Case study of alternative health care versus allopathic health care
One of the most mysterious, stubborn and prevalent health issues today is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Little is known about this syndrome, which is diagnosed by the presence of a collection of symptoms. It can not be identified by blood test or structural or organic abnormalities. Often a patient with IBS will appear to have nothing wrong with him or her.
"The abdominal discomfort of an irritable bowel ranges from sharp, cramping-like
pains to a continuous, dull ache. It is often relieved by a bowel movement.
The lower left part of the abdomen may be tender to the touch. This abdominal
pain usually appears after eating." Sometimes irritable bowel symptoms result
from food allergies and avoiding trigger foods can produce some relief.
"There is also usually diarrhea, sometimes alternating with constipation. The diarrhea typically occurs immediately after a meal or when getting up in the morning, and there is often mucus in the stool. In addition, there may be other, less definite symptoms, such as fatigue, anxiety and difficulty in concentrating. The condition appears in late adolescence or early adulthood. For unknown reasons, women are affected about twice as often as men."
"These symptoms may last for a few days or weeks and then cease for months at a time. Also, they may recur with varying degrees of intensity, over a long period." (www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/health-info/dis-cond/misc/irr-bowe.html) It is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders seen by physicians today and is estimated to strike 10 to 20 percent of the population.
While allopathic medicine contends that most people can.t be cured from this condition it outlines ways of managing the symptoms. Many patients with IBS have sought relief with alternative health care remedies, which tend to treat the underlying reasons for the abdominal distress.
The following case study of IBS is an attempt to illustrate the different approaches taken by conventional and alternative health care physicians to treat the same intractable health issue.
Conventional view of IBS
According to conventional medicine, IBS occurs when, for unknown reasons, a regular pattern of motility is disrupted in the small and large intestine.The patterns of motility become disordered by excessive muscular contraction which cause pain, diarrhea and constipation. Though the cause is not known, allopaths believe that the over activity is caused by emotional stress or an allergic response to certain foods.
There also is some evidence that alcohol, caffeine and heavy smoking may worsen the problem.
IBS is diagnosed according to the symptoms and after exclusion of more serious intestinal disorders such as colitis, diverticulitis and colon cancer. Sometimes barium enemas and X-rays can show physical proof of intestinal spasms.
Conventional treatment and recommendations for IBS
"In general, a normal diet is best. If bloating and belching are a problem, foods such as beans and cabbage and other sources of fermentable carbohydrates should be avoided. If the major symptom is diarrhea, it is wise to stay away from laxative foods, such as fruits and fruit juices. Unprocessed bran, taken with plenty of liquid, may help relieve constipation. Often, a high fiber diet or a fiber dietary supplement may be recommended."
"In addition, people with irritable bowel syndrome should engage in regular physical exercise. This helps relieve the symptoms of anxiety and also promotes good bowel function. Efforts should be made to deal with any stresses that may be contributing to the problem."
"For patients who do not respond to dietary and other life-style changes, including a reduction of stress, medications may be prescribed. These may include an anticholinergic agent to reduce the intestinal over activity, a mild tranquilizer or a sedative." (www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/health-info/dis-cond/misc/irr-bowe.html)
while a variety of drugs exist and are prescribed for IBS, including antidepressants, few people report success with pharmaceutical therapy.
The approach of alternative health care
Alternative health care doctors may also suggest a change in diet, exercise and stress management but they may also offer body work, acupuncture, nutritional supplements, biofeedback, counseling and hypnosis to address emotional issues.
A practitioner of alternative health care will carefully listen to a patient.s medical history, symptoms, lifestyle habits and emotional issues and come up with a variety theories about the cause for the imbalance. Intestinal disorders such as IBS can often be caused by the overgrowth of opportunistic yeast in the gut called candida. If this is the case supplements and a strict diet will be prescribed to cleanse the body of yeast.
Other causes of abdominal and digestive distress could be heavy metal toxicity or parasites. Many alternative health care physicians will take hair samples or do blood tests or stool analysis to get a better picture of what is going on with nutritional deficiencies and bodily functions.
Alternative health care physicians trained in Chinese medicine will often examine the balance and health of the liver and the movement of qi or energy in the body. They determine this by looking at the tongue and taking the pulse. Herbs to balance the liver, acupuncture and qi gong may be prescribed.
Other schools of alternative health care will treat irritable bowl syndrome with detoxification. Colonic irrigation can help clean old impacted waste from the colon and fasting can help rid the body of toxins and naturally balance the body from the insidehttp://wwwtionally-based alternative health care providers may place patients on the elimination diet, where people start with eating a small group of food items and little by little add in foods to watch the body.s reaction. Often, what was thought to be IBS is actually the body.s violent reaction to a food allergy. Wheat, corn or soy are very common allergens and are also some of the most commonly ingested food in America.
Combining alternative health care and conventional wisdom
One approach for a condition like IBS is to try naturopathic treatment before going the allopathic route. Alternative health care has a much higher success rate in treating IBS than conventional medicine, which typically throws pharmaceuticals at the problem. Alternative health care practitioners might take wisdom on treating IBS from conventional doctors, incorporating useful tips on diet and stress reduction, but will also offer treatments and knowledge that conventional medicine doesn.t recognize. If natural treatment fails the patient can always fall back on conventional medicine.
Trinity Clinic now has in-depth content areas covering such topics as Homeopathy,
Naturopathic Medicine, Alternative Medicine, and more.
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