But with what? While conventional medicine still covers the lion’s share of our health-care system, more of us are turning to hypnosis, homeopathy and numerous other forms of medicine to cure what ails us. Alternative medicine is now so widely practiced, it verges on mainstream, according to a survey conducted by the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think tank. The institute asked Canadians in 2006, it found that 54% of us had used at least one alternative therapy during the previous year. All told, we pay more than $5.6 billion to alternative health providers during the 12 months under study. But do all those billions actually buy us better health? Skeptics complain that advocates for alternative medicine
have now shied away from testing its effectiveness in tight control clinical studies. Others say there’s simply a lack of evidence. “If the evidence is there, it’s good medicine, whether it’s conventional or alternative,” says Shafiq Qaadri, a Toronto family doctor and a long time member of provincial legislature. He adds an all important caveat: “Your aunt reporting that her joint pain is much better after seeing the herbalist recommended by her friend does not count as evidence.” To help you sort out the placebos from the genuinely useful practices, we’ve researched some of the most common alternative treatments. Here’s our take on how much bang they deliver for your buck.
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“The main focus of aromatherapy is to relieve stress,” says Maureen Curran, a registered aromatherapist in Courtenay, B.C. “Skin conditions that reflect stress may also respond.”
a therapeutic massage with the same oils, you’ll likely pay the same as for a regular massage: between $60 and $80.
Does it work? W h at i s i t ?
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles in the body to reduce pain, alleviate chronic conditions such as migraines, or change your behavior—for instance, helping you to quit smoking. Where the needles are inserted in your body varies depending on the ailment. Does it work?
Acupuncture gets a cautious thumbs-up from Heather Boon, an associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Toronto who specializes in research on natural health products and complementary therapies. She says the evidence suggests that it can help alleviate some types of pain and nausea. “There’s less evidence for other conditions, which doesn’t mean it has no benefit—just that we don’t know yet,” she says. A similar conclusion comes from the Cochrane Collaboration, an international not-for-profit group dedicated to improving medical decision-making through systematic reviews of health-care interventions. It says that acupuncture is better than no treatment for short-term relief of lower back pain, but it finds no evidence of it having any benefit for those who want to use it to help them quit smoking. Typical course and c o s t o f t r e at m e n t
“Some people respond immediately and many will see a benefit, such as pain relief or better mobility, within a few sessions,” according to Ruth Anne Baron, a Toronto naturopath and former chair of the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors, who includes acupuncture in her practice. After an initial consultation, expect to pay about $300 for a set of six half-hour treatments.
W h at i s i t ?
Aromatherapy is the administration of fragrant plant oils, usually through massage or inhalation, to make people feel better.
Aromatherapy may improve short-term psychological well-being in cancer patients, according to a 2004 Cochrane review, but the review also stresses that there is a lack of research in this area. More positively, a team of researchers at Chiba University in Japan found that lavender aromatherapy reduced cortisol (a marker of stress) and improved blood circulation in healthy men. On the other hand, researchers at the National University of Ireland in Galway found that expectations, rather than the lavender aroma itself, induced relaxation in healthy young women. Typical course and c o s t o f t r e at m e n t
Curran says some patients come once a week, others just once a month, depending on their condition and personal preference. A blend of oils to apply or inhale at home generally costs between $10 and $15 a bottle. For
W h at i s i t ?
Chelation therapy is the administration of a chelating or binding agent—most commonly ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid or EDTA—to remove heavy metals from the body. Traditionally used to treat metal poisoning, chelation therapy has also gained ground as a treatment for atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Does it work?
A 2007 Cochrane review says the jury is still out on the ability of chelation therapy to
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THE RISK A SKEPTIC’S
PRESCRIPTION HOW TO CHECK OUT AN
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You should never view alternative medicine as a substitute for the real thing.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPY Thinking of venturing into alternative terrain? Here’s how to go about it:
Ask your doctor: Your doctor may be able to refer you to a reputable alternative practitioner and steer you away from potentially harmful treatments
Do your own research: The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (www.nccam.nih.gov) and Medline Plus (www.medlineplus.gov) provide free info on many alternative therapies. Also check out CAMline (www.camline.ca), a Canadian website developed by University of Toronto professor Heather Boon and colleagues. It provides free info about numerous herbals and alternative therapies. If you’re willing to pay $19 (U.S.) per year, Consumer Reports Medical Guide (www.consumerreportsmedicalguide.org) is an excellent source of plainlanguage information about alternative health products and therapies
Check your health plan: Many cover some alternative therapies
Check the practitioner’s credentials: Make sure the practitioner you have in mind has the proper training and licence. If you’re not sure, check with the national or regional professional association for the therapy in question
Many alternative therapies have only weak or inconsistent evidence standing behind them. But can they actually do you harm?
In most cases, no. “Alternative methods [such as acupuncture, chiropractic and herbal medicine]… rarely cause substantial adverse effects, provided they’re performed properly on appropriate patients by qualified practitioners,” states the Consumer Reports website.
The risk creeps in when patients forgo medical treatment and prescription-level medication in favor of alternative therapies, says Toronto family physician and Ontario MPP Dr. Shafiq Qaadri. “I’ve had patients disappear for months at a time and return in much worse shape than before,” he says. In one instance, a diabetic patient took a break from doctor visits and consulted an alternative health practitioner who neglected to monitor her blood sugar. “By the time I saw her, her levels had doubled,” Dr. Qaadri recalls. “She’s now at greater risk of serious diabetes complications.”
Mixing herbal products with operations poses another potential risk, as many popular herbs can trigger problems during or after an operation and delay recovery time. Consumer Reports advises stopping herbal remedies a week before surgery.