Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post - Medication, pharmaceuticals and adverse effects

DeathStorm · 09-07-2007, 10:26 PM

I'm quite familiar with the ongoing debate regarding the in-efficiency of medications, especially of pharmaceuticals. The first person to tell me something about this was an old lady who was working with alternative holistic medicine.

A phrase I recall her telling me was
"Western medicine tries to cure the symptoms, but these will keep coming back unless you tackle the root of the problems."

I don't know how true that statement was, and I find it a bit hard to believe that an internationally recognized method that has been around for so long time would not at least attempt to address the causes of a disease.

Ever since I met that lady, I have read about other practices as well (osteopathy, acupuncture, etc.) and indeed I notice that each have a different approach.

What do you think about them?
And - if they are really as efficient as they are claimed to be - why aren't they overtaking or at least included in western medicine/national health services?

Do you think that pharmaceuticals are only a "quick fix" and that the body could really "heal itself"?

In the past months I had several minor injuries and was prescribed plenty of pharmaceuticals by the doctor, both oral and injected (especially NSAIDs, many of them!).
I almost have the feeling as if they have weakened me. Now, I caught a cold twice within 7 days and it took longer to cure than when I normally get it during winter (and it's summer here, and I'm in Italy!).

Are all pharmaceuticals accompanied by adverse effects?
Do you think the non-Western medicines are less risky in that sense?

09-07-2007, 10:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
DeathStorm Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Italy Posts: 60	Medication, pharmaceuticals and adverse effects I'm quite familiar with the ongoing debate regarding the in-efficiency of medications, especially of pharmaceuticals. The first person to tell me something about this was an old lady who was working with alternative holistic medicine. A phrase I recall her telling me was "Western medicine tries to cure the symptoms, but these will keep coming back unless you tackle the root of the problems." I don't know how true that statement was, and I find it a bit hard to believe that an internationally recognized method that has been around for so long time would not at least attempt to address the causes of a disease. Ever since I met that lady, I have read about other practices as well (osteopathy, acupuncture, etc.) and indeed I notice that each have a different approach. What do you think about them? And - if they are really as efficient as they are claimed to be - why aren't they overtaking or at least included in western medicine/national health services? Do you think that pharmaceuticals are only a "quick fix" and that the body could really "heal itself"? In the past months I had several minor injuries and was prescribed plenty of pharmaceuticals by the doctor, both oral and injected (especially NSAIDs, many of them!). I almost have the feeling as if they have weakened me. Now, I caught a cold twice within 7 days and it took longer to cure than when I normally get it during winter (and it's summer here, and I'm in Italy!). Are all pharmaceuticals accompanied by adverse effects? Do you think the non-Western medicines are less risky in that sense?