Patients & Complementary Therapy – Irish Study

A summary of the details of a new Irish study has shown that a significant number of patients use alternative and complementary medicines without informing their GP, despite the fact that these may negatively interact with conventional medicines. The article is published by Irish Health.

“We found that a significant number of patients were using alternative and complementary medicines, with the majority not disclosing this to their GP and a significant proportion having chronic medical conditions for which they were also taking conventional medicines,” the researchers explained.

I think if research was conducted on the disclosure by clients to their complementary therapist in relation to their use of conventional medicine the findings would be similar. My experience in the area of Yoga teaching and Yoga therapy, in Dublin, is that students/clients quite regularly do not disclose relevant information in relation to specific physical conditions and the taking of prescribed medication.

While clients complete a confidential health questionnaire, additional information is frequently revealed though dialogue and verbal questioning. Clients often do not appreciate the importance of full disclosure in relation to their medical situation. It is as if there is a perception that medical treatment and complementary treatment are separate and that what is prescribed by one may not relevant to the other.

The point is that they are mutually supportive.

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