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Greetings!
This has been a remarkable few months visa a vis attitudes in traditional medicine. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to call it a "sea change." We're seeing the medical establishment backing off of decades old screening recommendations, standard imaging protocols, and certain treatments from antibiotics to stents to statins. In this email I will outline some of these stunning recent developments. There is a tacit admission in the new recommendations that there are some inherent hazards to too much exposure to the medical system. In case you might be wondering "don't you do acupuncture?" next month I will return to acupuncture and your health. But I wanted to alert my patients to these important developments to help you stay healthy and happy!
Thanks and take care!
Kristen Sparrow
P.S. Link to an interview with me in the Examiner. If you know anyone interested in acupuncture, this may be a reasonable introduction.
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When Less Medicine is More, From CT Scans to Antibiotics
issued a set 45 new guidelines recommending fewer tests for patients from low back imaging, to head CT's, to pap smears. Less treatment from GERD medications, to antibiotics to NSAIDS.
New guidelines have shown mammograms not to be as helpful as once thought.
As we covered in a previous newsletter, PSA testing may be of more limited value, also.
We've covered statins before, but there is evidence for statins causing difficulty exercising, problems with cognition, and their link to Diabetes, so some physicians recommend raising the normal cholesterol range to 240. There is also evidence that U.S. patients are getting overdosed with radiation from so many diagnostic tests.
On the positive side, there is this Dutch Study showing that MD's with alternative medicine background, including acupuncture, have patients who live longer and incur lower costs.
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Believing in Treatments that Don't Work
This is a another topic I've dealt with over the years. A nice article from 2009 that discussed bogus treatments from Back Surgery to antibiotics for ear infections.
And if that wasn't all depressing enough, in this Article |
When Treatments Cause Illness
And then the most dispiriting of all, when treatments make you sick.
Medication Injuries on the Rise Medication related injuries leading to hospitalizations has increased by 50% in recent years. (No mention of those treated as outpatient.) Go to the article to see culprits.Two examples of this phenomenon being Fosamax (for Osteoporosis) and Avandia (for Diabetes.)
Even Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause problems leading to Asthma and Renal Failure. And stents can lead to Heart Attacks.I am a firm believer in Western Medicine, but I think it's high time to carefully assess the risk/benefit of treatment and to consider alternatives where applicable.
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Ancient Wisdom Made Modern
 Using both science and time honored teachings to ensure your health of body and spirit. Live long and be well!  |
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