Bandage vs. Root Cause Treatments

The branches or the roots

A conversation I am often having with patients is the difference between a bandaid treatment and a root cause treatment. This distinction is important, and something I think is important to understand in order to make informed decisions about your health and health care.

So a bandage treatment is one that only addresses the symptoms, and doesn’t address the reason those symptoms are happening in the first place. For example, an antacid that gets rid of the pain of heartburn by reducing acid content of the stomach, but it doesn’t address why the acid was off in the first place (H. pylori infection? SIBO?) or maybe the spinster at the top of the stomach was open and the issue was never the level of stomach acid but the fact it was getting into the throat (stress?).

Or going on birth control for heavy periods; the hormonal imbalance is still there, but that person isn’t ovulating any more so they don’t bleed too much anymore. A fantastic example of this is endometriosis. Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition affected by sex hormones. Birth control, or a hysterectomy DOES NOT cure endometriosis. I will scream this to the heavens until I die. If someone with endometriosis who had pelvic pain gets a hysterectomy they will absolutely be at risk of still having symptoms and pelvic pain or bowel symptoms without a uterus. Because the issue was never the uterus.

Long term, multi-system healing

A root cause treatment is one that fixes the underlying problem causing the symptoms. Some examples of this are treating stress and anxiety which leads to better LES sphincter tone (the gateway between the esophagus and the stomach) so that stomach acid doesn’t get to the throat in the first place. Or treating insulin resistance so periods aren’t heavy anymore. In a patient who has knee pain because their ligaments are fried, using prolotherapy to strengthen the ligaments will treat the pain long term, rather than avoiding activity and popping pain killers.

Underlying causes of symptoms are often the result of an imbalance that has been happening for a long time, and the longer something has been dysfunctional, the longer it’s going to take to go back to balanced. That is also part of making informed choices about your health care plan, long term fixes often aren’t quick. That doesn’t mean they aren’t worth doing though!

Choosing Treatments

Do not get me wrong, I’m not saying there is no place for symptomatic treatment. Absolutely there is! Comfort and quality of life is super important. Especially when dealing with a problem interfering with your ability to live your life. However I am saying, it should not be the last stop on a health journey.

Root cause treatment definitely has advantages in the long term. They usually lead to sustainable long term change, address any related down stream issues, and reduce frequency and severity of symptoms. Root cause treatments tend not to start working on symptoms right away though. It could be months or possibly a years for that system to be totally balanced. Whereas a bandaid treatment is likely going to start working pretty quickly, but it might have to be taken long term and you usually need multiple bandaids if you have multiple symptoms. Any related downstream issues won’t be addressed either.

Realistically, not every problem’s root can be addressed. If we are dealing with genetic issues, or a syndrome we don’t understand yet, we may not have tools at our disposal. We can’t change genes, and we can’t fast track research. So then a bandaid treatment is all we’ve got for now, and that’s ok. If bandaid treatments are all I have open to me, then I’m going to pick the fewest number of products that cover the most symptoms, because why spend a tonne on supplements if you can get the same result with less?

Ideally, you start with both treatment types at the same time, so the symptoms go away while the root cause treatment has time to start working. Then, you can take away the bandaid treatment and see if the symptoms stay gone, and then start working on going off the root cause treatment once the imbalance is corrected.

I hope this helps clear up the different types of treatments that exist, and the next time you’re in at your naturopathic or medical doctor, you can make informed choices about your health and treatment options!

References

None – personal philosophy/opinion!

About Dr. Shannon Ferguson, ND

Dr. Shannon is a Naturopathic Doctor and RMT in Calgary, Alberta. To learn more about Dr. Shannon or Naturopathic medicine, email her or book a complimentary 15 minute visit at Country Hills Massage Therapy by calling 403-547-2243 or scheduling online.

This website is not to be used as a diagnostic or treatment tool. Always consult with your Medical Doctor or Naturopathic Doctor for specific concerns. In cases of medical emergencies visit your nearest hospital or call 9-1-1.

The branches or the roots

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