The book is organized not as a definitive textbook, but as a
quick reference guide, with sections devoted to the diagnostic
processes, the specific types of alternative therapies, and several
common diagnostic groups for which various alternative therapies
might be used. For example, if your patient asked you about how
the herbs he was taking might interact with the medications you
are about to prescribe, you could first go to the section on
“Therapies,” and look up “Herbalism,” then go to the section
“Herbal and NonHerbal Medicine” and look up each type of
herbal product your patient is taking. There are also chapters
discussing the legal and cultural influences on the practice of
alternative medicine in Europe, Canada, and the United States
The final two chapters deal with safety concerns and economic
issues. While many consumers of alternative medical treatments
may assume that such interventions are inherently safe, this
assumption is false, and one of the chapters deals with the many
potential problems associated with alternative therapies, not the
least of which is their almost completely unregulated and unsupervised
status, particularly in the United States.
Section two gives a brief review of the various forms of
diagnostic procedures that are utilized by alternative medicine
practitioners, such as chiropractic, kinesiology, reflexology, and
others. The premise behind the diagnostic method is explored
briefly, and the scientific basis, including any relevant research, is
discussed. Essentially, all of the diagnostic methods reviewed
were found to have little or no scientific validity.
Section three is a compilation of various forms of therapies,
including chiropractic manipulation, relaxation training, aromatherapy,
homeopathy, biofeedback, and others. Each form of therapy
is analyzed with respect to its origins, the concepts behind the
development of the therapy, the types of disorders that are commonly
treated with it, the course of treatment, the clinical evidence
for and against effectiveness, risks, adverse effects, and, finally, a
risk/benefit analysis. Some of the therapies discussed, such as
biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation, are commonly utilized
in the United States by psychologists and psychiatrists for the
management of psychosomatic complaints, such as anxiety, insomnia,
and chronic pain, and it is not entirely clear why these are
considered alternative therapies. The authors review the relevant
literature regarding each method of treatment and issue a conclusion
based on the potential benefit, as supported by literature, and
the likelihood of side effects or complications.
Section four is a listing of some commonly used herbal and
“natural” products. For each product, a summary is given of the
sources, constituents, presumed pharmacologic action, types of
disorders commonly treated, clinical evidence for and against the
effectiveness of the therapy, adverse effects and potential medication
interactions, and a final risk/benefit analysis.
Section five presents a discussion of common disorders that
may be treated by alternative therapies and a review of relevant
trials addressing the effectiveness of the various forms of alternative
therapy that are in common use for that disorder. For
example, in the case of congestive heart failure, several herbs are
commonly used (not counting digitalis), such as garlic, ginger,
and parsley. It turns out that hawthorn and Terminalia actually do
have significant benefits for mild-to-moderate congestive heart
failure, as supported by randomized, placebo-controlled trials.
There is some risk in using these herbs without medical supervision.
For instance, hawthorn in high doses is said to cause
hypotension and arrhythmias, and may have interactions with
prescribed medications such as nitrates and cardiac glycosides.
Other supplements may have benefits with relatively little risk.
The Desktop Guide also comes with a CD-ROM that is a
searchable version of the text. You can read the text page by page,
skip through the text using the table of contents, or search for
specific topics with the electronic index.
Overall, The Desktop Guide succeeds in its goal of being a
quick reference manual for the busy physician who needs to get
an overview of the types of alternative therapies in common use,
the conditions for which they are used, and the issues relating to
patients’ decisions to seek out alternative forms of treatment. It is
easy to read, constructively organized, and holds up a reasonably
high expectation for the scientific validity of these forms of
therapy
หนังสือเล่มนี้มีการจัดระเบียบไม่เป็นตำราที่ชัดเจน แต่เป็นคู่มืออ้างอิงอย่างรวดเร็วที่มีส่วนที่ทุ่มเทให้กับการวินิจฉัยกระบวนการชนิดที่เฉพาะเจาะจงของการรักษาทางเลือกและอีกหลายกลุ่มวินิจฉัยร่วมกันที่การรักษาทางเลือกที่แตกต่างกันอาจจะใช้ The book is organized not as a definitive textbook, but as a
quick reference guide, with sections devoted to the diagnostic
processes, the specific types of alternative therapies, and several
common diagnostic groups for which various alternative therapies
might be used. For example, if your patient asked you about how
the herbs he was taking might interact with the medications you
are about to prescribe, you could first go to the section on
“Therapies,” and look up “Herbalism,” then go to the section
“Herbal and NonHerbal Medicine” and look up each type of
herbal product your patient is taking. There are also chapters
discussing the legal and cultural influences on the practice of
alternative medicine in Europe, Canada, and the United States
The final two chapters deal with safety concerns and economic
issues. While many consumers of alternative medical treatments
may assume that such interventions are inherently safe, this
assumption is false, and one of the chapters deals with the many
potential problems associated with alternative therapies, not the
least of which is their almost completely unregulated and unsupervised
status, particularly in the United States.
Section two gives a brief review of the various forms of
diagnostic procedures that are utilized by alternative medicine
practitioners, such as chiropractic, kinesiology, reflexology, and
others. The premise behind the diagnostic method is explored
briefly, and the scientific basis, including any relevant research, is
discussed. Essentially, all of the diagnostic methods reviewed
were found to have little or no scientific validity.
Section three is a compilation of various forms of therapies,
including chiropractic manipulation, relaxation training, aromatherapy,
homeopathy, biofeedback, and others. Each form of therapy
is analyzed with respect to its origins, the concepts behind the
development of the therapy, the types of disorders that are commonly
treated with it, the course of treatment, the clinical evidence
for and against effectiveness, risks, adverse effects, and, finally, a
risk/benefit analysis. Some of the therapies discussed, such as
biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation, are commonly utilized
in the United States by psychologists and psychiatrists for the
management of psychosomatic complaints, such as anxiety, insomnia,
and chronic pain, and it is not entirely clear why these are
considered alternative therapies. The authors review the relevant
literature regarding each method of treatment and issue a conclusion
based on the potential benefit, as supported by literature, and
the likelihood of side effects or complications.
Section four is a listing of some commonly used herbal and
“natural” products. For each product, a summary is given of the
sources, constituents, presumed pharmacologic action, types of
disorders commonly treated, clinical evidence for and against the
effectiveness of the therapy, adverse effects and potential medication
interactions, and a final risk/benefit analysis.
Section five presents a discussion of common disorders that
may be treated by alternative therapies and a review of relevant
trials addressing the effectiveness of the various forms of alternative
therapy that are in common use for that disorder. For
example, in the case of congestive heart failure, several herbs are
commonly used (not counting digitalis), such as garlic, ginger,
and parsley. It turns out that hawthorn and Terminalia actually do
have significant benefits for mild-to-moderate congestive heart
failure, as supported by randomized, placebo-controlled trials.
There is some risk in using these herbs without medical supervision.
For instance, hawthorn in high doses is said to cause
hypotension and arrhythmias, and may have interactions with
prescribed medications such as nitrates and cardiac glycosides.
Other supplements may have benefits with relatively little risk.
The Desktop Guide also comes with a CD-ROM that is a
searchable version of the text. You can read the text page by page,
skip through the text using the table of contents, or search for
specific topics with the electronic index.
Overall, The Desktop Guide succeeds in its goal of being a
quick reference manual for the busy physician who needs to get
an overview of the types of alternative therapies in common use,
the conditions for which they are used, and the issues relating to
patients’ decisions to seek out alternative forms of treatment. It is
easy to read, constructively organized, and holds up a reasonably
high expectation for the scientific validity of these forms of
therapy
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