bullshit!
Now of course this won't stop you from investigating alternative medicine so here are some links- fill your boots!
back to the index please! where there are over 100 more topics exposed to the daylight!