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Transcript
Alternative HealthCare Can Help Treat Chronic Diseases By Steven D. Marks, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, PacificSource Health Plans One of every five of your neighbors may be living with a chronic disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the total number to be approximately 90 million Americans. A person’s chance of chronic disease elevates with age or disability. In Oregon alone, approximately 438,200 residents are over the age of 65 and 593,300 are disabled, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 data. A chronic disease is classified as a nonreversible, ongoing illness that is often can’t be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication. Examples include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. According to the 2006 Oregon Vital Statistics Report, heart disease accounts for 22 percent of Oregon deaths, cancer accounts for 24 percent and diabetes accounts for 4 percent. For those who suffer from chronic diseases, it may be a relief to learn that a variety of treatments and coping options exist. Increasingly more medications are available to treat such problems, but some traditional medications may cause unwanted side effects, limiting the medication’s ultimate usefulness. While conventional medicine is often necessary for disease screening and treatment, alternative health care can be helpful for pain relief and maintaining a healthy body. Alternative healthcare often aims to address the “whole” person—including mind, body, and spirit. Less invasive alternative treatments may encourage the patient to heal faster and fight infection and disease. Alternative practices are not meant to be a cure or a replacement, but can help traditional medicine work more effectively. More than one-third of Americans use alternative health care practices, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Traditional and alternative systems are beginning to merge to become “integrative medicine.” Many traditional treatments for chronic diseases can be augmented by alternative healthcare and medicine, including acupuncture, naturopathy and chiropractic care. Alternative healthcare practitioners are widely available in Oregon. Acupuncture has been the standard for medical care in China for more than 3,000 years. Acupuncturists treat the body as a system of organs interconnected by meridians and channels through which energy (chi) flows. According to that approach, disease develops when the energy is blocked and the balance is disturbed. Health is maintained and disease or pain is prevented by restoring the flow of energy in the affected areas. Acupuncture can treat symptoms caused by chronic diseases such as pain and nausea. It also can help treat diseases such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and complications associated with stroke. Naturopathy treats and prevents diseases, using natural methods including herbal medicines, nutrition therapy, and body work. It can help treat pain and injury, chronic headaches, asthma, digestive disorders, and other conditions. Chiropractic care is based on the theory that good health is a result of an undisrupted flow of nerve impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. A chiropractor makes adjustments to the spine to maintain the flow of nerve impulses and keep the body healthy. Chiropractic care treats neck pain, and spine and lower back disorders such as back strain. The best way to find an alternative care specialist is to ask for guidance from a traditional medical practitioner who is familiar with alternative medicine. Many medical doctors have referral relationships with alternative care specialists. Look for specialists who are trained, licensed and certified in their field. Many health plans cover alternative and complementary care. Many health insurers, such as PacificSource Health Plans, include an optional alternative healthcare package as well as chronic disease self-management workshops for members. With these resources at your fingertips, may you be on your way to a long and healthy life. © 2009