Opinion: Why alternative medicine can feel so much better than mainstream health care
Many patients find alternative medicine more satisfying than mainstream healthcare not because of proven efficacy, but because of the time, attention, and sense of care it provides. While conventional medicine prioritizes evidence-based treatments and population-level safety, it often leaves patients feeling dismissed or unheard. Alternative therapies, even if no more effective than placebos, can produce real symptomatic relief through the therapeutic relationship and the body's response to perceived treatment.
- ▪Conventional medical appointments often involve long waits and brief interactions, leaving patients feeling neglected.
- ▪Alternative practitioners like acupuncturists and massage therapists frequently spend more time with patients, contributing to a greater sense of being cared for.
- ▪Placebo effects from alternative treatments can trigger real physiological responses, such as the release of endogenous painkillers.
- ▪Some alternative therapies, such as ozone infusions, carry serious health risks despite being offered in wellness clinics.
- ▪Herbal remedies used in alternative medicine can be beneficial but are difficult to standardize due to inconsistent dosing.
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OpinionFirst Opinion Why alternative medicine can feel so much better than mainstream health care It’s not about the evidence. It’s about time and attention Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article China Photos/Getty Images By Hannah KermanApril 29, 2026 Kerman is a physician in New York City. If all goes well — which is to say if you are generally healthy — you mostly experience the doctor’s office as an inconvenience, going to primary care appointments that are an hour of waiting for 20 minutes of care. If you’re ill, you fall into a Kafka-esque labyrinth of specialists, waiting rooms, and prior authorizations.
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