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Hospitals can
be difficult places, but for those of us wanting to
use alternative therapies while in the hospital, it
is like looking at the moon through blinds.
Alternative therapies, or complimentary therapies
offer us so much. Yet when we are in the hospital
this therapy is no longer available to us.
Something we used every day perhaps is just out of
our reach when hospitalized.
Well you
might be thinking, do that many people use
alternative therapies? Here are the results of a
study that looked at exactly that. A random sample
of 100 people that were hositalized were asked if
they used alternative therapies regularly. Of that
sample, 80 people said that they did and 60% of
that 80 paid for it out of their pocket. When asked
if they told their MD that they used alternative
therapies, 90% of them said no, they were afraid
to. What does that tell you ?.... YOU GOT IT.....
hospitals are not that bright. Well, let me
rephrase that, most hospitals. There are some
catching on, for what ever the reason ( probably
money :-)
What are your
options for alternative care when in the hospital?
There are a couple. First, your physician should be
one that supports alternative care. YES!!! there
are a few out there. If this is not the case, then
find out if the hospital can offer you something.
The hospital I work for does offer reflexology,
therapeutic touch and therapeutic massage. You are
not going to find it on your daily menu, but ask
about it. If they do not and you have a
practitioner that you go to, or herbal remedies
that you take, approach your MD. All he can do is
say "No". Most likely because he(or she) is not
very knowledgeable about it and is a bit
uncomfortable with it. The simple fact is that if
the consumer does not start to demand the
intergration of complimentery medicine with
traditional medicine it will be a long time
before the blinds are lifted.
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