Symptoms vs cure.. I am always wondering why we always address the symptoms of a problem vs the real source and find the cure... This is a generic question due to a personal health...

Rongnongno Loc: FL

I am always wondering why we always address the symptoms of a problem vs the real source and find the cure...

This is a generic question due to a personal health issue that demonstrated the different approaches to medicine, and from there I went deeper and realized that in almost everything we want quick relief by diminishing/suppressing the symptoms while ignoring the cause.

Not to worry I am well, a doc who looked at the cause (out of three) cured me.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I have a problem, the first thing I want is relief from whatever pain/discomfort it's causing. Then, I want a good diagnosis. After that, they can repair whatever needs repairing. When a practitioner comes across a severely injured person, easing the pain is his first objective.

In many cases, there is no solution, so relieving pain is all they can do.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

jerryc41 wrote:

.../...

I am not going toward medicine but view over life in general. We want quick fixes, nothing in depth most of the time. This is often demonstrated here, on UHH, when folks ask for a quick fix to their issue(s) w/o trying to understand the causes and learn in the process.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Rongnongno wrote:

I am not going toward medicine but view over life in general. We want quick fixes, nothing in depth most of the time. This is often demonstrated here, on UHH, when folks ask for a quick fix to their issue(s) w/o trying to understand the causes and learn in the process.

Yes, I do like quick fixes. The sooner something, including myself, is fixed, the sooner I can use it. Unfortunately, the rush to get something working often leads to shoddy work, followed by a disaster.

Dannj

I’d say we address the symptoms because they are what make us aware of the problem. The treatment, while eliminating the symptoms, addresses the cause.

ELNikkor

Doc's often comment when the "Meds" section on my health forms are all blank, as well as the list of maladies all unchecked. They say that at 70, that is unusual. Had my share of bashing this and cracking/spraining that over the past few years, but just wait a few weeks and those things repair themselves. Even when had covid, just drank some broth and kicked back for the weekend, by Monday, all was well. Not the path for everyone, but workin' for me.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

ELNikkor wrote:

Doc's often comment when the "Meds" section on my health forms are all blank, as well as the list of maladies all unchecked. They say that at 70, that is unusual. Had my share of bashing this and cracking/spraining that over the past few years, but just wait a few weeks and those things repair themselves. Even when had covid, just drank some broth and kicked back for the weekend, by Monday, all was well. Not the path for everyone, but workin' for me.

I proceed in the same manner. It has worked all this time I'm sticking with it. Lol

anotherview Loc: California

Thanks for your post as an example. I have found the same. Now I characterize the practice of medicine as involving pills, needles, and knives. This view presents an extreme. Truth be that doctors do wonders to treat and cure sick individuals.

After all, if an individual comes down with a serious lung infection, a medical doctor can prescribe a strong antibiotic to defeat it.

Know, however, that most doctors do not learn of optimum nutrition while in medical school. They advocate a balanced diet. This approach omits mention of the efficacy of daily supplements like Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin A, and a multi-vitamin.

I take the position that I look after my health while medical doctors look after my ills.

In closing, I note that melatonin (a natural hormone), taken at bedtime, can promote sound sleep --no drugs necessary. I suggest starting with 1 milligram of melatonin and adding more until reaching the right dosage. As we age, the amount of melatonin secretion drops. Thus, over time, we may have to up the melatonin dosage. Good bye to insomnia.

Rongnongno wrote:

I am always wondering why we always address the symptoms of a problem vs the real source and find the cure...

This is a generic question due to a personal health issue that demonstrated the different approaches to medicine, and from there I went deeper and realized that in almost everything we want quick relief by diminishing/suppressing the symptoms while ignoring the cause.

Not to worry I am well, a doc who looked at the cause (out of three) cured me.

srron Loc: Courtice,On.

There is more money in treating the symptoms than finding a cure.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Rongnongno wrote:

I am always wondering why we always address the symptoms of a problem vs the real source and find the cure...

This is a generic question due to a personal health issue that demonstrated the different approaches to medicine, and from there I went deeper and realized that in almost everything we want quick relief by diminishing/suppressing the symptoms while ignoring the cause.

Not to worry I am well, a doc who looked at the cause (out of three) cured me.

Humans are creatures of habit. Habits are hard to change.

We usually want a quick fix because our lives have been interrupted in some way by a problem our habits led us to encounter. The problem is of our own making, but we can't go back and change the behavior or choices that led to our current predicament. We seek to mitigate the issue or effects or consequences in the short run. Changing course to avoid the same issue in the future is often difficult.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

My automobile was making a knocking sound so I turned up the volume of the radio and it went away. Fixed it..!!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Ron...I hope you read my recent thread urging hoggers to see a cardiologist if there was the least symptom. I got a number of responses indicating personal experiences. I have another one to share. In the past I had pain running down the outside of my leg. As it turned out, I didn't need massages (treating the symptom, as you say), I had spondylolisthesis, a bone pressing down on my spinal column, treatable with p.t. Often, symptoms are guides pointing to the disease.

anotherview Loc: California

Agree: "Often, symptoms are guides pointing to the disease."

SteveR wrote:

Ron...I hope you read my recent thread urging hoggers to see a cardiologist if there was the least symptom. I got a number of responses indicating personal experiences. I have another one to share. In the past I had pain running down the outside of my leg. As it turned out, I didn't need massages (treating the symptom, as you say), I had spondylolisthesis, a bone pressing down on my spinal column, treatable with p.t. Often, symptoms are guides pointing to the disease.

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

jerryc41 wrote:

When I have a problem, the first thing I want is relief from whatever pain/discomfort it's causing. Then, I want a good diagnosis. After that, they can repair whatever needs repairing. When a practitioner comes across a severely injured person, easing the pain is his first objective.

In many cases, there is no solution, so relieving pain is all they can do.

Very true, often cancer is the cause and pain relief is the easiest and best treatment. Very few cancers are easily treatable, and fewer are curable.

Amielee Loc: Eastern Washington State

There are a large number and kind of healers. They can all cure some ailments and fail to cure others. There is a group of healers that spend years and years studying their craft. They can tell you what disease you have and they have specific treatments for it. They can tell you what caused it and if you will get well or if you will not. And they do cure some diseases and they are called "Witch Doctors." The type of healer you choose says more about you than it does about the healer. If I thought my sickness was caused by God for my sins I would hurry to a faith healer or Christian Science Practitioner. If I believed in Science I would go to a conventional doctor. If I wanted immediate relief I would want the symptoms treated. If I wanted a cure I would want the cause treated. Ten years ago when I had Cancer I wanted a cure and I went through prolonged treatment and was damned sick but I got the cure and put up with the discomfort. The choice is yours.