How long does it take to feel better?
The World Health Organisation (WHO), defines health as 'a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. (WHO 1946) I am sure I sound like a broken record when I say "there is no quick fix and this is going to take time".
How Long does it Take to Feel Better? It is an important question, but can we answer it? We all want an indication as to how long will it take for us to feel better again. There are a couple of things to consider.
Acute vs Chronic
It depends on how chronic or acute a condition is. An acute condition, such as a cold, will respond relatively quickly if your immune system is working well. A chronic health concern will take a lot longer to resolve, and when you return to a state of better health, this will become the new 'normal'. For example, a person experiencing chronic pain who reduces their pain scale from a 10/10 to 7/10 is moving in a positive direction. For them, a new type of feeling well.
How Long did it Take you to Get to This State of Ill Health?
A critical part of this question is; how long did it take you to get to this point of dis-ease or dysregulation? How long was the lead up? What events occurred before becoming unwell? Was there a significant upheaval? Divorce? Death in the family? Diet and lifestyle choices; were they able to support you long term and during this time? We see a lot of chronic, multifactorial health conditions in clinic. These conditions take months even years to develop. It can take quite a while for a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes we forget how unwell we felt before embarking on complementary medicine. It is easy to take one tub of vitamins, make no lifestyle changes and say it never worked. Complimentary medicine works to support the body as a whole. It gives the body a 'nudge' in a positive direction. However,despite what companies or individuals may suggest, unfortunately, there is no quick fix. Asking your body to recover over one herbal formula is like going for one 40 minute walk expecting to lose weight. How long! Obviously we can never give a definitive answer to this question. Nevertheless I have always been taught, as a general rule, for every year you have been unwell, you need to look at one month's treatment. For example, if you have been ill for five years, you are looking at LEAST 5 months treatment.
I believe it takes a little longer, as people often forget the 'lead-up', or haven't even considered it. This does not mean you take a few supplements and do nothing else. Complementary practitioners will aim to pinpoint the cause of the dis-ease. Ongoing treatment and check-ups are invaluable in the healing process, as is a healthy trust and relationship with your practitioner. So, when you take into account, how long it took you to get to a certain point of ill health, hopefully, you can see why one tub of vitamins/herbs may not work. Patience and persistence is the key. Your health and wellbeing is your responsibility, and any move you make in a positive direction will lead you closer to feeling better.
|| References ||
Scully, J 2004, 'What is a disease?, EMBO Reports, vol.5, no.7, pp.650-653, viewed 3 May 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1299105/
