Alternative Medicine: Sorting the good from the garbage (part two in a series)

This is part two in a series; read part one here. 

At the 1893 World’s Exposition in Chicago, Clark Stanley cut open a live rattlesnake before a crowd of onlookers. Then he submerged it in boiling water. As the fat rose to the top, he skimmed it off to make “Stanley’s Snake Oil.” Eventually, a federal investigation discovered the real ingredients in Stanley's Snake Oil. (Hint: it wasn't snake oil.) Of course, this was revealed after he’d already sold it to hundreds of eager customers. Ever since then, we’ve used the phrase “snake oil” to describe any and every form of bad medicine out there.

As unique as it sounds, snake oil was just part of a 19th-century trend — selling patent medicines. They were advertised as medical panaceas, despite a disturbing lack of evidence. And it seems as though the trend is reappearing now in the form of salt “cures,” detoxes, fad diets and other wellness gimmicks. But that doesn’t mean that all alternative medicine is bad. In some cases, seeking an alternative is a good thing.  

So how do you tell the difference between real medicine and snake oil?

It’s all about the evidence. Real medicine comes with real evidence, aka science, to back it up. The amount of evidence can vary, but there needs to be at least some evidence that this crazy thing you’re about to try has worked for at least a few people.

“Be an informed consumer,” says Dr. Margaret Amanti, a local family practice physician. “Do not believe everything that you read. It is always good to get a consensus from different sources.”

Both Dr. Amanti and Florida Wellness Medical Group CEO Dr. Edward Leonard say that they are OK with anecdotal, or low-level evidence, but only if most people agree. Science can move pretty slow — sometimes it takes a decade to produce a high level of evidence for a new therapy. In the meantime, it’s kind of a shame to deprive patients of something that might be able to help them.

“I love folk remedies,” admits Dr. Amanti. “I think that some of them are great and some of them are dangerous, and some of them don’t work… I’m a fan of what works.” Her favorite is Vicks VapoRub, which she claims is great for toenail fungus.

Just remember: There is no magic bullet. There is no cure-all. Acupuncture may be great for pain, but it won’t cure cancer. And just because your friend swears by vitamin X doesn’t mean it will do anything for you — you’re two different people with different needs.

With most conditions, there is no one correct treatment, says Dr. Leonard. Doctors must look at the person in front of them and decide which treatment is best for that person, whether it be conventional or alternative.

As much as I’ve avoided alternative medicine in the past, there are some areas where alternative approaches can be helpful, especially when combined with conventional medicine. These include nutrition, dietary supplements and pain management. In the coming weeks we’ll explore each of these aspects of alternative medicine.

Jen Ring discovered her love of writing through the lens of a brand new camera. When she’s not taking photographs, she’s writing about taking photographs and other fun things to do in the Tampa Bay area. Check out her Photographer’s Notebook for photography tips, tricks, and pics, andsubscribe to her newsletter to follow her other adventures. 

This article appears in May 3-10, 2018.