HappyHumanist - 26 February 2008 04:50 PM

For the record: I will continue to take antibiotics if my doctor prescribes them.  She knows more than I do.  And I will never let a chiropractor anywhere near me.  Ever.  Those guys are quacks!

That may have been where I missed it because they are quacks and no one should use them.  I also missed the statement above your post.  Either your snarkiness was missed or I’m brain dead from studying for two different test this week.  I have one tomorrow and one on Friday.  I’ve been dead on my feet lately.  :(

Interstingly, a recent study suggested uncomplicated/routine sinus infections on average resolve at the same time whether or not an antibiotic is prescribed, per a new study in JAVMA (HERE). The hardest thing for those of us strgggling for evidence-based medicine and against quackery is convincing people that their ways of evaluating whether or not something works aren’t reliable. This is almost as hard to do with doctors and scientists as with CAM devotees, since the former see themselves as too smart or educated to be fooled. Sadly, none of us are. Luckily, that’s why we have the scientific method.

There have been times that I’ve had a sinus infection for a month before giving in and seeing the doctor, but the thing is, mine are probably not uncomplicated/routine infections.  I have pretty bad allergies.  Always have and it’s not unusual for me to get sinus infections.  When I do, they are pretty bad and the longer I wait the worse the sinus pressure gets.  Sometimes I can’t tell if it’s a migraine or another sinus infection.  I cease to have the drainage to know the difference.  Thus the reason why I wait so long and it gets so bad.  No, I still have my adnoids and tonsills.  My mother didn’t buy into that and believed we needed them to fight infection.  So, I still have them, if that was going to be your question, like so many other people.  I get tired of it, but have come to expect it.

I saw that study, Brennen.  All I could think about was when I had a sinus infection and it turned into a systemic thing—high fever, chills, you name it!!  But, all we can go on is evidence based medicine.  As I said, I’m not the doctor.  I have read about medical things, I’m not uninformed, but I’m also not fluent in biochemistry or human physiology.

Thanks, Mriana, for the response!!  I hope the tests go well!!

Thanks.  I have another on Friday. JOY!  Not! I really don’t like essay tests, but I love writing essay papers.  One is relaxing, the other is not.  Ask me to write an essay a paper any day and I’m far happier.    Humm… Maybe it’s my “alternative medicine”.