There are physicians who think “conventional” medicine is the only way to go.  There are “natural” healers who think it’s either “natural” or diabolic.  I believe that this writer, Mark Pitstick, got it right.

Pitstick, Mark.  Chillocothe Gazette.  Posted November 23, 2009, accessed November 24, 2009. <http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20091123/OPINION02/911230308/Examining-the-importance-of-orthodox-care>

Examining the importance of orthodox care

I’m well aware of the importance of orthodox medical care. I worked in hospitals for six years and have numerous family and friends in the medical field.

That approach is very important for emergency or crisis care — for example, a broken bone, ruptured appendix, severe trauma or serious illness. Many very intelligent and committed caregivers provide medical and surgical treatment. I wouldn’t want to practice natural health care without that backup system.

For example, a neighbor nearly had his arm cut off. Even though it was dangling by just a few nerves and blood vessels, medical specialists helped him regain full use of his arm. My brother’s father-in-law had a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm 15 years ago. Thanks to emergency treatment, he lived to see his grandchildren mature and to enjoy two great-grandchildren.

In China, they have an informal saying.  It’s something to the effect of, “don’t go to your acupuncturist if you get hit by a car”.

My dad developed lung cancer 12 years ago. Half of one lung was removed, and he lived vitally to 80 years of age. All this is very impressive.

However, drug and surgical treatments have little to offer for many common physical and emotional ailments. What’s worse, the side effects of those approaches can be worse than the original symptoms.

Andrew Weil, M.D., author of “Spontaneous Healing” and “8 Weeks to Optimum Health” also recognizes the importance of acute medical treatment for emergency situations, but states: “Although allopaths (orthodox medical doctors) give lip service to the concept of preventive medicine, for practical purposes they are unable to prevent most of the diseases that disable and kill people today.”

That’s why I recommend that my patients have a great orthodox medical doctor as well as a naturally oriented health care team. Ideally, all those practitioners communicate and cooperate so patients receive the most appropriate care.

The right combination of natural healing approaches often can help you achieve optimal wellness. Some people still don’t know about holistic techniques and subsequently don’t enjoy the potential benefits. Others might try these approaches for a while, but give up when instant results aren’t forthcoming. Natural healing might take time, especially for chronic cases.

Here’s an overview of the most common natural care treatments. Additional resources are listed for some modalities, and an Internet search will provide much more information.

In the Orient, acupuncture has been used for millennia as a primary healing modality and anesthesia during major surgery. The safety and effectiveness of this approach has been well documented. In the U.S., acupuncture can be performed by specially trained health care providers: M.D., D.O., D.C., DOM (doctor of oriental medicine), and LAc (licensed acupuncturist).

Correction, acupuncture is not the main modality for major surgery.  The legendary surgeon Hua tuo (? – 208? AD) used a combination of herbs called Mafeisan to induce anesthesia.  Acupuncture CAN be used for major surgery in theory but since the duration is unpredictable it is usually used for caesarean births (at least from what I’ve seen.)

When healthy, I get quarterly acupuncture sessions to ensure optimal levels of energy to all parts of my body. If I develop any early symptoms, acupuncture is an important part of my therapeutic program. For example, during a time of extreme stress, I developed a tremor of my right thumb. My alternative medical doctor administered several acupuncture treatments and the shaking went away.

For information, check the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at www.nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture.

Alternative medical doctors might use acupuncture, cranial adjusting, spinal manipulation, chelation therapy, dietary modification, nutritional supplementation, hyperbaric oxygen, homeopathy, heavy metal removal, light therapy, nutritional IV therapy, lifestyle counseling and other modalities.

In general, they use pro-life methods that work with the wisdom of the body — for example, prescribing probiotics instead of or after antibiotics. Alternative medical approaches assist the body in regaining wellness instead of fighting a war against disease while viewing the body as a passive battlefield. This is a crucial distinction. The intrinsic healing abilities of the human body respond best to supportive natural care.

Select an alternatively oriented medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) who uses wellness principles and can identify health problems that require medication or surgery. Doctors who practice alternative therapies can be located via ACAM, the American College of Advanced Medicine; AHMA, the American Holistic Medical Association; and ABHM, the American Board of Holistic Medicine.

In next month’s article, I’ll discuss chiropractic care, counseling, cranial adjusting, energy healing, holistic dentistry, hypnotherapy, massage, nutritional approaches, physical therapy, skin care and other natural health-care approaches.

THIS is the way to do it, a healthy yin-yang balance between apparently opposite yet complementary philosophies.  I always liken “conventional” medicine to the shooters and playmakers and “alternative” medicine as the defense.  Sorry for the basketball reference there.

My personal philosophy is still skewed (if you could call it that) towards Chinese medicine.  However, I am not an idiot.  I recognize it’s limitations.  If a patient needs surgery, I’ll find him a great surgeon to refer to.  If a patient needs those “toxic” chemotherapy or antibiotic drugs I’ll either prescribe them myself or refer to a specialist.  Of course, I’ll always be there to support the patient.

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