Alternative therapies

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Is it considered acceptable for Catholics to use so-called “alternative therapies”? I know that this expression covers a multitude of things. The story is, I developed a leg infection last May, which still hasn’t completely cleared up. After 4 months of anitbiotics my doctor said that he was going to refer me to a specialist. Last week a friend suggested that perhaps I should consider alternative therapies. Although I haven’t done any research on this, I’m a bit dubious as I’ve heard some are based on Eastern medicine which is linked to non-Christian religions. And it’s been suggested that we shouldn’t get involved in that kind of thing, as at best it’s quackery, and at worst a sin against the 1st Commandment! Does anybody know anything about this? 😊
 
You didn’t mention if you’ve seen the specialist your doctor referred you to, or if the referral ever got made. If you’re dealing with an infection that isn’t responding well to the usual antibiotics, I think your best course is to go with the referral. Some alternative medicine practices could actually make you worse.
 
odile53 said:
You didn’t mention if you’ve seen the specialist your doctor referred you to, or if the referral ever got made. If you’re dealing with an infection that isn’t responding well to the usual antibiotics, I think your best course is to go with the referral. Some alternative medicine practices could actually make you worse.
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I’ve not seen the specialist yet, my doctor told me verbally 2 weeks ago he was referring me and I’m still waiting for the details to come through. I’m inclined to go with the referral as well but I want to explore all options. However as I mentioned in my previous post I’m reluctant to consider alternative therapies for the reasons I mentioned.
 
ssa_trad_cath said:
Is it considered acceptable for Catholics to use so-called “alternative therapies”? I know that this expression covers a multitude of things. The story is, I developed a leg infection last May, which still hasn’t completely cleared up. After 4 months of anitbiotics my doctor said that he was going to refer me to a specialist. Last week a friend suggested that perhaps I should consider alternative therapies. Although I haven’t done any research on this, I’m a bit dubious as I’ve heard some are based on Eastern medicine which is linked to non-Christian religions. And it’s been suggested that we shouldn’t get involved in that kind of thing, as at best it’s quackery, and at worst a sin against the 1st Commandment! Does anybody know anything about this? 😊
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This post may help:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=12605&highlight=Alternative+Medicine
 
I’m not a big fan of most alternative or homeopathic therapies.

Research actually has shown some good results with acupuncture related to treatment of pain so I’m OK with that.

I believe folks should pretty much satay with the established and accountable medical community.
 
As long as the alternative didn’t include chanting, wearing amulets or crystals I don’t see any harm or foul. Maybe it’s an Ayurveda specialist that will use herbs and other naturally grown resources to effect some relief…that’s an alternative with a proven track record.
 
There are a lot of homeopathic and alternative therapies that have been proven to be downright dangerous, so tread carefully. For instance, just today a friend on facebook liked a discussion on hydrogen peroxide the discussed the fact that it was some kind of miracle drug that is one of the few remaining after the medical establishment took away everything in some sort of medical conspiracy. Someone was touting the “benefits” of DRINKING a watered down version of it as a form of “oxygen therapy”. I was shocked when I saw that. The watered down stuff probably won’t kill you like the regular stuff will, but it certainly will NOT help a person. In fact, a basic high school chem class would tell you that ingestion of the stuff will do a number on your body. It’s perfectly fine in sensible amounts on the outside of the body for cleaning and things or for a mouthwash that is spit out, but it is still a poison when ingested.

I was also in a store and found that they were selling boric acid as a means of fixing cold sores. Boric acid is a roach poison! Ugh…it does NOT need to be anywhere near a person’s mouth.

Maybe it is because my husband and I both have research and medical backgrounds, but we keep noticing that a LOT of homeopathic therapies are completely scientifically incorrect.

That being said, just tread carefully. My grandmother always told me to have peppermint when I had an upset stomach and it really does seem to work. That is a natural thing that isn’t going to cause harm. Other things might though. Natural does not always mean safer.
 
My mother picked herbs for the local pharmacy when she was a girl. However, there are a lot of “alternative therapies,” as in, more than using certain herbs, that can get people into further medical trouble.

I will say that getting a specialist opinion, or just getting a second opinion without your doctor’s advice, would be best.

Eastern medicine can involve things that involve believing in things that are outside Church teaching. There is a very large book containing Chinese herbs and their uses, but I would not suggest it to anyone since even herbs can cause problems if used incorrectly, and if the diagnosis is unclear.

Peace,
Ed
 
Some types of alternative therapies rely heavily on the placebo effect, and the specific non-Christian entity or belief that they call on is basically a focus for the placebo effect. However, since those entities or beliefs are in contradiction with our belief in the Trinity or basic tenets of our own faith, that is what would make the therapies objectionable to the Church.
 
“Alternative medicine” is an all-inclusive phrase that includes everything from eating naturally to voodoo doctors. Talking about whether it is allowed or not really doesn’t mean anything unless the field of focus is narrowed.

I would recommend seeing an osteopath, who are generally familiar with western medicine as well as “alternative” medicine (diet, vitamin therapy, etc.). In western medicine, doctors tend to treat with medicine, and often are treating only symptoms, thus the underlying problem never goes away. Osteopaths tend to effect cures, by finding the underlying problem and solving it.

So in a case like yours, it may be possible that on the infection is being treated, not the cause of the infection. An osteopath will look for the cause of infection and attempt to eliminate it, which will likely include boosting immune function.

Good luck with your situation!
 
ssa_trad_cath said:
Is it considered acceptable for Catholics to use so-called “alternative therapies”? I know that this expression covers a multitude of things. The story is, I developed a leg infection last May, which still hasn’t completely cleared up. After 4 months of anitbiotics my doctor said that he was going to refer me to a specialist. Last week a friend suggested that perhaps I should consider alternative therapies. Although I haven’t done any research on this, I’m a bit dubious as I’ve heard some are based on Eastern medicine which is linked to non-Christian religions. And it’s been suggested that we shouldn’t get involved in that kind of thing, as at best it’s quackery, and at worst a sin against the 1st Commandment! Does anybody know anything about this? 😊
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SSA,

Answer the following questions for me…

What specialists are you being referred to?

If you have an infection how is it you know you have an infection? Is there a red area, swelling, a wound, weeping, drainage?

You say the infection is on your leg, where specifically, above the knee, below the knee and if below the knee where exactly, closer to the ankle, middle or upper 1/3 of the leg that would be below the knee?

Are you diabetic?
Do you smoke?

Did your Doctor give you the name of the infection?

Have there been any biopsies or cultures?

Do you have an open wound or any wound?

What type of Physician is your Doctor, ie specialty?

Alternative therapies such as Homeopathy would be acceptable however I don’t know how helpful. Other alternative therapies would be Aromatherapy that invoke spiritual elements. I would ask your friend what they mean by alternative therapies otherwise it is just speculation based on what know one knows your friend is speaking of.
 
CopticChristian said:
SSA,

Answer the following questions for me…

What specialists are you being referred to?

If you have an infection how is it you know you have an infection? Is there a red area, swelling, a wound, weeping, drainage?

You say the infection is on your leg, where specifically, above the knee, below the knee and if below the knee where exactly, closer to the ankle, middle or upper 1/3 of the leg that would be below the knee?

Are you diabetic?
Do you smoke?

Did your Doctor give you the name of the infection?

Have there been any biopsies or cultures?

Do you have an open wound or any wound?

What type of Physician is your Doctor, ie specialty?

Alternative therapies such as Homeopathy would be acceptable however I don’t know how helpful. Other alternative therapies would be Aromatherapy that invoke spiritual elements. I would ask your friend what they mean by alternative therapies otherwise it is just speculation based on what know one knows your friend is speaking of.
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In answer to your questions, my doctor hasn’t told me what kind of specialist he is referring me to. It was diagnosed as an infection by both the casualty department of my local hospital, a drop-in medical centre, and by my own doctor - it was diagnosed as cellulitis: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulitis which in my case what characterised by painful swelling of the lower right leg from below the knee to just above the ankle) with reddening and inflammation, which produced blistering of the skin. The symptoms have now decreased to a painless palm-sized red patch near my ankle which is showing minimal signs of improving. As cellulitis is an infection of subdermal fat, I may be referred to a dermatologist but as my doctor hasn’t given me the details this is only an assumption. I am not diabetic and I do not smoke. There have been no biopsies or cultures, however my doctor has sent me for several blood tests, including a full blood count, which my doctor said confirmed the diagnosis of an infection, and also confirmed that I was not diabetic. There was no open wound although as I mentioned before, the skin did blister, making the infected area look like a second-degree burn. My doctor is what we in England call a General Practitioner (GP) or “family doctor”, which means he may not have a specific speciality but is a generalist with whom most UK residents are registered. A GP is usually the first doctor a person will see with a non-emergency medical problem.
 
ssa_trad_cath said:
In answer to your questions, my doctor hasn’t told me what kind of specialist he is referring me to. It was diagnosed as an infection by both the casualty department of my local hospital, a drop-in medical centre, and by my own doctor - it was diagnosed as cellulitis: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulitis which in my case what characterised by painful swelling of the lower right leg from below the knee to just above the ankle) with reddening and inflammation, which produced blistering of the skin. The symptoms have now decreased to a painless palm-sized red patch near my ankle which is showing minimal signs of improving. As cellulitis is an infection of subdermal fat, I may be referred to a dermatologist but as my doctor hasn’t given me the details this is only an assumption. I am not diabetic and I do not smoke. There have been no biopsies or cultures, however my doctor has sent me for several blood tests, including a full blood count, which my doctor said confirmed the diagnosis of an infection, and also confirmed that I was not diabetic. There was no open wound although as I mentioned before, the skin did blister, making the infected area look like a second-degree burn. My doctor is what we in England call a General Practitioner (GP) or “family doctor”, which means he may not have a specific speciality but is a generalist with whom most UK residents are registered. A GP is usually the first doctor a person will see with a non-emergency medical problem.
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SSA,

I understand and know what cellulitis is.

Here is what you are saying.

You had painful swelling and blistering with redness.

You now have a painless palm size red patch.

Here is a saying that is true…

A patient that is not getting better is getting worse. You have gotten better. The painless palm size red patch may or may not be related. The lack of pain, swelling and blistering means you have responded and the residual redness may be a sequelae of the cellulitis that sometimes takes 6-8 weeks to resolve or may be unrelated. There would be no need for antibiotics if this is not residual infection.

Let me ask you this. When you put your finger on the redness, press and let go what happens. Does the area blanch white and return red or does the red area remain red while pressing and after letting go?
 
CopticChristian said:
SSA,

I understand and know what cellulitis is.

Here is what you are saying.

You had painful swelling and blistering with redness.

You now have a painless palm size red patch.

Here is a saying that is true…

A patient that is not getting better is getting worse. You have gotten better. The painless palm size red patch may or may not be related. The lack of pain, swelling and blistering means you have responded and the residual redness may be a sequelae of the cellulitis that sometimes takes 6-8 weeks to resolve or may be unrelated. There would be no need for antibiotics if this is not residual infection.

Let me ask you this. When you put your finger on the redness, press and let go what happens. Does the area blanch white and return red or does the red area remain red while pressing and after letting go?
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Is it OK if we continue this by PM or e-mail? I’m not sure it’s completely appropriate for a public thread to turn into a private diagnostic session, especially as my original question was about alternative therapies 😃
 
Bacteriophage therapy would possibly work, while not pills like most solutions it is a a legitimate form of medicine (it conforms to the scientific method).
 
ssa_trad_cath said:
Is it OK if we continue this by PM or e-mail? I’m not sure it’s completely appropriate for a public thread to turn into a private diagnostic session, especially as my original question was about alternative therapies 😃
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SSA,

You asked about alternative therapies and the question is are you better or worse. It appears that you are better and are not in the realm of infection. It may be you have a patch of redness that if it blanches may be erythema and if it does not blanch and stays red is something else, best determined by a Dermatologist and perhaps biopsies. If alternative therapy is the question then since you are better what other alternative other than improvement and an answer to what the blotch is will you find elsewhere?
 
ssa_trad_cath said:
Is it considered acceptable for Catholics to use so-called “alternative therapies”? I know that this expression covers a multitude of things. The story is, I developed a leg infection last May, which still hasn’t completely cleared up. After 4 months of anitbiotics my doctor said that he was going to refer me to a specialist. Last week a friend suggested that perhaps I should consider alternative therapies. Although I haven’t done any research on this, I’m a bit dubious as I’ve heard some are based on Eastern medicine which is linked to non-Christian religions. And it’s been suggested that we shouldn’t get involved in that kind of thing, as at best it’s quackery, and at worst a sin against the 1st Commandment! Does anybody know anything about this? 😊
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Dear SSA trad cath–

I cannot comment on your specific ailment, but I can tell you that alternative therapies have worked wonders for my arthritis. Perhaps you should research the specific therapies that would apply to your situation, and see if there have been any scientific studies conducted. You can try this link: Alternative Therapies Magazine but I don’t know if you can search back issues or only whatever is in the current issue. I have bought the hard copy magazine before, and it does contain scientific study information.

Jala
 
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