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5 Controversial Medical Treatments Still Used Today

Pensacola Medical Malpractice

Pensacola medical malpractice is a controversial issue nationwide, pitting doctors and hospitals against lawyers and patients in a he-said, she-said battle over healthcare providers’ responsibility, the cost of malpractice insurance, and so-called “tort reform” measures in states that limit recoveries for devastating harm inflicted upon victims of Pensacola medical malpractice.

Controversial Medical Treatments

It’s easy to look back at medieval medical practices and wonder how they ever thought it would work. Theories about the four bodily humors may seem quaint in retrospect, but given the way medical knowledge and technology evolves, it’s almost certain future generations will look back at medicine in our time and similarly wonder what we were thinking.

So which controversial medical treatments are still in practice? Here’s a look at a few.

1. Removing Part of the Skull to Relieve Pressure in the Brain

As WebMD notes, a craniectomy for patients suffering from brain swelling can save a person’s life, but also leave them permanently disabled. A recent study found that the procedure “can drastically reduce risk of death, with about 30 percent of patients dying following the procedure compared to 52 percent of those treated with standard medical care,” but at the same time, “people treated with a craniectomy were three times more likely to wind up in a vegetative state … and often were as likely to suffer long-term disabilities as patients receiving standard medical care.”

2. Chiropractic Treatments

It’s a running theme — among non-chiropractors of course — that chiropractors aren’t medical doctors. And as a recent Pain Science article noted, “The concepts of chiropractic are not based on solid science and its therapeutic value has not been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt.” Which is not to say chiropractic treatments don’t work, just that their scientific basis hasn’t been established.

3. Electroshock Therapy

Ernest Hemingway blamed it for his memory loss and diminishing writing ability late in his life. According to Live Science, “Today, the therapy is safer, because patients receive anesthesia and electricity doses are much more controlled … Still, the treatment can impair short-term memory and, in rare cases, cause heart problems.”

4. Leech Therapy

If you thought doctors stopped applying leeches to patients in the dark ages, think again. Heathline notes that leech therapy is making a comeback, treating “nervous system abnormalities, dental problems, skin diseases, and infections.” Even Demi Moore thinks so.

5. Maggot Therapy

Battlefield surgeons first started to notice that injured soldiers would heal more quickly in the field if flies laid eggs in their wounds. Later studies revealed that fly larvae “secrete digestive enzymes that can dissolve the wound’s dead and infected tissue, a process known as debridement.” Even though the FDA cleared maggots for medical use in 2004, it doesn’t sound all that appealing.

Pensacola Medical Malpractice laws are aimed at protecting the patient from negligent medical treatment. These cases usually arise when the patient has been injured due to the improper actions of a healthcare professional. Take note, though–these cases can also arise through the inaction of the healthcare professional.

Joe Zarzaur is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney whose firm is dedicated to promoting community safety since 2007. OUR AREAS OF PRACTICE: Serious Personal Injury, Product Defect, Auto Accidents, Cycling Accidents, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Products Liability, Wrongful Death, Community Safety, Boat and Jet Ski Accidents, Slip and Fall Injuries, and more. Licensed in Alabama and Florida.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident and are suffering from delayed symptoms, it is important to consult with a Board Certified Trial lawyer who has the knowledge and experience to help you. We know accidents can be stressful and want to make the process as easy as possible for you. Call Zarzaur Law, P.A. today at (855) Hire-Joe for a free legal consultation or visit www.zarzaurlaw.com.