When you have a problem with your health, what do you do? We imagine you probably take a trip to your GP to find out what’s gone wrong. But you should be aware that there are a number of other possibilities when you are looking to treat an illness or a condition. Here are the available options to you and ones we think you should certainly consider.

Your Local GP

Typically this is the option most people will choose for one reason or another. But it’s true to say that there are certain negatives attached to this possibility. If you go to a GP, you’re probably looking at wait times that will be quite long, particularly if you need a referral. It could be weeks or even months before you get the treatment that you need. As well as this, there are some options your GP won’t be able to give you. For instance, you might have trouble with your skin. The best treatment for severe acne is a drug called Accutane. However, it is not available through the NHS. Instead, they will offer you a different treatment plan that isn’t as effective.

Many people also believe that GP’s are not as effective at treating more serious illnesses such as cancer.

A Private Doctor

It is possible to pay for medical insurance. By doing this, you will be able to get treatment for an illness or condition from a private hospital. Here, the wait times are shorter, and you will have access to the best treatments and procedures. You may think that you’ll have to travel to find a private hospital. But typically, you can find one local to you within driving distance. You can even wait until you are diagnosed with an Illness by your GP and then proceed with treatment through the private system. You just have to make sure you let your GP know this is what you intend to do, and they will arrange it for you.

Other advantages include the possibility to get procedures that aren’t covered by the NHS. These are usually procedures that are more expensive or aren’t necessary but will improve your quality of life.

Alternative Treatments

Depending on your condition, you may instead opt for an alternative medical treatment. Recently, a report revealed the worrying number of people who go to their GP for minor problems. In almost all of these cases, they are given some form of drug to cope, typically something as simple as paracetamol. This could be for trouble sleeping, stress or anxiety. However, a small minority are trying alternative treatments for these types of problems. For instance, acupuncture has been shown to be very effective at relieving stress. Using acupuncture needles are placed on the pressure points on your body. This relieves the build-up of pain and anxiety.

There are alternate treatments for almost every medical condition you can think of. In most cases they are readily available. Whether you will want to try them will depend on how much faith you have that they could be effective. There is evidence on both sides of the line in this instance.