Alternative medicine

[coollino]

Cannabis/cannabinoids and magic mushrooms/Psilocybin are also interesting examples of 'alternatives' transitioning to sanctioned, or potentially sanctioned, treatments.

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Microdosing is getting bigger too

 

[BNJ1878]

Do you believe you feel better because of the treatments or have you convinced yourself the treatments worked? Always interested in the distinction.

Tough to know for sure.

I went in convinced it would be a total waste of time, it seems it wasn't.

If I was a full.on believer then the treatment could be a placebo, but I'm not sure the placebo effect works on a skeptic?

 

[Nymzee]

Tough to know for sure.

I went in convinced it would be a total waste of time, it seems it wasn't.

If I was a full.on believer then the treatment could be a placebo, but I'm not sure the placebo effect works on a skeptic?

Oh yeh, it's like completely unprovable isn't it. I'm a skeptic too but my mum gets acupuncture and swears it works. She tries to get me to go because I have quite bad back problems and think it'll fix it.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

I mean the brain is a marvelous thing isn't it. I think we can will our way, or convince ourselves, into better health. When I'm happier I get ill less for example.

Or it may be your immune system and gut are in a better place, thus you feel better and less down. We're complex organisms.

But yeah, the concept of 'positive' health psychology is definitely a thing and underpins behavioral and chronic illness interventions.

There's limits to thinking oneself better (for want of a better phrase). Material circumstances and biological realities play a big part.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Microdosing is getting bigger too

Mesodosing?

 

[Nymzee]

Or it may be your immune system and gut are in a better place, thus you feel better and less down. We're complex organisms.

But yeah, the concept of 'positive' health psychology is definitely a thing and underpins behavioral and chronic illness interventions.

There's limits to thinking oneself better (for want of a better phrase). Material circumstances and biological realities play a big part.

Well that's what it is, but my mood affects my immune system is more the strange part. Or I feel like that's the case. I know when my mind isn't in a good place because I get lots of colds in a short space of time.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Eustachian tube.

Probably your immune system git to grips with it in the end and the coincidental use of alternative medicines gets the credit.

Having said that- science doesn't have all the answers and our established medical set up has been financially crippled by the tories and the pharmaceutical giants more ontetested in acquiring our money by madking symptoms than by curing. Maybe alternatives at all we have left.

Most things tend to sort themselves out over time.
It's been 3 months, so the chances are it would have cleared up by now even without the three visits to ENT, six sessions of accupuncture and four cuppings.

I am surprised at your lack of belief in alterntive meds. I have been around them all my life and many work extremely well. Acupuncture has been shown to work for millennia as have many herbal treatments. Many of todays western meds are derived from natural products.

 

[BNJ1878]

Most things tend to sort themselves out over time.
It's been 3 months, so the chances are it would have cleared up by now even without the three visits to ENT, six sessions of accupuncture and four cuppings.

But it wasn't 'sorting itself out, ' it was getting progressively worse.

I started this hippy dippy lark about 9 days ago.

My immune system may have got to grips with it, but it would be quite a coincidence if it happened at the same time.

 

[Nymzee]

I draw the line at healing crystals.

 

[Bishop Thumpety-Thump]

I find the whole alternative medicine thing fascinating. Ed Mitchell, NASA astronaut who was the 6th person to walk on the moon, swore to his dying day that he was cured of prostate and kidney cancer via alternative treatments. He claimed his oncologists were stumped when the tumours disappeared. And this is a man with two Bachelor degrees and a doctorate in Aeronautics.

Anecdotal of course, but you know, more things in heaven and Earth etc.

 

[Joey66]

I had an ear infection around 3 months ago caused by some trapped water that basically stagnated. (I had clear discharge that genuinely smelled like rotten meat lol)

Anyway, I went to see the ENT. He basically hoovered it out, gave me some drops and sent me on my way.

The problem was, it still felt like there was a bubble in my ear, and if I tried to clear it by pinching my nose it wouldn't equalise, the other ear was fine.

Over the next several days it was feeling worse and my hearing also suffered. The worrying thing was I was feeling increased pressure all over my head, but particularly in the upper quarter around the effected ear. It was so bad it felt like that part of my head had a numbing injection and it felt all fuzzy, but if I applied any pressure it sent shooting pain.

So, back to the ENT who stroked his beard and looked up my nose and said:

"Ahhhh, I think the ***** tube (connects your nose and ear, forget the name) is blocked, I'll give you some tablets and a nasal spray. Use them for 10 days and it will clear up."

Anyway, it didn't. Back again for a third visit and I can tell by now he's floundering:

"Have you changed your diet lately?"
“Are you getting enough sleep?"
“Maybe you have developed Hayfever!"

Anyway, he orders a full bloidtest, obviously hoping to find something glariningly obvious but my test came back smack in the middle range for about 20 measurements.

Anyway, the good lady (who is Chinese/Swiss) suggested I go to her 'Doctor.'

I'm a massive skeptic when it comes to hocus pocus like that, but I was at my wits end so I agreed.

6 sessions of acupuncture, 4 sessions of 'cupping' (Not my balls, glass bulbs that create a vacuum through heat) and a powdered potion that looks like it came from the Mersey but tasted OK.

I feel brand new.

I genuinely believed it would be a waste of time but it seems not.

Have any of you tried treatments that would be scoffed at by Western medicine? If so. What was the treatment and why did you try it?

Australian EMU oil ..... for joints ....anti inflammatory... works for a while to ease pain ....

 

[Bohemian Toffee]

Two experiences - my youngest girl used to get a feeling of one ear being "blocked" and we went through the wringer with her, sprays, drops the works. As a toddler she would hold her head, wake up crying, proper heart wrenching.

A student of mine (now an a medical doctor, but at the time studying) suggested using a clove of peeled garlic wrapped in cotton wool overnight. Cleared her right up, the symptoms never returned.

Second was my uncle who went through trials with his back, on a battery of medicines and treatments. Couple of surgeries I think too. Acupuncture, three or four sessions sorted him. This was a man who couldn't get in or out of a chair without grimacing, wincing before and - as far as I know - has had no issues since.

 

[Bohemian Toffee]

I draw the line at healing crystals.

 

[BNJ1878]

Two experiences - my youngest girl used to get a feeling of one ear being "blocked" and we went through the wringer with her, sprays, drops the works. As a toddler she would hold her head, wake up crying, proper heart wrenching.

A student of mine (now an a medical doctor, but at the time studying) suggested using a clove of peeled garlic wrapped in cotton wool overnight. Cleared her right up, the symptoms never returned.

Second was my uncle who went through trials with his back, on a battery of medicines and treatments. Couple of surgeries I think too. Acupuncture, three or four sessions sorted him. This was a man who couldn't get in or out of a chair without grimacing, wincing before and - as far as I know - has had no issues since.

Interesting.

So the garlic in cotton wool, then taped over the ear? I doubt you jimmied it right in there. lol

 

[Nymzee]

Interesting.

So the garlic in cotton wool, then taped over the ear? I doubt you jimmied it right in there. lol

I used olive oil on cotton wool for an ear infection once and that worked.