Medical Compromise
by Neil S. Siskind, Esq.
Some of our grandparents lived by the word of their doctor. If the doctor said it then it was gospel. Others however hardly saw a doctor their whole lives and lived to be ninety. But there is a compromise- education and homework. When you have an injury or pain, you may need to see a doctor. But doctors these days are under a great deal of time and financial pressure. You need to be your own keeper and ensure that your doctor gives you the attention and examination you require. You can help your doctor by coming to him with details of your discomfort and knowledge of your problem. Your doctor has the knowledge, but you need to ensure that he or she uses it in your case. Look your doctor in the eye and speak slowly and clearly. Answer his or her questions directly and concisely. Your doctor may know the exact answer to your problem, but you need to be a good patient to make sure he takes the time and puts in the work to get to the proper conclusion. Your doctor's words may be gospel but you may need to be his messenger of information to get that gospel from him or her.
For those who think that doctors do as much harm as good, there is an endless supply of information on the Internet provided by laymen who discuss their own issues across message boards and blogs. If you prefer to handle your own matters (which I do not recommend) at least do it with knowledge and information. There is a ton of it out there. I would caution to never take any medication or withhold from seeing a doctor because it was recommended on the Internet. But for those who refuse to see a doctor, the Internet can at least give you some level of education or experience with problems.
Alternative and preventative medicines are becoming increasingly popular in our culture and are other options when dealing with pain or discomfort. For those that live and (hopefully not) die by the words of their doctor, it may be time to start considering alternatives to prescription medications, which have their own set of problems and effects. You may be surprised how much can be handled by spices, herbs, exercise and proper nutrition. Your doctor may even agree. Certainly you can find an educated doctor that focuses on alternative areas in combination with a traditional medicine practice. For those that prefer to avoid the doctor, you would do yourself a great favor to develop a nutritional diet developed for you by a licensed nutritionist and some self-education on best food and supplementation practices.
