Doctor Believes the Cure for Many Health Problems Cannot Be Found in the Prescription Pad

(Newswire.net — August 19, 2017) Nottingham, Nottinghamshire — You can’t turn on the television today without being bombarded by drug companies telling you to “ask your doctor” about the latest ‘something-itra’ drug that may treat some condition and give you 32 different side effects that could even kill you.

While America’s “War on Drugs” did not include prescription drugs or alcohol, the rise in use and abuse of prescription drugs has exploded.

Over 300% more people are dying from prescription drug abuse than illegal drugs.

“Our reliance on medications has reached alarming levels with 48.9% of Americans using one or more prescription drug over the last 30 days,” stated Dr. Shan Hussain.

But while the increase in prescription drug abuse is exploding, there is hope that the tide is turning.

“Over the years I’ve worked in numerous fields in health care, including emergency medicine, orthopaedics, paediatrics, surgery, palliative care, geriatrics, and I’ve been a general practitioner for the last 10 years. I’ve performed around a million consultations, and I’ve probably seen just about everything. But I’ve always believed the answer to many health problems can’t be found in the prescription pad, and now it seems many of my patients are starting to agree.”

Dr. Hussain has joined a small, but growing number of health professionals who are focusing on their patients from a holistic point of view. While there are certain cases where medications may be appropriate, the first order of diagnosis begins with a person’s lifestyle choices.

Doctors should always discuss relevant lifestyle and preventative options before immediately writing a prescription. For example; a person with hypertension should immediately cease smoking. Their body mass index is a primary factor and losing excessive weight, exercising regularly, cutting out processed and salty foods, reducing stress and a host of other nuances may give a greater benefit than ignoring some of these and taking a prescription.

Dr. Hussain, like all physicians, was formally trained in medical school. All physicians are required to get continuing education or CE credits to maintain their certification. In fact, many of these courses are sponsored by large pharmaceutical companies. With over $20 billion in free samples of drugs delivered to doctors each year, it is no wonder it has resulted in over $300 billion in pharmaceutical sales.

“This is what led me to explore health care beyond the traditional education I received in medical school. As doctors, we were taught to look at a collection of symptoms, examination findings, relevant test results, then reach a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. And this is still what many patients need,” he stated.

His advice may seem obvious and is often overlooked. “But, I always ask myself the question: What is the underlying source of the patient’s symptoms? Why is this person’s health out of balance? And if we identify and reverse that specific imbalance, can we cure their illness without reaching for the prescription pad?”

“Obviously one should never stop any prescription drugs without medical supervision, but the next time you see your doctor, just ask the simple question: “What can I do to avoid or reduce my medication?”

Let’s hope the number of physicians who ask these important questions and offer a more comprehensive solution continues to grow.

###