As you may, or may not know, besides being a rock start EMT and a full time desk jockey, I dabble in massage therapy. No wait, I shouldn't say dabble. I took the full course and passed the national exam.
During my time at Overpriced and Arrogant School for Massage, I was well, lets call it unpopular. Why you ask? Because I challened a lot of their seemingly hippy dippy, koombiya type theories. With the medical background of being an EMT, a lot of times, things just didn't add up. Granted, my massage schooling included many sciences such as A&P, Pathophys and Kinesiology (which I thoroughly enjoyed), but there were the other classes. Does this make me an expert on any of these subjects? Hell no. (We'll just clear that up right now.) It does however, help me in identifying muscle groups, ensure that I am aware of contraindications and recognize when someone needs to see a MD.
In reading several of the blogs out there, I understand that there is little to no love for the natural healing folks and honestly, I get it. Even so, there is a time and a place for a good massage whether it be as a rehab suppliment or just for plain old relaxation.
I'm not sure if the medical field is feeling that the natural healers are impinging on the territory of 'real' medicine or that they just aren't qualified enough to make the decisions they do. (Please feel free to share your thoughts...) Now, in no way does this mean that I believe hydrotherapy is going to help with a CVA. In fact, I think that is not only rediculous, but incredibly and completely stupid.
Do I think that massage can be very beneficial? You bet. Do I think that I can make a difference with just massage. Most times, yes. Do I think that all natural medicine is credible. Absolutely not. Do I think that I know everything? Heck no. Maybe that is the key. Knowing when natural medicine has met it's limits and knowing when to refer out to a medical facility.
I guess what I am trying to say is, there is a place and time where natural medicine may be a decent alternative to treating some ailments. Do I want to smack the everlovingshit out of someone who thinks that waving a crystal around their body will cure their hypertension, you bet your sweet ass I do. But don't give us all the bad rep, just because there are some that seriously enjoy their Coocoo for Cocoa Puffs. We're not all crazies. I promise.
2 comments:
Bernice,
Excellent point with your theory on alternative medicine. I firmly believe that there are a lot of things in nature, and in wholistic healing that should not be discounted. That being said, the parents who refuse to treat kidney failure with anything more than prayer should be forced to undergo their own kidney failure. But I digress. I think the point you are trying to make is that everything in moderation is good. And sometimes trying something new is a good thing. And people should be open to these two points. Great post!
Thanks, that is pretty much what I was trying to say. I think it is more frustrating for me knowing that there are some benefits to natural medicine, but then you have the whackadoos that are out there that go over the edge and ruin it for the rest of us and make us all look like toolbags.
Post a Comment