Could Alternative Medicine Be To Blame for Expensive Health Insurance Plans?
Posted: Wednesday, November 04, 2009
By Yamileth Medina
Lipitor side effects:
* Headache -- in up to 16.7 percent of people
* Infections -- up to 10.3 percent
* Muscle pain -- up to 5.6 percent (see Lipitor and Muscle Pain)
* Diarrhea -- up to 5.3 percent (see Lipitor and Diarrhea)
* Joint pain -- up to 5.1 percent (see Lipitor and Joint Pain)
* Inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis) -- up to 6.4 percent
* Accidental injury -- up to 4.2 percent.
* Unexplained rash
* Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
* General feeling of weakness (asthenia)
* The flu
* Back pain
* Allergic reaction
* Constipation
* Inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis)
* Sore throat (pharyngitis).
* Signs of liver damage, such as yellow eyes or skin, upper right abdominal pain, dark urine, and elevated liver enzymes (see Lipitor Liver Side Effects)
* Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel ill, since these may be signs of serious breakdown of muscle, known as rhabdomyolysis (see Lipitor and Muscle Pain)
* Significant, unexplained changes in the amount of urine you produce (which may be a sign of kidney problems)
* Signs of an allergic reaction, such as:
o A rash
o Itching
o Hives
o Wheezing or difficulty breathing
o Swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat.
* Lack of appetite
* Intestinal ulcer
* Hepatitis
* Asthma
* Bloody nose
* Depression
* Memory loss (amnesia)
* Hair loss (alopecia)
* Impotence (also known as erectile dysfunction or ED)
* Increased liver enzymes (see Lipitor Liver Side Effects)
* Ringing of the ears (tinnitus)
* Fainting (syncope)
* Hearing loss
* High blood pressure (hypertension)
* Weight gain (see Lipitor and Weight Gain)
* Gout.I'm not sure how this comment is very relevant. As with any drug, some side effects are more common than others. It's a decision that should be should be made between a patient and their doctor.
In most third world country, alternative medicine becomes the primary approach to healing and cure of ailments. Medication sold in pharmacies are so expensive that if a doctor prescribes ten capsules or tablets for the condition, one can only afford to buy one or two capsules or tablets, so one will resort to alternative means. Thank you Yamileth for sharing this well-written information article.Thanks for the interesting perspective on what it's like in other countries.
Conventional medical therapies have undergone years of testing and oftentimes, the FDA still gets it wrong--e.g., thalidomide, Vioxx, Celebrex.It all boils down to the fact that people want medicine that works and won't harm them. I know someone who was taking his medications exactly as prescribed and he just came home from being hospitalized for five days for...overmedication!Most herbal alternative therapies are ancient remedies which do work but perhaps take a longer time to do so. People who use them correctly do their research and consult with their health care practitioner before using them. They understand that using the wrong product or the right product in the wrong way will do more harm than good...just like our conventional Western medicine would do.So Yamileth, let's agree to disagree...that's what's great about our country!Wow, that's very interesting. More of the problem is probably that there aren't as many doctors who have enough experience with alternative medicine. There would probably be less issue if there was more guidance for people using it, as opposed to them almost being on their own with it. An alternate FDA might also be a good idea. Either way can work, but I tend to err on the side of caution. Thanks for the comment!
Seems to me you've overlooked one glaring and unacceptable 'condition': the drug companies, along with the majority of doctors who prescribe said drugs, are much more concerned with profit than cure. Don't believe that? Have a closer look at how much money drug companies have 'contributed' to politicians and/or political agendas.One more thing: for a country that's supposed to be so 'advanced' in 'traditional' medicine, why is it that we have more obesity, drug use (prescribed, not street), heart disease, cancer, depression, mental illness, etc., etc., ad nauseam, than any other country on the planet? You might like to ask yourself just what matters more: the COST of insurance or the COST of our country's wellness.Thank you for your comment. There are certainly improvements to be made.
I have never had insurance that covered "alternatives" to any extent. There are some alternatives which work well and without the life threatening side effects of most prescription drugs. Medical school textbooks are written by pharmaceutical companies so guess what their focus is - find a pill - not get down to what is causing the problem in the first place. Having been an RN for 40 years I have observed much - there is a lot to be desired in "modern medicine". I think there is something to be said for traditional medicine but also something to be said for SOME alternative medicine. From the lack of coverage for the latter that I have seen this is not the problem with our current health care dilemma.In recent decades, alternative medicine has received more respect, and some health insurance plans (though usually the more comprehensive, expensive ones) have begun covering at least some treatments. There's definitely merit to at least some alternative medicine, but I feel that there needs to be more study into which ones are effective and which ones aren't.
Yamileth Medina is an up and coming expert on Health Insurance and Healthcare Reform. She aims to help people realize that they can find quality health insurance plans right now. Yamileth lives in Miami, FL.. Yamileth enjoys listening to music, as well as spending time with family and friends. She lives in Miami, Florida.
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