Safety and Risks
Before considering utilizing integrative health therapies:
Always consult with your physician before beginning any complementary or alternative medicine therapy, because some therapies may interfere with standard treatment.
Being an informed health care consumer when considering integrative therapies is important. Ways to gather information before starting any therapy include:
- consulting your physician.
- researching on the Internet.
- researching in the library (books, articles, and scientific journals).
- speaking with others who have tried the therapy.
- looking for controlled, scientific studies about the therapy, whenever possible.
What warning signs may indicate a fraudulent therapy?
According to the American Cancer Society, if a treatment has the following warning signs, it is better to avoid it:
- treatment based on unproven theories
- treatment that promises a cure
- patient is told not to use standard/conventional medicine
- treatment is a secret and can only be give by certain providers
- treatment requires travel to another country
- treatment providers discount standard/conventional medicine
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