Conventional and Complementary Medicine: Skills for the Health Care Consumer Chapter 20

Self-Care: Managing Medical Problems Self Assessment See a Physician if a symptom is: Self Assessment Observing symptoms Noting when symptoms occur, what makes it worse, what makes it better and wheterh you have any associated symptoms Monitor body’s vital signs Monitor temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, pregnancy detection, UTI Decision Making: Knowing When to See a Physician Severe – medical assistance is advised if the symptom is severe or intense; Ex. Severe pains, major injuries and other similar emergencies Unusual – if symptom is unfamiliar or peculiar; Ex. Include unexplained lumps, changes in a mole, problems with vision, difficulty swallowing, numbness, weakness, unexplained weight loss and blood in sputum, urine or stool Persistent – If the symptom lasts longer than expected; In adults, a fever that lasts for more than a few days, a cough lasting longer than 2 weeks, a sore that doesn’t heal within a month, etc. Recurrent – If a symptom tends to return again and again. Ex. Include recurrent headaches, stomach pains and backache.

Self-Care: Managing Medical Problems Emergencies: Major trauma or injury Uncontrollable bleeding Severe shortness of breath Persistent abdominal pain Poisoning or drug overdose Loss of consciousness Stupor, drowsiness, or disorientation Severe or worsening reaction to an insect bite or sting

Self-Treatment: Many Options Watchful waiting Nondrug options When Self-medicating: Read labels Do not exceed the recommendation Use caution Try to buy generic Never take a drug from an unlabeled container Be cautious if pregnant and nursing Pay attention to the expiration date Storage medication properly Special caution with aspirin Watchful waiting – In most cases your body itself can relieve your symptoms and heal the disorder Nondrug options – massage, ice packs, neck exercises, getting adequate rest, increasing exercise, drinking more water, changes in ergonomics when working at a desk, Self-medication – Self-treatment with nonprescription or over-the-counter medications are medicines that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined are safe for use without a physician’s prescription Read labels Do not exceed the recommendation Use caution Select medications with one ingredient Try to buy genetic Never take a drug from an unlabeled container Pregnant and nursing Expiration date Storage of medication Special caution with aspirin

Conventional or Western Medicine Belief about Health Standard Western Medicine” A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also called allopathic medicine, biomedicine, conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, and orthodox medicine. One belief is that disease is caused by identifiable physical factors Western medicine identifies the causes of disease as pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, genetic factors, and unhealthy lifestyles that result in changes at the molecular and cellular levels The focus is primarily on the physical causes of the illness rather than mental or spiritual imbalance The concept that every disease is defined by a certain set of symptoms and that these symptoms are similar in most patients suffering from this disease. Western medicine relies heavily on surgery and on advanced medical technology to discover the physical causes of disease and to remove or destroy them. Based on the scientific ways of obtaining knowledge and explaining phenomena

Conventional Medicine Approach to Treatment: Scientific explanations are: empirical, rational, testable, parsimonious, general, rigorously evaluated, tentative parsimony is preference for the least complex explanation for an observation

The Providers of Conventional Medicine Medical Doctors (MD) Doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) Podiatrists Optometrists Dentists Allied health care professionals Scientific explanations are: empirical, rational, testable, parsimonious, general, rigorously evaluated, tentative parsimony is preference for the least complex explanation for an observation

Getting the Most Out of Your Medical Care The Physician-Patient Partnership Your Appointment with Your Physician The Diagnostic Process Medical and Surgical Treatments Chapter 21

Eastern Medicine Belief about Health: Disease is caused by any action/force which interferes with the balance and movement of bio-energy Disease is defined by a defect of function or energy Qi is life

Five Domains of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Alternative medical systems Mind-Body interventions Biological-based therapies Manipulative & Body-Based Methods Energy Therapies Alternative medical systems Ex. Traditional Chinese medicine, Homeopathy Homeopathy -treats patients with heavily diluted preparations which are thought to cause effects similar to the symptoms presented. Homeopathic remedies are prepared by serial dilution 2. Mind-Body interventions Ex’s. Hypnosis, Meditation, Prayer Hypnosis – a deep relaxation during when the patient is more suggestible and the practitioner will help him/her change unwanted behavior or deal with pain and other symptoms 3. Biological-based Therapies Herbal therapies – consist primarily of herbal therapies or remedies, botanicals and dietary supplements 4. Manipulative and Body-Based methods Ex. Chiropractic, Massage Therapy Most commonly accepted of the CAM manual healing methods Focuses on the relationship between structure, primarily of joints and muscles and function, primarily of the nervous system to maintain or restore health Manipulation of the joints especially the spinal column 5. Energy Therapies Ex. Qi gong, Reiki

Figure 20-4 The five domains of CAM practices

Complementary and alternative medicine Alternative medical systems on integrating mind, body, and spirit seeking to restore the whole person to harmony Alternative medical systems Ex’s. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Harmonious flow of qi produces health Herbal remedies Acupuncture Acupuncture allows QI to flow through pathways Homeopathy “Like cures like” and remedies become more effective with greater dilution 13

Mind-body interventions Makes use of the connection between mind and body 14

Biological-Based therapies Consist primarily of: Many overlap with conventional medicine’s use of dietary supplements 15

Manipulative and body-based methods Manual healing based on the idea that misalignment in one part of the body causes pain or dysfunction in another part Ex. Chiropractic medicine, massage, osteopathy 16

Energy therapies Forms of treatment that use energy originating either within the body (biofields) or from other sources (electromagnetic fields) Qigong Therapeutic touch Reiki 17

Evaluating complementary and alternative therapies Working with your physician Questioning the CAM practitioner Doing your own research 18