The health care conversation is changing as providers and patients explore non-traditional methods. What are the terms you need to know?
Traditional Western health care
Doctors practicing traditional medicine focus on studying and categorizing the symptoms of an ailment and prescribe a treatment based on case studies of the most common symptoms and effective cures. Compared to a holistic approach, traditional medicine places more emphasis on the treatment protocol and less on how a patient’s lifestyle contributes to the condition.
Holistic health care
Doctors practicing holistic medicine treat the whole person rather than focus strictly the physical symptoms of the disease. Doctors practicing holistic healthcare emphasize the body’s ability to heal itself, focus on a patient-centered model of care, and look at the balance of body, mind and spirit in healing and wellness.
Herbal supplements
Herbal supplements are not considered food or drugs, so they do not undergo the same testing as prescription and over-the-counter drugs and don’t require approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before going to market. Herbal supplements can produce drug-like effects (positive and negative) and can interact negatively with prescribed medications. Manufacturers must meet FDA quality standards for good manufacturing practices, and the FDA can pull a product from the market that is found to be unsafe.
Sources: Natalie Brown, assistant director for communications and marketing, VCOM-Carolinas; Livestrong.com; “Interface: Holistic Health and Traditional Medicine”; MedlinePlus; Mayo Clinic; National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
