Since no one came to clinic this week, I used my time wisely by bonding with fellow classmates and supervisors. On Monday, the topic of alternative medicine was discussed and I decided to look up any natural treatments for ear related problems.
I found an article called Alternative Medicine and Hearing which included a survey given to audiologists, otolaryngologists, hearing aid dealers, and family practitioners from Illinois to evaluate their knowledge on natural treatments. Sweet oil, cottonballs, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, olive oil, ear candling/coning, hair dryer, and hot candle wax were some treatments the professionals were familiar with. The professionals reported that patients 61 years and older most frequently used home remedies. One-third of respondents reported seeing damage caused by use of home remedies.
I thought that this article was interesting and much different from the pure medical research. Being from rural WV, I know many people who still rely on the land so it may be necessary to at least be familiar with alternative meds.
Here's the article:
Nungesser, N., & Bierman-Mulvey, N. (2003, Nov. 4) Alternative medicine and hearing: Cultural influences, clinical implications. The ASHA Leader, pp. 6-7.
http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2003/q4/f031104b.htm
Here's a site with many different suggestions for alternative treatments (this is not evidence based research, just some neat stuff):
http://earthclinic.com/
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3 comments:
Katie,
That is a very interesting article. Some of the most common questions I get when people find out my major is about natural remedies for their ailments. Thanks for the information! :)
Katie I love the article!! It's great that we (patients) have other alternatives besides medicine!! I think it's great to be open minded
Rural WV definitely does influence what kind of treatments people use. I have heard MANY people talk about ear candling, and it's good to have a resource that not only describes potential benefits from natural remedies but also the potential risks. Thanks for the info.
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