By Dr. Jon Thomas D.C
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Have you ever wondered what the real differences are between so call conventional medicine and what is being referred to as alternative medicine? Well, that’s exactly what this article will spell out. We want to help you see the real distinctions between the way conventional medicine treats a patient's malady and what chiropractic care provides. Here are a couple of quotes that spell out the basics of the alternative approach.
“The
doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in
the care of the human frame, diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
(Thomas A. Edison) “An
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (Benjamin Franklin)
It seems Mr. Edison and Mr. Franklin were on the same page
regarding preventative care . The modern version of the Hippocratic Oath speaks
to the same vision. Yet conventional
medicine typically focuses on the treatment of symptoms. Let’s read it to find
out.
“I will respect the
hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and
gladly
share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. I will apply, for
the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism. I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or
the chemist's drug. I will not be ashamed to say "I know not,"
nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed
for a patient's recovery. May I always act so as to preserve the finest
traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who
seek my help.” (Louis Lasagna)
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These forward thinkers and bygone physicians had similar
philosophies that promoted better health by prevention. Fast forward to today
and nearly 70% of all Americans take prescription drugs. According to a study
conducted by the Mayo Clinic, the most commonly prescribed prescription drugs
are antibiotics, antidepressants and painkillers.
(http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/) The modern trend is clearly to treat the symptoms of
bigger issues and is far removed from prevention. What happened along the way?
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE VS CHIROPRACTIC
AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
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Modern conventional
medicine treats disease and the resulting symptoms with drugs and surgery.
One of the greatest strengths of conventional medicine is to accurately
diagnose disease and treat its symptoms. The technology in the operating room
had progressed light years in the past decade or so and many people have
benefited from this. People can see better with laser surgery and walk with hip
replacements and prosthetic legs. Conventional medicine has developed powerful
drugs to fight infectious diseases that have saved many lives. If you get hit
by a truck, end up in the emergency room and live to tell about it, you can
thank the hard-working physicians and scientists who developed the emergency
medicine techniques we have today.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE AND
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - IS IT TOO MUCH?
"Many doctors are quick to prescribe a drug,
partly because they have limited time to deal with individual patients or
because they and their patients have been bombarded with ads from the
pharmaceutical industry." (MSNBC, Archives of Internal Medicine)
We are living in a culture where the belief is to
“take a pill for what ails you.” The United States is
commonly referred to as
the Medication Nation by those who live abroad. The common notion that
prescription drugs are safe and illicit drugs are dangerous is simply not true.
Prescription drug abuse is an epidemic in our culture. According to the Center
for Disease Control, 44 Americans die from an overdose from prescription drugs
daily, and many more become addicted. Pain killers are among the most commonly
prescribed, they are also amongst the most addictive.
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This is where conventional medicine fails. Conventional
medicine focuses on crisis intervention and is generally less effective in
treating chronic illness. It’s great if you have a broken leg and need it
treated immediately, but when it comes to chronic illness, there may be more to
the big picture than simply prescribing a pill.
THE WHOLE YOU
You are a product of your lifestyle and
environment. Your health is a lifestyle process. It is based on the foods you
eat, your exercise regimen, your stress level, the amount of sleep you get and
more. Your body alignment also has a huge impact on the way your body
functions. There is a synergy between the mind and all the organs in your body
and they need to be addressed holistically, rather than separately. Chronic
illnesses such as arthritis and fibromyalgia are best treated with a holistic
approach with chiropractic and alternative methods.
Chiropractic and alternative medicine also takes into
account a person's nutrition and lifestyle choices. It's rare that a conventional
MD takes a close look at a patients’ nutritional , sleep and workout habits.
Chiropractors on the other hand, do this regularly because they look at the
whole person (because the body is directly influenced by the spiritual,
nutritional and structural aspects of our lives).
CHIROPRACTIC
AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE = PREVENTATIVE CARE
The nervous system is the control center of your
body and consists of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral
nerves . Chiropractic
care is dedicated to restoring the body’s ability to regulate and heal itself
by correcting interference to the nervous system. A properly aligned spinal
cord means a healthier you. The spinal column is like a switching center that
allows the brain to monitor and coordinate all the functions of every cell and
organ in your body. A chiropractor’s approach is to locate and remove interference
to your nervous system, thus ensuring there is nothing impeding the flow of
traffic.
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STAND UP
STRAIGHT-KEEP YOUR SPINE HEALTHY
A healthy spine will allow the nervous system to transmit
information by protecting it from stress. If one of the vertebrae in your spine
is not in the proper position, it can create swelling, inflammation and
eventually nerve stress. This condition is called vertebral subluxation and can
wreak havoc on your nervous system, your body and your health. Spinal trauma
can occur through obvious things such as falling, playing rough sports or car
accidents. But bad posture or sitting at a computer all day can also have
cumulative effects that cause a subluxation .
A chiropractic adjustment is somewhat of an art
form. The chiropractor applies force or pressure in a
specific direction to a
joint that is subluxated. The objective is to reduce the subluxation, which
will increase the range of motion and reduce the nerve stress.
You don’t have to be hurting to see a
chiropractor. Remember, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Subluxation can occur over time and if you do sit at a desk all day or realize
you don’t have perfect posture, then it would be wise to make an appointment to
see your chiropractor. Your spine will thank you.
A WINNING
COMBINATION- CHIROPRACTIC CARE AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Chiropractic is one of many alternative medical
therapies along with Acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda,
Naturopathic medicine and more. These practices approach the whole mind, body
and spirit as an organism, rather than treating individual organs or attacking symptoms.
Alternative medical practitioners (AMP’s for the
purposes of this article) see pain as a warning sign of imbalance in the body.
It may be that you are doing something wrong, rather than there is something
wrong. You may be eating the wrong foods, not sleeping enough, sleeping with
the wrong pillow or have too much stress in your life. You may have suffered
and injury in an accident in the past and never received treatment for that
injury.
Check out this short testimonial video.
Check out this short testimonial video.
A qualified chiropractor generally spends more
time with their patients than a traditional physician who gets paid for how
many patients they see and how many procedures they perform. Communication is
essential in any patient-practitioner relationship and quality time spent in the
traditional doctor’s office seems to be eroding. A good AMP will listen to the
patient and look for the “story behind the story.” This approach encourages
patient participation and patient empowerment.
A PLAN
CUSTOMIZED FOR YOU
At Vibrant Life Health Center, our mission is to
get to the root of a person’s health issues and allow the body to heal itself
naturally. Through a combination of chiropractic techniques, nutritional and
supplemental advice, catered to your individual needs, we empower people to
make the move to a healthier, pain-free life.
In this article we have discussed the many
differences between conventional medicine (aka allopathic medicine) and that
practiced by alternative practitioners like chiropractors. This article covers
the differences in focus between the two disciplines and expands on the
benefits of treating people as a whole person, verses focusing on treating
disease and symptoms.
If you found this article useful, pass it on to
your friends, family and co-workers. Please take the time to visit our website
and connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
Thanks for visiting with us, until next time.
Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified
Chiropractic Physician, his interest in health started at an early age
resulting from an athletic life including BMX racing, Professional Snow Skiing,
Water Skiing, Baseball, Weight Lifting, and Martial Arts. After learning from
top health experts in the world, Dr. Thomas’s life is dedicated to reaching
people of all ages to begin their life transformation. The goal is to start the
body healing resulting in a body that is functioning at it’s optimal. In addition to serving his community in his
Mandarin Based Practice, Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV’s First Coast
Living talking about his patient’s transformations, speaking at events
throughout the community, and writing articles to re-shape the health of the
Jacksonville Community.
I am a strong advocate of Chiropractic care. Dr. Thomas has the right attitude and the right skill to make a difference in peoples lives. His superior and compassionate attitude and their offices ability to offer a guaranteed weight loss plan (NutirMost) will change the lives of thousands of people in Northeast Florida.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to staying healthy as opposed to curing what ails you, a holistic approach including chiropractic is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteThe preventative approach is the best approach!
ReplyDeleteI always believed that there should balance between traditional and alternative medicine. The public needs to be better educated on which approach is most appropriate
ReplyDeleteI always believed that there should balance between traditional and alternative medicine. The public needs to be better educated on which approach is most appropriate
ReplyDeleteI always believed that there should balance between traditional and alternative medicine. The public needs to be better educated on which approach is most appropriate
ReplyDeleteI always believed that there should balance between traditional and alternative medicine. The public needs to be better educated on which approach is most appropriate
ReplyDelete