One of my girlfriends is in town for the summer. She’s a nursing student in Seattle, but she doesn’t want to be a nurse, she wants to be a midwife. I promise that is relevant. It underlies every experience she has in school, and many of the interactions we have as friends.
We were talking about complementary medicine, and I mentioned the homeopathic first aid kits that Andy Lewis wrote about on his Quackometer blog as something I was disturbed about. I should have known better. She is strongly against “western” medicine and all its associated evils. Not that she knows anything about allopathic medicine. By her own admission, before nursing school, she hadn’t even heard of acetaminophen.
“Well, if you take arnica right after a trauma the injury you will heal faster”, she said earnestly. Oh, really? “The kits are made by a reputable company. There are directions on them saying that in a true emergency EMS should always be contacted.”
The disclaimer actually says:
Serious injuries and illness should never be treated without seeking expert advice. Use your instincts and common sense, if you are worried call for help first, then give the appropriate remedy whilst you are waiting for help to arrive.
An “expert” does not necessarily mean a medical expert, but why would anyone be worried enough to need any help when they have such a big box full of little vials of magic water?
I have nothing against complementary treatments. Massage, meditation, and even herbal remedies can be very comforting, and should have a place within health care. I just want people, especially health care practitioners, to think critically about this stuff. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safer. Just because it smells good doesn’t mean it can cure your cancer. And, sure, everyone should eat their veggies, but you still may need to visit a doctor once and a while. Just a thought.
July 27, 2007 at 12:02 am |
I always reply to people who mention something is totally nature that Arsnic is totally natural too.
July 27, 2007 at 2:41 am |
There are benefits in western medicine and alternative medicine. What we need is a good combination to get the healing process on track.
July 27, 2007 at 7:30 am |
I agree that any complementary treatment needs to be in line with a patient’s western medical treatment. The harm is not always in the “therapy” itself, but in the way the practitioner steers the patient away from more appropriate treatment.
July 29, 2007 at 4:35 am |
My off the cuff response to Janette would be, ” and so is aspirin”. But it is a fools arguement. J you may wish to use your head instead of your tongue….Half of a Day is also night …..Neel % somedaynurse i concure…..Frankly, I believe alot more people will be looking into natural cures until the drug and doctor industry clean up their act…..
July 29, 2007 at 7:46 am |
That is really the point, isn’t it? Salicylic acid (the active ingredient in aspirin) is derived from the salicin in willow bark. While pharmaceutical aspirins are regulated by the FDA for quality and purity, the herbal willow bark, with the same active ingredient, is manufactured with no such regulations. There is no standard of safety or efficacy.
July 29, 2007 at 8:34 am |
Hm…Is it the point……Actually, its not. And drugs are regulated for profits…..quality and puriety have nothing to do with it (study your politics a little more) and you also need to rethink the FDA….who do you think is appointed to head it……….hmmm..(the head of what corporate lobbying group, etc.)……
Besides, look at the drugs and food coming from China….Look, I can tell from your picture that you are young and obviously unaware of how the real world works……
This has been nice, but in truth I have alot of things to do……so I won’t be making any more replies……you have a lovely blog and I hope you enjoy it. Good Bye t
July 29, 2007 at 12:07 pm |
Good piece. Having an opinion is great but make sure to pack some heat about why, regardless of your side of the issue. Although I do think you misunderstand what your friend was saying. If you get a bad cut that requires stitches, Neosporin is often proscribed as a minor local anesthetic that also helps the cut heal better. I think what she was trying to say, in line with label warning you posted, supplementing these items into your health care regiment where appropriate “could be” beneficial.
I would like to address a couple posts:
Somedaynurse,
I agree with the statement in whole “the practitioner steers the patient away from more appropriate treatment”. For no reason other than insurance, many doctors will not see babies that have not been vaccinated. Our health care system is set up as freedom of choice and to turn people away in that fashion is unfortunate (in defense I can understand why doctors choose to do that doesn’t make it right but I understand). That is an entirely other issue however. You are absolutely correct about product quality; it’s no different than other commodities traded in the US.
toni,
The real truth is, major pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars in research and get ripped off by secondary off-brand companies. Let’s not forget, medicine in America is a privilege just like your $4.72 Cheeseburger and $200k house.
However, there are things that need to be done with the FDA. Such as the drugs given to our children that render 1 in 166 kids with Autism (rarely are kids born with Autism as the Ad Counsel states). The practice of using vitamin K in babies eyes when they are born. That was a practice from the 40’s when woman had syphilis which could cause kids to go blind during birth (syphilis is rarely seen these days, plus every woman is tested for STD before birth making it an outdated technique). These blanket “policies” not laws do need to be addressed.
Your comment about China makes little sense, what are we looking at? The fact that 27% of the food items we receive are damaged by mold or infestation when it gets here? Expand on your claim.
What I hate the very most is your implication that we are young, therefore dumb. Is it not your generation that put us in this situation? Where is your evidence to support your claims? Study politics? I KNOW just from your message you are in you are a registered Democrat in your early 50’s, scared because your generation failed to plan and by the time you retire Medicare will be 10% of what it is currently and Social Security will be gone.
WELL HELL BETTY THE ROOF IS CAVING IN! We will not let that happen. WE are called the Honor Generation for a reason. It we (18-32 years old) that will restore our country to greatness and fix a life time of your mistakes for the betterment of OUR people.
And lady, don’t act like you haven’t checked your message 16 times to see if anyone has responded. You honestly don’t have anything better to do.
Jerry R. Reynolds
Alimoe The General
July 29, 2007 at 3:33 pm |
First of all, thank you to both Jerry and Toni for making feel a bit younger than I usually feel. Jerry has very eloquently expressed my own concern with Toni’s attitude, although I must admit I am disappointment she has decided to bow down from any further discussion.
Jerry, I’m afraid I’m not totally sure what you mean about Neosporin, so correct me if I missed your point. Sure OTC meds are often recommended after treatment, and some doctors might also recommend an herbal remedy of some sort. I know I get snarky at times (it comes from living too long in the Woo Woo Capital of America), but really have nothing against herbal treatments that are used responsibly. In the case of homeopathy, there is no “could be” helpful about it. It’s quackery.
~Raven
July 29, 2007 at 7:51 pm |
Neosporin you can at any grocery store. It provides minor pain releif and promotes better tissue re-growth. I agree with you on the premis that eating some “whatever” leaves is in anyway going to cure cancer. But to me I look at herbal medicine in a much different way. I also think there needs to be a key distinction between Herbal remeady and Herbal medicine because they are very different. People commenly use them interchangably but it is largely ignorance to the subject. Herbal Medicine is largely the study of natural plants and their medical applications. We have learned the herbel remedy of the 50’s “drink a coke” is not practical. Herbal is synoyomis with “home” remedy. Some things like tea work well when you have a cold. I think 99% of the Herbal remedies are indeed placebos and do not use them. However I do think in the evolution of medicine, Herbal Medicine will provide answers to many unknown questions.
Jerry
July 29, 2007 at 8:24 pm |
By the way how old are you
Very cute girl if that is you in the pict and going off your comment I would guess to say your in your 36 but I am just a random guy who found you on wordpress. Haha!
July 29, 2007 at 10:20 pm |
There is a huge difference between naturally-derived treatments in general, and homeopathic “medicine” specifically. I will forgive your mistake because you said I’m cute, but you are obviously much too intelligent to continue to hold such a misguided belief. Please look up the theory behind homeopathy and how homeopathic remedies are manufactured, and then tell me what you think.
I’m working on a post/essay/rant about the history of homeopathic medicine, because the more I read about it, the more surreal it gets, and I am starting to lose friends arguing about it. People think I’m just making stuff up because I hate natural medicine.
I’m serious about wanting to hear your opinion. Keep in touch.
July 30, 2007 at 9:04 am |
Your correct, I am terribly pained by my “mistake”…..
I will keep in touch!