Alternative therapy for AIDS by XLPharmacy

The Key

The key to effective treatment is early detection and intervention. Some early treatments aim to strengthen the immune system, help patients reduce stress, and maintain good nutritional practices and appropriate exercise regimens. Many of the alternative therapies described below place significant emphasis on these lifestyle issues. Taking an active role in any disease is an important adjunct to treatment. Consideration of alternative therapies in conjunction with conventional medicine may offer additional opportunities for persons living with HIV/AIDS to be proactively involved in their treatment.

How to Approach Alternative Therapies

Here are a few suggestions to follow before involved in any alternative therapy:

• Obtain objective information about the therapy. Besides talking with the person promoting the approach, speak with people who have gone through the treatment—preferably those who were treated recently and those treated in the past. Ask about the advantages and disadvantages, risks, side effects, costs, results they experienced, and over what time span results can be expected.
• Inquire about the training and expertise of the person administering the treatment (i.e., certification). If any uncertainty remains, verify the information.
• Consider the costs. Alternative treatments may not currently be reimbursable by health insurance.
• Discuss all treatments with your primary care provider, who needs this information in order to have a complete picture of your treatment plan. People with HIV/AIDS in the United States use many kinds of alternative approaches to treatment. Some of the most common are briefly described below and continue on the Life Positive link shown.

The use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medications has become one of the most commonly used alternative therapies for AIDS. Its use has become so widely accepted that two Chinese Medicine Clinics in San Francisco have been awarded contracts through the SF Health Department`s AIDS Office to provide Chinese Medical treatment to people with HIV.

The contracts are funded by Ryan White CARE Act allocations. Most people with HIV who use acupuncture and Chinese herbs do so in conjunction with western medicine. There are, however, some who use it as their principal form of medical treatment. It is strongly suggested that it be used under the supervision of a licensed practitioner.
...read more at Life Positive

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