Alternative Medicine - a Learning Experience

The general premise of alternative medicine is correct. In the right environment the body is extremely good at healing itself. Alternative medicine practitioners generally treat people not diseases by providing the right healing environment for the body. The person is treated holistically and the treatment is tailored.

From my personal experience, alternative medicine practitioners tend to be more sympathetic, gentler people compared to the conventional doctors, who tend to be scientific, methodical and rushed. So it is easy to develop trust in the alternative medicine practitioner.

However, who should you trust in a medical emergency?

My story will hopefully show how my blind trust in my alternative medicine practitioner could have had dire consequences.

I have been seeing this alternative health healer for many years. A very intelligent, knowledgeable and confident person I looked up to and considered a mentor. She has helped me with my various ailments, taught me a lot about health and nutrition. In short she became one of my closest friends, someone I trusted fully. When my son first started showing symptoms of a kidney disease, she was the first person I consulted. She misdiagnosed him and gave ineffectual treatment. I took him back a few days later. She misdiagnosed him again and gave another ineffectual treatment. By this stage his edema was so bad he couldn't walk.

I decided to get a second opinion in secret, as I didn't want to upset her. He was finally properly diagnosed by a pediatrician and treated with steroids. Whilst on this treatment I was convinced that we should also try the alternative route concurrently . So I took him back to her and he was having her treatment in conjunction with the steroids. I was told that the two won't clash, the holistic treatment was supposed to strengthen the body and reduce the damage done by the steroids. After a week or so she threatened to stop treating him if I continued with the steroidal medicine.

I discontinued and he relapsed. I took him back to her. She was convinced that he hadn't taken her treatment for long enough, that is why he wasn't getting better. I believed her.

We were to see her in a few days, but his condition deteriorated and my intuition was screaming at me to take him to the hospital. When we got there he was close to renal failure. After 3 days in intensive care I summoned enough courage to call her and explain the situation. I didn't blame her, as my full trust in her and my friendship with her have blinded me, and ultimately I was the one responsible for the decisions I made. Needless to say the incident frightened her enough to stop all communication with me. Perhaps our friendship was one-sided after all.

Alternative Medicine Practitioner Checklist

- Ensure your alternative medicine provider is properly qualified by recognized registered body. Check their qualification. Where and when were they qualified? If it is impossible to verify their qualifications, the chances are they are phony.

- Always get a second or even third opinion (from a doctor or another alternative medicine practitioner).

- Be wary of any alternative medicine practitioner who threatens not to treat you unless you discontinue your prescribed medication.

- Always ask "Have you successfully treated others with this condition?" If they say yes, ask for references of others they have treated. If they refuse, go elsewhere.