Why Alternative Medicine Actually “Works”

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Executive Producer: Doctor Mike
Production Director and Editor: Dan Owens
Managing Editor and Producer: Sam Bowers
Editor and Designer: Caroline Weigum
Editor: Juan Carlos Zuniga

* Select photos/videos provided by Getty Images *

** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **

[BionicMilkaholic]

I went to acupuncture before I could get knee surgery. The acupuncturists were glad to know I was going to doctors and finally found someone to do the surgery. They flat out said it won't fix anything, just may help with pain. Some therapies can be harmful. Some can be beneficial. Overall, the problem is the shysters looking to take advantage of people.

[Nepenthe]

Good alternative medicine practitioners will never tell anyone to stop regular medical treatment.

[stephenwalton]

In four sessions, each a week apart, acupuncture completely stopped some excruciating pain and numbness in my leg that three epidurals failed to help. Additionally a butcher was Gung Ho to place a permanent brace on my spinal column. The surgeon’s nurse in preop interview said I was in no way a candidate for the procedure as evidenced by my being able to walk several miles each day. She said the procedure was for those who couldn’t make it from the parking lot to their door. Yet the doctor was more than ready to start cutting without any hesitation. Thank God for honest nurses.

[fernhallventeo]

In Sweden acupuncture has been used for over 25 years in the public health system, only after scientific studies were done, proving the effect for each diagnosis they were to treat. Never claimed to cure an illness but effective in the relief of symptoms.

[islandia]

Something a naturopath helped me with was advocacy for the right tests from my GP. I would never have known about my ferritin or B12 deficiencies if she hadn’t told me what blood work to request based on a one-hour report interview with regard to my symptoms.

Let’s also keep in mind the extent to which medical gaslighting exists for women, and the fact that alternative services are often designed to address gaps in women’s health.

[seganaleqa]

My acupuncturist was more honest about the research and side effects of acupuncture than my GP was of pharmaceuticals. I also found the acupuncture to have worked for me better than pharmaceuticals ever have. Living with an incurable condition makes these alternative treatments much better, because like hell am I living with the pharmaceutical side effects until I die.

[alexgoode]

Sometimes good "alternative" medicine simply pushes you to do things that are good for your overall health anyways, and can oftentimes start addressing your health issue as your overall health comes into balance. Put this in contrast to an overworked, stressed doctor, who cannot diagnose, or misdiagnoses your health issue, and it's easy to see where alternative medicine gets its footing.

[cloudgirl]

In my experience, regular MDs for me have always tried to treat symptoms of a problem. Prescribing medications, coming in for more checkups, etc. Where as NDs have tried to actually treat the main issue and figure out what it is so I don't HAVE to be reliant on medications or return visits. Diet, home life, exercise, stress factors, are all things that MDs have barely spent 2 seconds talking to me about.

[kel]

I went to a natruopathic doctor and she very much lives by the principle of "test, dont guest." She ordered various lab tests and then put me on a regiment to help address some major deficiencies. Made a huge difference, and it's more than any allopathic doctor has ever done for me. Ever.

[JLH]

I can't tell you how many times regular doctors didn't talk about side effects or things to look out for and was harmed by it. Having this happen repeatedly over time I find myself trusting standard medicine less and less.

[josephuicker]

I went to an acupuncturist. It was refreshing to know exactly what the treatment would cost. I have never been able to get this type of honesty from an allopathic doctor or clinic.

[catsnguitars]

He has some good points. Unfortunately though there are MD’s that aren’t informing patients about the risks and benefits of treatment well enough or at all. Then people have treatments that make things worse, and that breaks the trust between patients and doctors. Then patients become desperate and don’t want to seek alternative methods but out of desperation will look for them. I think the focus should be more on how doctors can operate in a way that promotes building trust with patients. Some of that responsibility is with the healthcare system but some of that responsibility is also with the individual doctors themselves. And it seems the way things are set up now, the healthcare system shields bad doctors from getting in trouble and stifles good doctors from operating at their highest capacity.

[laurahess]

I was always on the fence about acupuncture, until I saw it help my elderly cat's arthritis. He stopped limping and had a much happier life.

[MerryLeafField]

Placebo effect isn’t just for alternative medicine. It also occurs with surgical and prescriptive therapies.

[chas]

I have been severely harmed by a medical doctors … who told me benzodiazepine where harmless and I was taking a baby dose …. My life has been ruined …. The harm to my nervous system is horrid … Then the gaslighting and scapegoating ….. blaming depression/anxiety that I never had on the issues I now suffer with …. I am not alone … this is a very common issue

[fortyseventhronin]

Acupuncture was the one and only thing that gave me significant, lasting relief from my back and neck pain. I tried every other pill, pad, and exercise that "mainstream" doctors prescribed with minimal benefits and overwhelming side effects.

[Rockyhorrorlove]

The hospital scheduled me a session with the acupuncturist at the cancer center. It honestly helped a lot with some anxiety. Whether that was from the being in a calm room and relaxing for 30 minutes or did it actually do something, I can't be sure but I like to think so. Also if it does help with anxiety, it has been proven that mood and good mental health does have an impact on outcomes.

[JB-yhsh]

My acupuncture doctor was a doctor, doctor, doctor, two specialties, rheumatology and cardiothoracic. A professor, and adjunct at other universities. The first thing he told me was to think holistically. If I don't eat right, exercise regularly, and communicate with all of my caregivers about what I am doing, then acupuncture isn't going to help. It wasn't a magic pill that would heal all of my problems.

[lisastevens]

If traditional medicine concentrated on healing us at the root of the problem instead of drugs that only help with symptoms then people wouldn’t need to go to alternative doctors.

[carolallison]

I do apothecary. I also go to the doctor and take prescribed medicines if i need them. The problem I've seen is that the left hand isn't talking to the right. The fact is, modern medicine came from plants. In fact, there are botanical gardens in Britain that have been open since the 16th century. These gardens used to be schools that opened to formally train doctors. You can thank botanical gardens for med schools. There are many plants that help for many things. We know lemon balm helps with anxiety, and chamomile helps with sleep. Many modern medicines came from plant medicine. For example, many people take digitalis for their heart. What if i told you digitalis is fox glove, ya know, that plant with the pretty flowers that can kill you? In fact, the actual name for the fox glove plant is digitalis. Doctors were giving people fox glove tea for heart problems as far back as the middle ages. But heres the thing, it is obviously much safer to take prescribed heart medication over dancing with the devil and drinking fox glove tea. And this is where the problems occur. Some plants can be very dangerous if not dosed properly, and others might not be strong enough to have an effect. I can safely drink some lemon balm tea to help calm my nerves as it has been scientifically proven to do just that, but would i want to rely on tea if i had an anxiety disorder that was causing me chronic panic attacks? No, not when there are far better medications out there for that. At the same time, do we want to be giving benzos to people with mild stress when a tea exists that can help them relax with no side effects, or they could do a yoga class or meditate? It's just unfortunate that we have a very wide range of healing methods, yet the medical industry doesn't seem to take a well-rounded approach to an individuals healthcare needs. You can do both safely. Just make sure you are seeing a doctor, and your doctor is well aware of what you are doing.