Pros and Cons of Allopathic Medicine

Dr. Samuel Hahnemann coined the term allopathic medicine to describe the medical practice of the 19th century. He wanted to differentiate it from his new system of homeopatic medicine.

Allopathy is known by many other names as well. These include: traditional western medicine, regular medicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, modern medicine and conventional medicine.

Modern medicine fully diverged from natural holistic medicine in the early 1900’s.

Generally the conventional Western approach is 'body as a machine'. That is why early allopaths were called mechanics. Parts were, and still are, treated in isolation.

Hence we have heart specialists, hand specialists, neurologists…

Allopathy teaches that disease, or its causes, generally originate outside the body. They invade the body and make us sick. This popular 'Germ Theory' led to widespread antibiotic use, pasteurization and improved sanitation.

Allopathic medicine treats disease with medicines or remedies that produce effects that are different from those produced by the condition being treated. For example, medicines stimulate sluggish organs or sedate. Hence, we have medicines to cause the pancreas to release more insulin or drugs to lower high blood pressure.

Most drugs either mask the symptoms directly or cause the body to alter the way it is meant to function. Drugs do not generally cure or prevent disease.

If the problem is localized and won’t go away then it may "have to" be removed with surgery. Both of these treatments can be very expensive.

The practice of conventional western medicine is slowly changing as the benefits of alternative medicine are being supported by research and more doctors receive training in holistic approaches to health care.

The Benefits of Allopathy

• Allopathic medicine excels when treating acute and life-threatening illness and injuries. Many of us can be thankful for the imaging technologies, surgical procedures, and doctors that help diagnose and treat us and our loved ones when very ill and injured.

• Doctors are highly trained in this medical system. They have invested a great deal of time and money in their training. They have the ability to diagnose problems in the body. This can be very helpful, whether or not you choose to avail yourself of conventional treatment.

• Patients have rights and protection under the law. Doctors and medical facilities are held to standards designed to protect the patient.

• Research is continually being conducted and technologies are being improved for the benefit of patients. Thankfully this also includes research into alternative therapies.

• Pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics have saved many lives and help people manage pain and illness in the long and short term.

Drawbacks of Allopathic Medicine

• Holistic practitioners believe that treating parts instead of people is a flawed approach (again, not talking about the broken leg here). One part of the body may be calling for attention at the moment, but chances are, the problem isn't occurring in isolation.
  
  
• Doctors are often over-scheduled and get very little time with patients. It’s easy to misdiagnose or give inappropriate treatment. Patients may be sent to a myriad of specialists and testing facilities. All this takes a lot of time and money. Each specialist views the problem from his own perspective, so it’s easy to miss the whole picture.
  
  
• Doctors do know about diet, exercise and stress relief, but often have very little, if any, education regarding them. They are mostly trained in a system of parts, surgery and drugs. They may suggest diet and exercise, but the patient gets no details either because of lack of time or expertise. This is all many people need to facilitate wellness, with or without other medical intervention. And since many patients would rather just "pop a pill", this compounds the problem.
  
  
• If a medical facility sets up a program to teach patients how to eat right for their condition, insurance companies won’t reimburse them even though the cost is much less than ensuing drugs and surgeries. This is a difficult situation for health care providers that needs changing.
  
  

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  Sidebar: Did you know that in the old days, Chinese doctors were paid only when their patients were healthy? True health care. Imagine how our health care system would change if that were the case today?

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• Since we live in a society that stresses doctor responsibility for patients instead of self-responsibility, this puts doctors in a difficult position. They refer patients for too many tests and procedures to protect themselves from lawsuits at greatly increasing costs. And who can blame them?
  
  
• Drugs or surgery are often the primary treatments for a health condition when using allopathic medicine. Since drugs don't usually cure, but suppress and change the way the body functions, this covers up the condition instead of curing it.

  Sometimes this may be helpful (like with severe pain), but little or nothing may be done to improve the actual condition. Patients who would be good candidates for alternative therapy aren't given that opportunity.

• Drugs, surgery, hospitalizations and other medical procedures can cause adverse reactions, including death. Serious infections are a major risk when someone is hospitalized.

  Properly prescribed medications kill over 100,000 people in the U.S. alone. Another hundred thousand die from accidental overdose or prescribing errors. My mother was almost one of these victims.

Regardless of the type of health care you choose, take full responsibility for your health. Educate yourself on the pros and cons of allopathic medicine in regards to your health conditions. This includes researching procedures and medications before using them. Always keep a copy of your records and understand what is going on with your health. This way you can minimize potential problems while optimizing the benefits you'll receive.

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