Do you think medicine is too much about chasing symptoms and not enough about fi

1. 39

   ChristinSposted 12 years ago

   Do you think medicine is too much about chasing symptoms and not enough about finding cures?
   
   It seems to me there are pills for everything under the sun - and the side effects of many of these drugs are worse than the condition they are meant to treat. What can we do to make medicine more about "cures" than bandaids?

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2. 93

   UnnamedHaraldposted 12 years ago

   Unfortunately, the market system realizes more profit from people on medication for the rest of their lives so there is less incentive to cure them (and, by definition, remove their dependence on medication). In contrast, a government providing healthcare for its citizens would definitely be interested in cures to cut costs.

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3. 0

   Steve RNposted 12 years ago

   In my opinion, they are doing everything then can to find a cure about the disease that are a burden around us. unfortunately, lack of resources such as money and time would be a problem. As of now, controlling the symptoms would mean slowing the progression of the disease, that's why they've come up this short term plan.

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   NicholasAposted 12 years ago

   Medicine is all about chasing symptoms. If a cure was found then the corporations making the medicine will lose money without life-long dependance. There is a pill for everything (I believe Chris Rock said it best) and as you said the side effects are usually worse than what someone has. Death is usually listed as a possible side effect in ad's or commercials. Followed by heart attacks, abdominal pain, loss of sight, blurred vision, and so on.
   Unfortunately I don't think medication will be about cures until the all mighty dollar is no longer more important than peoples lives. Some steps have been taken to finding cures for diseases such as Cancer, Aids, and Alzheimer's which is wonderful. Hopefully that continues. It seems like the less life threatening illnesses people have are given the band-aid treatment than cured. Why not cure those?

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   truthfornowposted 12 years ago

   Medicine just makes you feel better for a little bit by addressing the symptoms.  I don't think medicine really cures.  It takes a lot more than just a pill to get a cure.  All these drugs are so expensive that people can't afford them anyways ~ that is the side thing. I am in favor of holistic approaches where people can take pills but also natural alternatives that don't have any side effects.

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   ThompsonPenposted 12 years ago

   modern medicine is definitely about "chasing symptoms", and I don't think we've stopped trying to find cures, but one thing we are severely lacking is locating the cause of the symptoms, the cause of the disease as well as general education on prevention.

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   askahealerposted 12 years ago

   If by medicine, you mean western medicine (traditional md route) then the answer is definitely yes.  Treatment and management of symtpoms is what western medicine seems to be all about.  Having said that, I will also say that I've noticed a trend in the past decade or so toward more emphasis on prevention in western medicine.  I like this trend and hope it continues but, as far as I can tell, the doctor's job is still pretty much to look at your symptoms, assign a name to them and then manage the symptoms ... and the side effects of the drugs.  The side effect of one drug often causes additional symptoms that then must be managed with another drug ... insanity, in my opinion.

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   tyler_richmondposted 12 years ago

   Well it's about both. if you think about it all a disease is is the symptoms, without those then there would be nothing to worry about. So you get rid of the symptoms then your body can fight the rest and you feel better while it dose.

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