Since the beginning of time, humans have had the innate
sense to protect their lives and health. The discovery of and foundational
concepts of medicine started way back before Christ. Then, they used herbs and
plants of the earth to heal their ailments.
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| Ancient Stethoscope |
Medicine today has changed dramatically. It has changed the
way we diagnose, treat and the care of patients. During the 19th
century, medicine took a big climb. The discovery of bacteria, vaccinations to
treat viruses that once wiped out populations. Furthermore, anesthesia was
developed for surgeries and certain procedures. Science, such as pathology,
physiology, microbiology and further research of anatomy were brought about in
this era.
The difference that I thought was most interesting was
between medical technology and our ability to treat disease in this era
compared to how they approached and treated each patient during the 19th
century and previously.
To preface my point; leading up to the 19th
century, doctors weren’t always looked at with respect or as educated,
intelligent humans within their societies, but from what I have read, they all
approached their patient’s with the similar methods. They would inquire about
past illnesses, current appetite, pulse but then they would go on to look at
their eyes, tongue, urine, faeces etc. Importantly they did not go straight
into drug interactions but looked at the physical body and the symptoms that
are shown.
Many doctors in our society get your past medical records
and hear a few of your symptoms and then WACK they give you a drug and send you
out the door as quickly as possible because they have a patient in the next
room that’s ready to be seen.
I have experienced this personally. I had, had several years
of abdominal pain and I went to see one of the so called “top”
gastroenterologist (gut doctor) and he listened to half of what I had to say,
didn’t look me over one bit and slapped some highly expensive medication on me
with lots of side effects and walked out the door. Years down the road I went
to see a Functional Medicine doctor (integrative) and he not only listened to
what I had to say but then did a very thorough examination, such as my tongue,
eyes, skin, physical and emotional problems etc. and recognized right away that
I had many allergies to food. I then went ahead and did further allergy testing
and abstained from all my allergy foods and my symptoms disappeared.
I believe that understanding the patient’s symptoms and
checking all of the most vital parts of the body, where signs of infection,
allergies, toxins can appear, is a large part of medicine that seems to go
unpracticed. The patient care is declining and is it because of technology and
further advances in medicine?
It seems like the more information we receive, the more
research conformed, the more likely doctors will just hear a symptom and
automatically think that they need “Blank” antibiotic or “blank” medication.
They are missing the point. Do you think it is a medication deficiency they
have? Absolutely not! I completely understand that with certain viruses and
bacteria an antibiotic is needed and there are many, many ways in which the
further advances in medicine has saved and changed peoples lives for the better.
My question still states; what has the large amounts of new
information truly done to patient care and our health?
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