The Art of Unproven Remedies

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The Art of Unproven Remedies

At some point in life everyone becomes a patient. Therefore to understand

patients who use remedies that are not proven, we should reflect on our own

personal experiences. Many people have had minor illnesses and have turned

to unproven home remedies, such as chicken soup for a cold. People turn to

these therapies due to feelings of hopelessness. They also hope that these

remedies will shorten the duration. An additional reason people may use

these treatments is in order to feel a sense of control, and they may feel

that these remedies will not cause any more harm but could possibly be

beneficial, as well as there are usually no side effects involved.

A chronic disease, like arthritis, may cause a person to use unproven

therapies in order to gain relief. Pain is usually the primary motive.

People are programmed to seek relief and to keep trying other options until

relief is gained. In many cases, response to treatment may take weeks or

months, which causes expense, discouragement, and disappointment for the

patient.

How your physician reacts to these unproven treatments is determined in part

by how the physician views the patient¹s search for health. The physician¹s

approach should be open-minded and empathetic.