Crohn’s Disease Herbal Treatment Meets Western Medication |
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With so much controversy over the use of herbal supplements to assist in treating medical problems, it leaves one wondering if perhaps the Europeans don’t have it right. After all, they’ve been using herbal supplements for decades as a regular part of their medical treatments. Why, then, is there such a disparity between what doctors in the United States believe and what the European doctors believe?
Taking chances
The biggest concern that doctors have regarding the use of herbal supplements in the United States is the lack of control over them. They don’t necessarily believe that they should be prescription only, but they do believe that a reputable government agency should be overseeing the packaging and labeling of these supplements.
As of now, the FDA has no jurisdiction over checking herbal supplements. In fact, there is no one that verifies that what’s on the bottle or package is indeed what’s inside it. Additionally, there is nothing in place that states that the distributor has to put the amounts of which herbs are inside mixed-type concoctions.
So far as U.S. physicians are concerned, every time one of their patients takes an herbal supplement, there is a significant risk at a very small payoff.
No Definitive Research
American doctors are also not 100% convinced that these supplements are effective in either the long or short run. The American Medical Association maintains that to date there is no reliable evidence to support the use of herbal supplements as a viable option in treating health concerns.
Many in the medical communities are waiting on the results of a series of controlled studies that the National Institutes of Health are conducting to determine that very thing. However, there is reason to believe that even if those studies show a benefit, the AMA will not accept it as valid.
The European Opinion
Reputable physicians across Europe have conducted numerous studies that support the use of herbal supplements in the practice of medicine. These studies have been dismissed by many medical researchers in the U.S., however, saying that the studies wouldn’t hold up under FDA review. That doesn’t faze the European doctors, though.
For hundreds of years the use of medicinal herbs has been a staple of the medical world across the sea, and that hasn’t escaped the notice of today’s doctors. Rather than viewing these treatments as hocus pocus or competition, European doctors have embraced them as a partner in the treatment of many medical problems. The skepticism of their American counterparts so far has done little to dampen their enthusiasm for these herbal cures.
The End Result
The question then, of whether there’s room for herbal supplements in Western medicine, is moot. More than 15 countries in Europe already use them as a regular part of their medical practice. The better question is whether there is room for these ancient remedies in the American medical world.
The answer is yes, but only if doctors are willing to work with their patients in determining the best supplements for their ailments, as well as which brands to use to make sure the right doses are being taken. Until American doctors are willing to work in conjunction with their patients on this, there is more risk than benefit given the sometimes arbitrary labels found on herbal supplements.
Talk to your doctor about his or her attitude regarding herbal supplements, and find out what he or she thinks is best for your health. You shouldn’t begin taking these supplements without first talking to your doctor to verify that they won’t cause a reaction with already-prescribed drugs, as well as with other health conditions you may have.
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