When to seek out alternative medicineand when to go mainstream – Well+Good

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Western medicine and alternative healing are kind of like leggings and leather jacketsat one point itwas rare to see them pairedtogether,butnow theyre considered to bea pretty perfect match.

For proof, just take a stroll through any major US hospital. Therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga, which were unheard of many years ago, are now commonly offered to patients while receiving cardiac, oncology, and fertility treatments, to name but a few, says Nada Milosavljevic, MD, a board-certified physician, faculty member at Harvard Medical School, and founder of Sage Tonic,which createswellness tool boxes for common medical maladies.

So how do you know whether your headaches merit an herbal tincture or an Rx for Imatrex? The short answer: Its really complicated.

That said, not all alt-therapies have attained BFF status with their conventional counterparts. (You wont find many shamanic healing ceremonies going down in the ICU.) Plus, theres still some debate in the medical community around when its appropriate to seek out alternative treatments and when traditional interventions are best.

So how do you know whether your headaches merit an herbal tincture or an Rx for Imatrex?

The short answer: Its really complicated. But while every practitioner has her own opinion on the topic, there are some guidelines that all docs and holistic healers can agree upon.

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On the more traditionaltip, some doctors insist that if youre seeking out a complementary therapy, its crucial to consult with themeven if its something as seemingly harmless as yogato quell anxiety.

Its important to have an evaluation and discuss treatment options with a health care provider to make sure you receive the best care possible, says Wendy Weber, ND, PhD, a branch chief of clinical research at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Once you have a clear diagnosis, then you can explore what treatments are best for you with your providers.

While many herbs are safe to use, theres always the potential for them to interact with medications the patient may currently take.

Other docs, however, say super-low-risk modalities usuallydont require their sign-off. For a mild condition like day-to-day stress, trying meditation or acupressure might be fine, says Dr. Milosavljevic.

One things for sure: If youre taking medication, you should definitely talk to your doctorbefore adding anything ingestible to your treatment regimen. Lets say a patient is on several medications and is interested in trying an herbal treatment, says Dr. Milosavljevic. While many herbs are safe to use, theres always the potential for them to interact with medications the patient may currently take.

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Some doctors wont wholeheartedly recommend a holistic therapy unless it has a librarys worth of evidence behind it for the specific condition in question. But that kind of heavyresearch isnt always readily available in the world of alt-health.

For example, the NCCIH claims research is too limited to proveacupuncture is avalidfix for anxiety, even though just about anyone in the Chinese medicine world would call foul on that logic. Meanwhile, the same organization has given acupuncture the thumbs-up for treating back pain, since extensive research has proven it works.

Holistic practitioners also take science into consideration, of coursebut their practices have often been tested and confirmed over centuries. For many, thats proof enough of their crafts legitimacy (even if mountains of data arent there).

Holistic practitioners also take science into consideration, of coursebut their practices have often been tested and confirmed over centuries.

Take that acupuncture example, for instance. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, acupuncture can help with everything, says Ro Giuliano, an acupuncturist and herbalist at Brooklyns Maha Rose Center for Healing Arts. But sometimes it would stand alone, and sometimes it would be in conjunction with Western medicine. (More on that in a minute.)

Either way, always do your homework to ensure the treatment youre curious about has been deemed safe for your condition. (Check out the NCCIH for all the deetsand, of course, ask your doctor.)

And once youve determined youre in the no-sketch zone, make certain your holistic pro is the real deal. Its important that you seek out trained, licensed, or certified providers of any complementary health approach that you decide to use, Weber stresses.

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Theres no debating this one: If youre seriously sick or injured, haul assto aWestern doctor.

Even holistic practitioners, like Ayurvedic naturopath Meghana Thanki, will co-sign this. We can do so much with Ayurveda, but I feel theres definitely a place for Western medicinemostly for emergencies and for some of their diagnostic tools, she says. Herbalists will also make thecase for pharmaceuticals in certain situations. Even though there are herbs with antimicrobial properties, there are a lot of times where you just need antibiotics, says Giuliano.

Even though there are herbs with antimicrobial properties, there are a lot of times where you just need antibiotics.

Thats not to say that alternative therapies cant buddy up with conventional treatmentslike getting reikiwhile receiving cancer treatmentbut again, its important to get your doctors blessing first. Some alternative therapies might not be possible for some conditions, due to their severity or complexity, points out Dr. Milosavljevic.

Bottom line:Its always best to err on the side of caution, so pursuescience-backed holistic treatments in conjunction with Western medicine, where appropriateand make sure your doctor stays in the loop.

The healthworld is full of hot debates: Is coffee really good for you? Are long or short workouts better? Big breakfast or a small one?

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When to seek out alternative medicineand when to go mainstream - Well+Good