Is Alternative Medicine the New Mainstream?
By: Melanie Grimes
14 November 2008
A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association way
back in 1998 showed that visits to alterative practitioners increased
from 34% in 1990 to 42% in 1997, in such disciplines as herbal
medicine, massage, megavitamins, self-help groups, folk remedies,
energy healing, and homeopathy. The probability of users visiting an
alternative medicine practitioner increased from 36.3% to 46.3%, which
totaled an estimated cost of over $21 billion, with at least $12
billion out-of-pocket, that is, paid by the patients themselves and
not insurance companies. This increase was attributed to more people
seeking complementary care, and not to more visits per patient.
More than one-third of hospitals now offer one or more complementary
therapies, according to a survey by the American Hospital Association
completed last September. The hospitals with these services tend to be
located in urban areas, with the southern Atlantic states offered the
most CAM services. The types of services offered vary from hospital to
hospital, but include acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy,
nutrition, herbal medicine, and massage therapy. (Massage is one of
the most requested services.) Over 80% of patients requested
complementary services, even though they are not covered by
insurance.
At the same time, the number of deaths and poisoning from prescription
drugs is at an all-time high. It is the second highest cause of
unintentional deaths in the United States, according to the CDC. This
number is now over 7 people per 100,000, an increase of 68% since
1999.
Among the popular complementary treatments, prayer and herbal remedies
are both very popular. The inclusion of both prayer and meditation in
lists of healing modalities shows an increased trend in spirit-based
medicine.
The California State Oriental Medical Association predicts that over
15 million American have used Oriental medicine. With acupuncture
provided as an alternative to anesthesia in some hospitals, this
number may be even higher. Acupuncture use is still low=97only about 1%
of the population=97but that still translates into over 1 million
Americans. Women on the West Coast were the most common patients of
this treatment modality.
Biofeedback and hypnotherapy are other services sought by patients to
complement their traditional therapies. Therapies such as homeopathy
are covered by insurance in some states, such as California, Arizona
and Wa****ngton, as long as they are performed by a licensed
practitioner who is a provider with the insurance company.
A study of older American=97over the age of 65=97found that one-third used
one type of alternative medical modality. This amounts to over 10
million seniors. Most common therapies were chiropractic (11%) herbal
remedies (8%), relaxation techniques (5%), vitamin therapy (5%), and
spiritual healing, such as prayer, (4%). Six percent of these patients
were taking both herbal and prescription medications. A more recent
study found that seniors were using alternative medicine to treat
symptoms of arthritis (44%) and chronic pain (23%). This study,
published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in
2007, referenced the top 5 modalities used by older adults as
nutritional supplements (44%), spiritual healing/prayer (29%),
vitamins (28%), herbal medicine (20%), and chiropractic (17%). Though
hypertension is a common ailment for this population, less than 8% of
seniors used complementary therapies to treat this condition.
One last interesting study=85
In 2007, the National Health Interview Survey studied over 17,000
women. This survey showed that over 40% of women utilized
complementary therapies, including prayer. The women re****ted using
these therapies along with conventional treatments.
What does this mean?
This means that what used to be alternative is now becoming
increasingly =93complementary.=94 This means those individuals are willing
to pay for their own medical care when they find treatments that add
to their comfort and relief. This means that the alternative medicine
business is now a $12 billion business, and hospitals and insurance
companies are starting to take notice.
What does this mean for you?
Because of this trend, your hospital and your primary care physician
may have resources to provide for you that are outside of the
mainstream of traditional medicine. Your hospital may provide added
resources for prevention and for healing. Your insurance company may
now cover some of these complementary therapies or practitioners.
What should you do?
Ask your doctor for suggestions and referrals to complementary
therapies that might speed your healing. Ask your insurance company to
reimburse for your out-of-pocket expenses relating to alternative
medicine, because there was a time that chiropractic and massage were
not covered, and someone was the first to ask- it may as well be you!
What does this mean, again?
This means that alternative is the new norm. This means that Americans
are recognizing the power or Oriental medicine, of prayer, of mind/
body therapies. This means American as putting their money-power to
work to pay for the health they deserve.
What=92s next?
The next hurdle is to provide this complementary care to ALL
Americans, and not just those who can afford to pay for it themselves.
With a new administration taking office, and both political parties
vowing to help provide better healthcare, let=92s hope that
complementary therapies are included. Let=92s do more than hope. As soon
as there is a healthcare office in place, write to them and make your
voice heard.
http://www.healthnews.com/blogs/melanie-grimes/natural-health/alternative-m=
edicine/is-alternative-medicine-new-mainstream-2100.html
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