1 C ONVENTIONAL AND C OMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Chapter 15 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.

2 S ELF -C ARE Self-Assessment Symptoms are often an expression of the body’s attempt to heal itself Carefully observing symptoms lets you identify those signals that suggest you need professional assistance Body’s vital signs Temperature Heart rate Medical self-tests Blood pressure Blood sugar Pregnancy detection Urinary tract infections

3 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. KNOWING WHEN TO SEE A PHYSICIAN See a physician for symptoms that you would describe as: 1. Severe 2. Unusual 3. Persistent 4. Recurrent Emergencies include the following: 1. Major trauma or injury 2. Uncontrollable bleeding 3. Intolerable and uncontrollable pain 4. Severe shortness of breath 5. Persistent abdominal pain 6. Poisoning or drug overdose 7. Loss of consciousness or seizure 8. Stupor, drowsiness, or disorientation 9. Severe or worsening reaction to an insect bite or sting or to a medication

4 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. SELF-TREATMENT Non-drug options Self-medication Over-the-counter (OTC) medications Simple guidelines to self-medicate safely: 1. Always read labels and follow directions carefully 2. Do not exceed the recommended dosage or length of treatment 3. Use caution if you are taking other medications or supplements (including herbal supplements) 4. Try to select medications with one active ingredient 5. Try to buy generic drugs 6. Never take or give a drug from an unlabeled container 7. If pregnant or nursing, or have a chronic condition, consult health care provider before self-medicating 8. Be aware of expiration date 9. Store your medications in a cool, dry place 10. Use caution with aspirin

5 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. FIGURE 15.1 READING AND UNDERSTANDING OTC DRUG LABELS

6 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. P ROFESSIONAL CARE Broad network of professionals and organizations, including: Independent practitioners Health care providers Hospitals Clinics Public and private insurance programs Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) Therapies and practices that do not form part of conventional mainstream medicine Complementary practices: those used together with conventional modalities Alternative practices: those used instead of conventional modalities Integrative medicine: conventional health practices to which a CAM modality is added Most commonly used CAM therapies: Nonvitamin, nonmineral natural products; chiropractic care; deep breathing exercises; meditation; massage; and y oga

7 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. C ONVENTIONAL MEDICINE Premises and assumptions of conventional medicine Western medicine is the belief that disease is caused by identifiable physical factors Identifies: Pathogens Bacteria or viruses Genetic factors Unhealthy lifestyles Relies on pharmaceuticals, surgery, and advanced medical technology to correct, remove, or destroy physical causes Based on scientific method of obtaining knowledge Empirical Rational Testable Parsimonious General Rigorously evaluated Tentative

8 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. T HE PROVIDERS OF CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE Medical doctors (MDs) Doctors of osteopathic medicine (ODs) Podiatrists Optometrists Dentists Allied health care providers: Registered nurses (RNs) Licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) Physical therapists (PTs) Social workers Registered dietitians (RDs) Physician assistants (PAs) Nurse practitioners Certified nurse midwives

9 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. C HOOSING A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN Begin making a list of possible choices Check insurance limits Ask for recommendations Family, friends, coworkers, local medical societies, and the physician referral service at a local clinic or hospital Once you have a list of physicians, call their office and find out some information Is the physician covered by your insurance plan and accepting new patients? What are the office hours? Which hospitals does the physician use? How many other physicians are available to cover when unavailable? How long does it usually take to get a routine appointment? Does the physician give advice over the phone?

10 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MEDICAL CARE The physician-patient partnership Your appointment with your physician The diagnostic process Medical history Physical exam Diagnostic testing – false negatives, false positives X-rays Biopsies Blood and urine tests Scans Endoscopies Medical and surgical treatments Prescription medications Adverse drug events Medication errors Off-label drug use Online pharmacies Costs Surgery

11 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. C OMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Holistic: CAM tends to focus on an integration of mind, body, and spirit in seeking ways to restore the whole person to harmony Alternative medical systems Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) The free and harmonious flow of qi (the life force) produces health Herbal remedies – medicines prepared from plants Acupuncture – insertion of thin needles into the skin Qi is believed to flow through the body along several meridians (pathways), acupuncture points along those meridians Homeopathy “Like cures like” Placebo effect Naturopathy The body has the ability to restore and maintain optimal health

12 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. M IND - BODY M EDICINES Makes use of the integral connection between mind and body Meditation Yoga Visualization Taijiquan Biofeedback Hypnotherapy

13 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. N ATURAL P RODUCTS Consist primarily of: Herbal therapies or remedies Botanicals Extracts from animal tissues Dietary supplements Common element in most systems of traditional medicine Safety concerns

14 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. M ANIPULATIVE AND BODY - BASED PRACTICES Touch and body manipulation are long-standing forms of health care Manual healing is based on the idea that misalignment or dysfunction in one part of the body causes pain or dysfunction in another part Chiropractic medicine

15 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. O THER CAM PRACTICES Energy therapies: forms of treatment that use energy originating either within the body (biofields) or from other sources (electromagnetic fields) Qigong Therapeutic touch Reiki Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies

16 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. E VALUATING COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES Working with your physician Areas to discuss Safety Effectiveness Timing Cost Questioning the CAM practitioner Why he or she thinks the therapy will be beneficial Describe in detail any conventional treatments you are receiving Ask how long the therapy should last Ask about the expected cost of the treatment Doing your own research

17 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. P AYING FOR HEALTH CARE The current system Combination of private and public insurance plans, patient out-of-pocket payments, and government assistance Health insurance Traditional fee-for service (indemnity) plans Managed-care plans Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) Point-of-service (POS) plans Government programs Medicare Medicaid Health Care Reform The Affordable Care Act of 2010

18 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. C ONVENTIONAL AND C OMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Chapter 15