Creating a Healing Environment
Advances in physical sciences in the last 150 years have led to the human body being viewed as a collection of parts. That view has, in turn, led to medical specialization that treats only certain parts of the body (eye doctors, heart doctors, skin doctors, etc.) and the surgical removal or transplantation of parts. Though […]
Functional Symptoms vs. Organic Disease
Many, if not most, health complaints are termed functional, meaning that no known associated organic or pathological tissue changes can be found by the physician investigating possible causes of the symptoms. Functional symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, abdominal pain, indigestion, low back pain, or simply not feeling well. Organic or pathological […]
Prevention Strategies in Mainstream and Alternative Medicine
Is the time-tested adage “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” relevant in the discussion of disease prevention? The answer is a loud and clear “Yes!” Prevention in a mainstream medicine model includes accident prevention (e. g. wearing seat belts, preventing falls), screening elevated blood pressure and blood sugar, weight normalization, […]
What is Alternative Medicine?
by Dr. John L. Wilson, Jr. Alternative medicine is best defined by understanding some of the principles that guide it. In contrast to “conventional” medicine, which is based on the knowledge of disease and specializes in the use of drugs and surgery to treat disease, “alternative” medicine focuses on identifying factors that promote health, […]
A Brief Political History of Modern Medical Practice
by John L. Wilson, Jr., M. D. Modern healthcare in the United States has come a long way since its homespun origins in the 18th century. The evolution of our healthcare system has been strongly influenced by not only scientific advances, but also by many non-medical historical and political events. Because healthcare is among […]
