Are You Afraid of Snakes?: A Doctor’s Exploration of Alternative Medicine

198 Pages·2017·1.12 MB·English

by  C. Scott Mahan

‘Are You Afraid of Snakes?’
A Doctor’s Exploration of
Alternative Medicine
C. Scott Mahan, MD
MedMaster, Inc., Miami
Copyright © 2017 by MedMaster, Inc.
All rights reserved. This book is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright owner.
ISBN13# 978-1-935660-26-2
ISBN10# 1-935660-26-6
Made in the United States of America
Published by
MedMaster, Inc
P.O. Box 640028
Miami, FL 33164
Acknowledgements
I extend a special thank you to my family and friends who have put up with
my antics for the past five years. My three boys, Connor, David, and Thayer, are
undoubtedly relieved that they will receive a break from my embarrassing
stories. My wife and soulmate, Beth, tirelessly edited multiple iterations of my
book and also allowed me to expose our personal life within the pages. I also
thank my sister, Amy Tamargo, who read and reread my book despite practicing
law and juggling the demands of a family. Also, I’d like to give a shout-out to
my sister-in-law Jamie Mahan who provided proofreading and guidance, and
also to my artistic brother-in-law David Kim, who along with his girlfriend
Molly, produced the book cover. Dr. Stephen Goldberg, the head of MedMaster
publishing, was willing to take a risk and publish a book outside the typical
genre of his publishing house. He also provided excellent editorial support. Last,
I thank the many “alternative” practitioners who poked and prodded me in an
attempt to cure my many maladies. I have attempted to keep their identities
anonymous, but Asheville is a small town so I am sure some will put two and
two together. Nevertheless, I was always treated with compassion – no
exceptions.
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1My Early Exposure to “Alternative Medicine”
Chapter 2What Ails Me
Chapter 3Checking Under the Hood – My Initial Check-up
Chapter 4Heal Thyself – Naturopathy and Homeopathy
Chapter 5Oh, My Aching Back – Chiropractor
Chapter 6Flu Shots for the Boys – Mainstream Medicine
Chapter 7Me, the Porcupine – Acupuncture
Chapter 8Is This Hell? – Hot Yoga
Chapter 9At One with the Earth – Barefoot Running
Chapter 10I Kneed Some Help – Orthopedics
Chapter 11Give Me the Beet – Performance-Enhancing Drinks
Chapter 12Stroke It Like Derek Jeter – Titanium Necklaces
Chapter 13Adjusting my Polarity – Magnet Therapy
Chapter 14You Are Becoming Very Sleepy – Hypnosis
Chapter 15The Cleanse (Not So Simple) – Detoxification Diets
Chapter 16Don’t Touch My Dosha – Ayurvedic Medicine
Chapter 17The Power of Rocks – Crystal Therapy
Chapter 18Fifteen-Yard Penalty for Roughing – Rolfing
Chapter 19Craniosacral Therapy – Molding the Mind
Chapter 20The Final Chapter – Nirvana
Preface
I spent the past five years exploring the wilds of alternative medicine. What is
alternative medicine you might ask? How does it differ from complementary
medicine? Alternative medicine refers to a non-mainstream practice used in
place of conventional medicine, while complementary medicine is a non-
mainstream practice used in conjunction with conventional medicine. Many
disciplines, such as acupuncture, commonly fall into both categories. In
researching this book, I have personally experienced approaches that are often at
odds with my training as an infectious diseases specialist. My explorations
opened my eyes to many different approaches to health and wellness. I have had
my nasal cavity probed, my spine stretched, and my body bathed in crystal
energy. My goal in writing this book is to take the reader behind the closed doors
of alternative medicine to find out what really happens.
As a Western-trained doctor, I often hear my colleagues disparage alternative
medicine, but most of their opinions are based on innuendo rather than a true
examination of alternative practices. In researching this book, I visited each
alternative practitioner with an open mind and a willingness to follow the
prescribed recommendations. In relating my experiences, I hope to both entertain
and educate. In an attempt to limit my bias for or against any particular practice,
I approached each visit as a non-medical person might. Prior to each experience,
I read about the discipline on the practitioner’s website. I also read about each
discipline in Alternative Medicine – The Definitive Guide, which is written by
alternative proponents and therefore presents each discipline from the
perspective of a believer rather than a skeptic.1 I then spent the next month or so
doing my best to follow the advice given, and I reported on whether the malady
for which I sought care has gotten better. Throughout, I described my
experiences and the results in real time. Basically, I performed a trial of one –
scientific method at its worst.
Only when I have completed the experience do I then subject the discipline to
the scrutiny my evidence-based, Western training taught me. I ask if the
purported basis for the discipline is plausible or if it is just a bunch of mumbo
jumbo. I also research the basis and evidence supporting each discipline with the
help of the published literature, which I then summarize at the end of each
chapter. The last five years have been a lot of fun, at times painful, but always
insightful. I look forward to having you join me on my exploration of alternative
medicine.
Despite my use of Alternative Medicine – The Definitive Guide as my
guidebook, you should recognize that information obtained from this source is
not gospel. It clearly trumpets the perceived benefits of alternative therapies
rather than evaluating the pros and cons. Despite its drawbacks, it was the largest
and most complete compendium on alternative medicine at our local bookstore,
and it effectively served to provide background to the theories and proposed
benefits of several alternative disciplines. If interested in the other side of the
argument, I refer you to the following books: Trick or Treatment: The
Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine by Edzard Ernst and Simon Singh;
and Snake Oil Science: The Truth about Complementary and Alternative
Medicine by R. Barker Bausell. For Internet sites that continually update current
information about alternative medicine, I suggest Science-Based Medicine blog,
The SkepDoc by Harriet Hall, MD; New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center’s herbal/botanical database; and The Cochrane Summaries, all
of which can be found with a simple Google search.
Endnote
1 Trivieri, L., & Anderson, J.W. Alternative medicine—the definitive guide (2nd ed.). Ten Speed
Press. 2002.
Introduction
My eyes track the chiropractor as he circles my prone body. I try to stay
relaxed, much as an antelope relaxes while a lion lurks in the tall grass. Finally,
he grasps my head between his brawny arms and gives my neck a high-intensity
crack. I gasp. My next instinct is to wiggle my fingers and toes to make sure I
have not become a quadriplegic. Relief ebbs through me—my bodily functions
are intact. How did I, a Western-trained doctor and self-proclaimed skeptic of all
things “alternative,” end up in this position?
In July 2009, the Centers for Disease Control reported Americans spend over
$34 billion annually on “alternative medicines.”1 The amount spent on visits to
chiropractors, acupuncturists, homeopaths, and other “alternative” practitioners,
and on the medicines they recommend, is beginning to rival the out-of-pocket
costs spent on traditional Western (modern) medicine. Parents are opting not to
have their children vaccinated against lethal childhood diseases due to concerns
of mercury toxicity, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and autism. I even have an
acquaintance diagnosed with HIV who considered taking herbal remedies
instead of his doctor-prescribed anti-viral medications. As a long-time disciple
of Western medicine, I am forced to ask myself . . . What is going on? Has
everyone gone crazy?
I practiced as an internal medicine doctor in the small town of North
Wilkesboro, North Carolina, for several years. I had, and still have, several
standard lines I say to my patients who inquire about the benefits of taking
supplemental doses of various vitamins and herbal remedies. Included among
these is: “If it really works, it likely would be proven.” I then recite that the
National Institute of Health now has a National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine, which funds research on alternative therapy. Therefore, if
a well-designed trial had been conducted proving a therapy’s benefits, we would
know about it. It often appears the makers of these “alternative” or “natural”
drugs have a vested interest in not doing these studies, which are likely to
disprove the touted benefits of their remedies. If the patient is still listening to
me, I usually go on to list examples such as vitamin E, which the medical
establishment almost unanimously believed decreased the risk of heart attack
and stroke. Almost all cardiologists recommended vitamin E to their patients 10-
12 years ago, and to do otherwise bordered on malpractice. Subsequent studies
found that vitamin E did not decrease the risk of heart attack or stroke and
actually increased the risk of heart failure. Finally, I add, “Unless there is a well-
proven benefit, why spend your money on something that is as likely to harm
you as help you?”
By now, you recognize me for the skeptic I am. I have devoted my entire
career to learning the scientific method. I believe in the necessity of well-
designed, randomized, controlled studies to guide medical practices. But even I
recognize the groundswell of enthusiasm for another way. Alas, modern
medicine is largely to blame. The pressure to address patients’ needs in 15-
minute visits, prescribe an expensive medicine for every malady, and the lack of
physical contact permeating current medical practice is undeniable. Alternative
medicine presents a different paradigm, where the practitioner actually takes the
time to listen to patients and helps them design a holistic treatment plan to
achieve well-being.
In response to the growing fascination with alternative medicine, I have
chosen to place my cynicism on the back shelf and undertake a true examination
of its methods. I have an ambitious plan. For the next few years, I will place my
health in the hands of alternative medicine practitioners. I will swallow every
pill and suffer any embarrassment in hopes of finding the true path to well-being.
I will chronicle my experiences, both good and bad, and form an opinion,
subjective as it may be, to the underlying value of each method. First, let me
outline my current beliefs, or some might say “misconceptions,” about various
alternative medicine practices. Despite my skepticism, I am not totally blind to
the potential benefits of the “other way.” I willingly refer my patients to
chiropractors for lower back pain, I dabble in yoga, and I love a good massage as
much as the next fellow. I place practices such as yoga, low calorie diets,
stretching, exercise, meditation, and massage in my “I believe it works”
category. My “maybe it works” category includes chiropractor care for lower
back pain, acupuncture, hypnotism, vitamin C, zinc, and echinacea. My “you
must be kidding” category includes copper bracelets, magnet therapy,
homeopathy, reflexology, and others.
My internal medicine training in Portland, Oregon, followed by several years
of practice in rural North Carolina really piqued my interest in “alternative
medicine.” Portland has a reputation (deservedly so) of being populated by
progressive “granola” types. (I mean no slander here, as my wife, whom I met in
Portland, clearly fits this billing.) In my medical practice in Portland, I was