 |
What Are Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies?
Homeopathic and naturopathic medicines are two of the more well-known types of complementary and alternative medicines. Homeopathic medicine stimulates a person's own healing abilities to help control their pain. Naturopathic medicine encourages healing through dietary and lifestyle changes in combination with herbs, massage and joint manipulation.
Let's look at how these therapies might be applied to dealing with arthritis, a common chronic pain condition. Arthritis affects a growing number of Canadians. Nearly 4.5 million of us have been diagnosed with this painful disease and that number is expected to rise with our aging population. There are well over 150 kinds of arthritis that are characterized by their own symptoms and treatments. Most symptoms are chronic which means they will require long-term treatment. But where do people turn when conventional treatments fail to relieve the pain or cause undesirable side effects?
Arthritis and pain sufferers are discovering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Some common CAM therapies are natural products, deep breathing and meditation.
Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine Right for Me?
Some conventional treatments that your doctor may prescribe to you are: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Aspirin and ibuprofen; corticosteroids, such as prednisone and hydrocortisone, disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drugs, or painkillers, such as codeine. Treatment involves a wide variety of medications that are aimed at relieving pain. These treatments may be helpful, but they can cause serious side effects in some people.
- NSAIDs are the basic medication used to treat pain and inflammation. However, long-term use can cause gastrointestinal, liver or kidney injury, and heart failure.
- Corticosteroids are used to treat rheumatic diseases. The goal is to reduce pain and inflammation in joints, and help to increase joint mobility and function. The side effects are few when the number of injections per joint is limited to less than four per year.
- Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are used to prevent the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and can prevent lasting bone and joint damage. However, there can be severe side effects associated with DMARDs.
People choose complementary and alternative medicine therapies for different reasons. Many arthritis and pain sufferers explore CAM therapies to try to control their pain and inflammation, improve physical function, or cope with the disease or side effects of treatment. It's an attractive option for people who prefer to go the "natural" route or to use in combination with conventional treatment.
You need to be aware that natural medicines can cause side effects too. Plants produce chemicals that can have mild to potent effects on your body, and they may not interact well with other medications you are taking. Also, alternative non-medicinal treatments may be harmless, but they also may be ineffective. Scientists are investigating the usefulness of alternative treatments. It is strongly advisable to ask your doctor before trying any new treatment for arthritis or pain.
The bottom line is that without effective treatment, arthritis can lead to joint destruction and even long-term disability. Start by talking to your doctor about what treatment is right for you.
|
|
|
