Which works better; prescription drugs or alternative medicine?

Question

I use both.

Answer 1

Sounds like you've answered your own question. For me, it depends on the situation, some work good for this and some work excellent for that.

Answer 2

I lean toward alternative medicine. Prescription drugs ARE NOT TESTED PROPERLY, look at all the prescription drugs TAKEN OFF THE MARKET because they cause stroke or Heart attacks, or other problems. Vioxx comes to mind. I was taking it , as was my mother, either one of us could have been 1 of the 25,000 people who died from it. Alternative medicine has been around for,in many cases, centuries. I would trust something that has withstood the test of time, rather than something that has been around for a few years. Do you ever see the T.V. commercials for a new prescription drug and at the end, a long list of side effects are mentioned. Pretty scary. Although alternitive medicine is not for everyone, I have yet to expirence any problems. I see a naturopathic doctor, who spent 22 years in conventional medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, and decided she could do more to heal people with alternative medicine. That speaks for itself.

Answer 3

Prescription drugs are rigorously tested in the lab, then on animals, then on humans under carefully controlled conditions. Results are published in reputable medical journals and are critiqued by authorities in the field. Studies are reviewed by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). If the FDA approves, the drug is approved for use by prescription. The system is not perfect. Researchers can hide adverse data, statistical analysis can be subject to error, reviewers can be lax. But generally you get an effective product. The next hurdle is physician education and seeing that the drug is appropriately prescribed for proper indications. (There's the rub!)

Alternative medicines are mostly outside the control of the FDA. Many are recommended by authorative opinion and not scientific research. If these alternative drugs are part of an investigative study, the results are usually published in journals not held in high regard by the allopathic community. There are few standards for potency of alternative medicines. One company's St. John's Wort may be twice a strong and that produced by another.

Some illnesses respond to a placebo, whether allopathic or homeopathic. In many situations, advice, diet, exercise, or lifestyle change would be more appropriate than any nostrum, prescription or otherwise.

Answer 4

It depends on what is being treated. Prescription drugs work best for some things (like most bacterial infections) whereas herbs and other alternatives work best for other things (like many chronic conditions).

For some things a combination of drugs and alternative medicine works best. For example, the modern Chinese have discovered that a combination of Western drugs and TCM herbs work better in treating certain serious blood disorders (like leukemia) than either alone. (See A Handbook of Chinese Hematology by Simon Becker, Blue Poppy Press.)

Victoria Dragon
Owner and moderator of ChineseHealing, Yahoogroups

Answer 5

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Answer 6

Well, to answer you question straight, "alternative medicine" works better because usually alternative medicine invloves cures whil prescription drugs only mask symptoms and doesn't ever cure. Also, prescription drugs are highly toxic and can cause many more health problems.If an alternative medicine works, use it first.

Answer 7

I do too. As others have said, it really depends on the particular condition you are trying to treat. And sometimes both can be used.

One natural way to go though is with a supplement that can boost your immune system so your body naturally fights off germs and illness. That way you don't have to worry so much about what you should take when you are sick because you'll be sick less often.

My family takes a great one called Immune Alert. Check out their website, www.immunealert.com. It's an all-natural extract from baker's yeast and has a lot of research that backs it up.

Answer 8

Dear Sir/ Madam,
For acute bacterial infections, allopathic antibiotics do work better and for chronic illnesses, alternative medicines and deep breathing exercises as recommended by Swami Ramdev, perhaps works the best.
Ramesh

Answer 9

each has its own importance. in some fields or for immediate control prescription drugs r better but with alternative medicine it can b cured permanetly in most of the cases. alternative medicine is better in long run

Answer 10

ALTERNATIVE. Perscription drugs hide the symptoms but don't cure the disease. It's like turning off the "CHANGE OIL" light in your car. The problem is still there and it's just a matter of time till your engine blows.

Answer 11

Alternative medicine is not an alternative to medicine. They complement each other with the same goal - to cure and not to harm.