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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