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Many of our compatriots explain their attachment to traditional medicine quite simply: “Grandma did this all her life, and I do it.” Admittedly, sometimes against the background of non-traditional methods of treatment, you can really feel better. But, as a rule, this is either the result of a placebo, or a banal coincidence.
In the case of serious illnesses, relief comes for a short time. Although supporters of traditional medicine have their own counterargument to this argument: “Even if it doesn’t help, it definitely won’t make it worse.” And this is the most dangerous misconception about the treatment of folk methods. Alternative medicine in many cases is not only ineffective, but also unsafe.
Fasting for health
Therapeutic starvation in recent years has become one of the most popular methods of “cleansing the body” and “preventing all diseases.” Regularly repeated refusals of food can cause serious illnesses and lead the lover of this healing method straight to intensive care.
During fasting, there is a sharp decrease in the intake of carbohydrates in the body, and the body begins to take energy not only from glycogen, but to break down fats, which leads to a rapid accumulation of ketone bodies (in other words, acetone), and limiting the intake of protein food leads to a decrease in muscle tissue. During the period of refusal of food, toxic substances formed as a result of the breakdown of fat cells may not be fully excreted, accumulate in the intestines, kidneys and be absorbed back into the blood, poisoning the entire body.
Some advocates of fasting with a “healing” purpose refuse not only food, but also water, although it is well known that it is vital to drink enough liquid throughout the day. During dry fasting, uric acid accumulates in the body, the salts of which, taking the form of crystals, settle in the joint cavity. The result – gouty arthritis and severe pain attacks even at a young age.
Urinotherapy
Despite the absurdity of the method, it remains one of the most popular among fans of alternative medicine. Thousands of people continue to drink urine, gargle with it, make compresses out of it, considering urine almost a panacea for all ailments. In reality, the only thing such a “treatment” can lead to is kidney failure.
Urine, in addition to water, contains minerals and other organic compounds that are formed as a result of metabolic processes occurring in the body. Urine is actually waste that the body gets rid of naturally. But adherents of urine therapy persistently continue to return all these substances, among which there are toxins, into their body.
At the initial stage of treatment with urine, some patients may indeed feel relief. The whole reason is in corticosteroid hormones, which are contained in urine. They temporarily relieve physical discomfort and pain. But the disease itself cannot be cured. But toxins that constantly enter the body with urine can quite realistically irritate the intestinal walls and cause diarrhea.
By the way, applying urine compresses to wounds in the hope of quick healing is also not worth it, because many people’s urine is not sterile. And this is the easiest way to infection and suppuration of a place with damaged tissues.
Instead of nose drops – caustic liquids
Arguing that drops from the common cold can be addictive and some of them are contraindicated in children, supporters of traditional medicine use all kinds of natural substances instead of pharmaceuticals – from breast milk to aloe juice, onion or garlic.
The advice to use breast milk is based on the fact that this product contains protein substances – immunoglobulins, which help the body resist infections. It’s like that. But it is important to understand that the necessary protective substances are also present in the nasal mucosa, and in a higher concentration. And therefore, there is no sense from breast milk with a cold. But the juice of onion or garlic, without exaggeration, is dangerous. Getting into the nose, it causes a burn of the mucous membrane. Well, do not forget that such treatment is far from sterile – there is always a risk of infection.
Cleansing with vegetable oil
Another folk recipe used by more than one generation is cleansing with vegetable oil. Some “healers” advise using the product on an empty stomach with yellowing of the eye sclera, pain in the right hypochondrium.
Usually the results of such a “treatment” are not long in coming. Fever, severe pain in the abdomen, vomiting – this is not a sign of “cleansing”, as some believe, but symptoms of hepatic colic and calculous cholecystitis.
The danger of cleansing with oil increases even more if there are already stones in the gallbladder (often many do not even know about their presence). Under the influence of oil, the formations begin to move, go into the bile ducts and get stuck there. The result is acute calculous cholecystitis, with hepatic colic and obstructive jaundice, and emergency surgery.
Oriental medicines
Well, who has not heard that oriental medicine can work wonders and doctors treat any disease with herbs. And some of our fellow citizens not only heard, but also try to be treated by oriental methods on their own. Moreover, “miraculous herbs” for therapy are bought on the market, on the Internet in one-day stores, on the advice of strangers. Soon after treatment with such plants, many find themselves in a hospital bed.
The whole reason is that if you resort to medicinal plants, then you should buy them exclusively in licensed pharmacies, and before you start any course of herbal treatment, you must definitely consult a doctor, as Paracelsus said: “Everything is a medicine and everything is poison.” Any non-compliance with the dosage, ignoring contraindications and side effects can lead to very serious consequences. Moreover, among the herbs recommended by traditional medicine, poisonous plants are often found, a slight overdose of which can lead to death.
“The bath cures everything!”
Angina, flu, fever – all these folk “healers” are treated with a “bathhouse”. In fact, when the temperature rises, the bath is categorically contraindicated. Also, do not be deceived that hot steam will kill bacteria and viruses. To do this, it is necessary that the body warms up to a temperature that is detrimental to microorganisms, which is practically impossible. But what a hot bath can do is provoke the rapid development of the inflammatory process. The only case when a bath can serve as a prevention of a cold is in case of hypothermia: the steam will help you warm up faster.
By the way, jumping from the steam room into the ice water after the steam room is also not the most useful for a not quite healthy human body. Especially if you have heart disease. Such procedures can result in a heart attack. And it can happen even a day after the bath.
“Miracle” kerosene
Alternative medicine for sore throats advises rinsing with kerosene. And this is perhaps the worst thing that can be done in case of illness. This substance, getting on the mucous membrane of the throat, irritates it, causing a burn. In addition, during such procedures, kerosene can cause burns to both the esophagus and trachea. In severe cases, provoke depression of the respiratory center and paralysis.
Rubbing with alcohol at elevated temperatures
It is difficult to say what prompted the thought of the medicinal properties of this method, but such a technique for lowering body temperature is absolutely wrong. Firstly, due to rapid evaporation, alcohol-containing products cool the skin very sharply and this is accompanied by extremely unpleasant sensations for the patient. Secondly, alcohol tends to be absorbed through the skin very quickly. If this technique is applied to a small child, it is easy to cause alcohol intoxication in him.
By the way, being treated with vodka and alcohol tinctures “inside” is also a bad idea. Such a “medicine” will not destroy the infection in the body, but it can even worsen the condition due to toxic effects on the liver.
Inhalation over potatoes
Another bad piece of advice from the “grandma always did that” category. With a cold, the dry air of the room irritates the mucous membranes of the throat and nose, further worsening the patient’s condition. But steam inhalation from potatoes is not a solution to the problem. It is much safer and easier to use a pharmacy inhaler or nebulizer. But the inhalation of hot steam from the pan can result in a burn of the respiratory tract. If you also add essential oils for such inhalation, then you can provoke a spasm of the bronchi or larynx (often happens in children), or cause a severe allergy attack. Well, do not forget that any careless movement during such a folk procedure can lead to a burn with boiling water.
Banks against cough
The use of cans as a method of treatment, modern medicine is skeptical. There is a lot of conflicting research results on the benefits and harms of this technique. But still, most experts agree that if cans can still be useful for relaxing overloaded muscles (as a kind of massage), then they are completely useless for treating bronchitis or a cold. Moreover, the inept use of devices causes severe hematomas on the body, which also pose certain health risks, especially if there are problems with the vessels.
“Steam legs and mustard plasters”
This is perhaps the favorite folk method of treating a cold. But also the most useless. First of all, you need to understand that soaring your legs at elevated temperatures is undesirable, since the procedure can further increase the temperature. In addition, such treatment has no scientific justification, but the risk of thermal burns is not excluded. Yes, and mustard is not suitable for everyone, as it can cause irritation and allergies. Especially in small children. Therefore, this method should also be abandoned.
So what to do?
Folk methods are not as harmless as it might seem at first glance. Moreover, many of them are truly dangerous. Therefore, with any suspicion of a disease, it is important not to self-medicate, but to consult a specialist – a qualified doctor. Only a comprehensive examination allows you to make an accurate diagnosis, and on the basis of these data, the doctor can draw up an adequate treatment program. Remember, the most dangerous thing for a patient with a serious illness is lost time. In medical practice, there are many cases when patients died only because they did not go to the doctor in time, because they believed that they could be cured by folk methods themselves.