Chapter 20

CONVENTIONAL AND COMPLEMENTARY

MEDICINE: SKILLS FOR THE HEALTH CARE

CONSUMER

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Self-Care: Managing Medical Problems

Self AssessmentBeing a good observerMonitor Body’s vital signsKnow when to see a physician

See a Physician if a symptom is:SevereUnusualPersistentRecurrent

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Self-Care: Managing Medical ProblemsEmergencies:

Major trauma or injuryUncontrollable bleedingSevere shortness of breathPersistent abdominal painPoisoning or drug overdoseLoss of consciousnessStupor, drowsiness, or disorientationSevere or worsening reaction to an

insect bite or sting

Self-Treatment: Many OptionsNondrug optionsWhen Self-medicating:

1.Read labels2.Do not exceed the recommendation3.Use caution4.Try to buy generic5.Never take a drug from an unlabeled

container6.Be cautious if pregnant and nursing7.Pay attention to the expiration date8.Storage medication properly9.Special caution with aspirin

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Conventional or Western Medicine

Belief about Health

Foreign invader or genetics cause illness

Disease is defined by a certain set of symptoms; a defect of tissue or structure

Health Concept: the absence of disease, pain, defect, or symptoms of illness

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Conventional Medicine

Approach to Treatment:Relies heavily on prevention, surgery and pharmaceuticals

Based on scientific ways of obtaining knowledge: Empirical, Rational, Testable, Parsimonious, General, Tentative

Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act

Obama’s goal is to provide affordable health insurance for all US citizens and to reduce the growth in health care spending.

Requires that all insurance plans cover preventive services and stops insurance companies from dropping you when you are sick

Gives seniors access to cheaper drugs, free preventive care

Covers pre-existing conditions Children can stay on their parents

health insurance plans until they are 26 Most Americans must obtain qualifying

health insurance by January 1st, 2014, get an exemption or pay a fee for every month they are without insurance8

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The Providers of Conventional Medicine

Medical Doctors (MD)Doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.)PodiatristsOptometristsDentistsAllied health care professionalsRegistered nurses (R.N.s), Licensed vocational nurses (L.V.N.s), physical therapists, social workers, registered dietitians (R.D.s), physician assistants (P.A.s), nurse practitioners

Getting the Most Out of Your Medical Care

The Physician-Patient Partnership

Your Appointment with Your Physician

The Diagnostic ProcessMedical and Surgical Treatments10

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Eastern MedicineBelief about Health:

Disease is caused by any action/force which interferes with the balance and movement of bio-energy (Qi is life)

Disease is defined by a defect of function or energy

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Five Domains of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

1. Alternative medical systems

2. Mind-Body interventions

3. Biological-based therapies

4. Manipulative & Body-Based Methods

5. Energy Therapies

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Complementary and alternative medicineAlternative medical systems on integrating

mind, body, and spirit seeking to restore the whole person to harmony

Alternative medical systemsEx’s. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

Harmonious flow of qi produces healthHerbal remediesAcupuncture

Acupuncture allows QI to flow through pathways

Homeopathy“Like cures like” and remedies become more

effective with greater dilution14

Mind-body interventionsMakes use of the connection between mind

and bodyMeditationHypnosisPrayerMental healingBiofeedback

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Biological-Based therapiesConsist primarily of:

Herbal therapies or remediesBotanicals (a plant or plant part valued for

its medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor, and/or scent.

Extracts from animal tissuesDietary supplements

Many overlap with conventional medicine’s use of dietary supplements

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Manipulative and body-based methodsManual healing based on the idea that

misalignment in one part of the body causes pain or dysfunction in another part

Ex. Chiropractic medicine, massage, osteopathy

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Energy therapiesForms of treatment that use energy originating

either within the body (biofields) or from other sources (electromagnetic fields) Qigong (involves rhythmic breathing coordinated with

slow stylized repetition of fluid movement, a calm mindful state, and visualization

Therapeutic touch (by placing their hands on, or near, a patient, they are able to detect and manipulate the patient's energy field.)

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Evaluating complementary and alternative therapiesWorking with your physician

Areas to discussSafetyEffectivenessTimingCost

Questioning the CAM practitionerWhy he or she thinks the therapy will be

beneficial etc.Doing your own research

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