Have you ever walked into your local over-the-counter pharmacy and stared at the shelves wondering which bottle will help your cold, flu, sleep, digestive, or pain issues the best? How about the quickest? And within your ideal price range?
It’s pretty common for many of us to pick something and keep our fingers crossed that what we’ve selected will work quickly and effectively, allowing us to get back to our normal daily lives feeling better as soon as possible.
But what if we were to tell you that what you chose may just be a band-aid and not something that will heal the underlying cause?
Unfortunately this happens, leading to worsening symptoms over time because the body doesn’t heal.
This is why we want to share:
3 Insights of Over-the-Counter Drugs Vs. Naturopathic Herbs
1.Symptom Management Vs. Root Cause
If you’ve ever suffered from a tension headache, you know what a relief ibuprofen or acetaminophen can provide. For a quick fix every once in a while, it’s an effective and easy way to feel better.
The same goes for cough syrup, sleeping pills, and acid reducers.
However, these over-the-counter pills just manage the symptoms of an underlying cause. They provide temporary relief (which can be helpful in short-term acute cases), but do not address or heal the root cause of a condition.
So even though that tension headache can go away for a few hours with an over-the-counter, it’s not fundamentally addressing the stress that is causing it.
In contrast, naturopathic herbs work to support the body’s functioning to heal the root cause on its own. They can help strengthen the immune system, calm the nervous system, soothe the digestive track, and even quiet the brain.
This means that rather than reaching for a pain killer for that headache, a natural stress- relieving herb that encourages muscle relaxation and calming of the mind may be a safer and more effective way of treating and confronting the actual issue.
If you find yourself self-medicating frequently or for a prolonged period of time, you may find naturopathic medicine a reprieve to help your body heal rather than just deal.
2.Immediate Relief Vs. Long Term Healing
When it comes to choosing over-the-counter or naturopathic herbs for your issue, you will probably find yourself facing the question of how quickly you want to feel better and for how long.
In western culture, we are apt to wanting things NOW. And feeling better is no exception. Over-the-counter medications can help you achieve instant relief – and sometimes that is essential in order to get through the day.
Over-the-counters can provide temporary reprieve from pain, insomnia, colds, and heartburn – which are good for acute circumstances. But for how long should you take these medications? What are the risks? And is it really helping your body heal?
When it comes to healing the body and being healthy again, naturopathic herbs can be key. It’s true that some naturopathic herbs may take longer to feel the effect, however, they are all excellent for long-term healing and health. For control of acute symptoms that need to be managed more promptly, Dr. Graves may recommend a variety of additional naturopathic therapies (such as acupuncture, cupping, etc.) to get out-of-control symptoms managed while naturopathic herbal supplements begin to work.
3.Purchase Vs. Investment
A trip to the local over-the-counter pharmacy may include small, relatively inexpensive purchases (especially if generics are available) in which your monthly budget may not even notice. This is a great option for settling an upset stomach due to something you ate the night before or stopping your cough for a work presentation you have in an hour.
But how many times do you run into the store for that same medication before you realize it’s time to heal the real issue?
Does your insomnia need to be addressed in order to stop using sleeping pills? How about the heartburn that could be hurting your digestive track? Or the back pain that isn’t getting any better?
This is where a new trip to CNMA may be needed.
And when you do, it’s important to note that unlike a small purchase for over-the-counter medication to treat your symptoms, naturopathic medicine may require more of an investment.
Well-sourced, high quality herbs blended to help the body gain its health back may be worth the extra you spend. Remember…its goal is to fix the underlying root cause of your issue.
In addition, naturopathic herbs may be needed long-term depending on what the issue is that needs to be healed and for how long it has gone untreated. But if the underlying cause is healed before turning into something more serious, the investment can be worth every penny.
If you find yourself self-medicating your symptoms with over-the-counter medications for a long period of time or question whether an over-the-counter medication is your best option, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (303) 688-6698. We are happy to recommend any natural alternatives that may be available.
And if you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the Greater Denver Metro area, please call us or click here to schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to ask your questions and seek advice on what options you may have.
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