ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE:

FACT OR FICTION?

DAVID I. GROVE

MD, DSc, FRACP, FRCPA, DTM&H

Director of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville

Clinical Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

The University of Adelaide, South Australia

Contents

Preface

1. The popularity of alternative medicine

2. Methods of medical research

3. Accessing further information

4. Acupuncture

5. Divine healing

6. Herbal medicine

7. Homeopathy

8. Hypnotherapy

9. Iridology

10. Meditation, relaxation and biofeedback

11. Naturopathy and holistic medicine

12. Nutritional therapy

13. Osteopathy and chiropractic

14. Miscellaneous therapies

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PREFACE

Do you have high blood pressure and are wondering whether meditation might help? Are you an asthmatic and are toying with trying acupuncture? Has a friend suggested that hypnosis might help your irritable bowel syndrome? Should you take vitamin supplements? Are homeopathic and herbal medicines helpful or dangerous? Can iridologists really diagnose disease? Should you spend your money on naturopaths, osteopaths or chiropractors?

This book provides you with balanced answers to all of these questions and many more. The responses range from yes through maybe to no. Conclusions are drawn from an objective assessment of the many studies of alternative medicine that have appeared in the orthodox medical and scientific literature.

Alternative medicine is an emotive subject and you may wish to investigate further some of the interpretations reached in this book. In order to help you do that, the text is liberally sprinkled with references to the original sources which will enable you easily to do your own research of the literature.

When you finish reading this volume, I hope you will agree that some components of alternative medicine are worthwhile and may be valuable complements to standard medical care. In some instances the jury is still out and we need further information. Finally, there are many forms of alternative medicine that do not deliver the benefits claimed by their proponents.

The prime aim of this book is to help you make an informed decision.

Copyright

Ó David I. Grove 2004

Adelaide, Australia

Copying and printing by individuals for the purposes of private study and consideration is encouraged.

Commercial reproduction is prohibited without permission from the author

Note: this book was first published on the web in 2000. Some chapters were updated in 2004.