Is Alternative Medicine Safe or Effective?

Whitney Hopler

One morning you wake up with a fever, sore throat, and chest congestion. Do you schedule a doctor visit for an exam and an antibiotic prescription, or do you make yourself a cup of tea with lemon and honey, then take some Echinacea and vitamin C? You injure your back while working in your yard. Are you more likely to seek help from a doctor, or call an acupuncture specialist or chiropractor? You feel tired most of the time, and barely have enough energy to complete your basic daily responsibilities. Do you go to a lab for a blood test, or try relaxation exercises to help you sleep better at night? The lump you had been hoping was benign is actually malignant. Do you schedule surgery, chemotherapy or radiation? Do you change your diet? Do you attend a healing service at a local church?

Many treatment options are available to you whenever you're sick or injured. Both conventional and alternative treatments can prove very helpful. But conventional treatments might be limited or unnecessarily invasive to your body, and alternative treatments might not be effective, or even safe. Finding the best path to take to healing means turning to God for guidance and thoroughly investigating your options before you decide.

Here are some principles to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine treatments:

Adapted from Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook, copyright 2001 by Donal O'Mathuna, Ph.D. and Walt Larimore, M.D. Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Mich., www.zondervan.com, 1-800-727-3480.

Donal O'Mathuna, Ph.D., has his doctorate in medicinal chemistry (studying herbal remedies) from The Ohio State University and his masters in theology from Ashland Theological Seminary. He is currently professor of bioethics and chemistry at Mount Carmel College of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio, and a fellow of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity in Chicago. Walt Larrimore, M.D., is best known as the host of Ask the Family Doctor on The Health Network, where he hosted the world's first live birth on the Internet. He serves as vice president of Medical Outreach for Focus on the Family. He has coauthored and teaches The Saline Solution, a course offered through the Paul Tournier Institute of the Christian Medical Association that trains doctors to incorporate their faith into their practice.

Have you ever tried an alternative medical treatment for an illness or injury? If so, how did you decide to do so? Did the treatment prove safe and effective for you? Why do you think it's important to consider alternative treatments in addition to just conventional ones? Why do you think it's important to thoroughly investigate any medical treatment? Visit Crosswalk's forums to discuss this topic by clicking on the link below.

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