Acceptance of alternative medicine rising
After years of rejecting alternative medicine as a bunch of bunk, more and more U.S. hospitals are actually offering complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), like acupuncture, homeopathy, and massage therapy.
In a recent survey of almost 1,400 U.S. hospitals, more and more mainstream institutions said they were providing patients with some not-so-mainstream options.
All I can say is it's about darned time.
The thing most medical practitioners dislike about alternative medicine is that most of the time, it's not based on what's considered traditional (i.e., what they learned in med school).
But just because it's not so common here, doesn't mean it's not common elsewhere, or that it won't work. In fact, a lot of the alternative therapies that are commonly shunned here are much more accepted, practiced, and trusted elsewhere, especially in Asia and parts of Europe.
And, just as hospitals seem to be opening their doors to CAM therapies, patients seem to be welcoming them too. In fact, a 2002 survey by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta showed that more than half of America thinks combining CAM with traditional medicine is helpful.
So far, the most common CAM services offered in hospitals have been massage therapy, tai chi (a sequence of relaxation exercises), yoga, relaxation training, acupuncture, guided imagery, music and art therapy, and therapeutic touch.
Unfortunately, there are still some so-called alternative techniques that doctors still don't use often enough.
For instance, most hospitals are still not vigilant enough when it comes to placing patients on probiotics -- especially patients who are taking antibiotics. Also, a lot of doctors still seem to be willing to dole out prescription drugs rather than proven herbal remedies or diet advice.
But, I guess change at a snail's pace is better than no change at all.
