Essay Example on Non-Western Healing Systems: A Comprehensive Overview

Introduction

Non-western healing system refers to a combination of diverse health care and medical products and practices which are not currently regarded as part of conventional medicine. The system is also known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The list of health practices considered as CAM transforms continually as CAM therapies and practices which are proven effective and safe are accepted as mainstream medical practices (Moodley 63). The system may be categorized into five main domains, which include energy therapies, body-based techniques, mind-body interventions, alternative medical systems, and biologically-based treatments.

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Description

The system originated as a written form back in 200 B.C. Alternative medicine (AM), which falls under the non-western system, is commonly classified with complementary medicine (CM). The latter refers to therapies that complete allopathic/traditional medicine and are applied to conventional medicine. AM refers to therapeutic methods used in place of cultural medicine to improve or cure a disease.

Examples of non-western treatment systems include Ayurveda initiated by Indians over 5,000 years ago, insists on a special treatment per individual circumstances. It involves the treatment, including herbs, yoga, massage, diet, and meditation. Homoeopathy utilizes minute doses of an element that causes body symptoms and signs to produce a self-healing response (Moodley 63). Naturopathy concentrates on a non-invasive cure to assist the body carry out its healing. Alternative and complementary or traditional medicine includes Tibetan, Pacific Islander, Chinese, American Indian, and Asian practices.

The system is based on medical approaches proved to be effective and safe with appropriately designed research and examinations (Ibeneme 15). However, multiple traditional treatments lack concrete studies on which to establish sound decisions. Therefore, threats and potential benefits of many alternatives and complementary treatment remain unproven. Moreover, the system is built upon beliefs that the human body can cure itself. Therefore, healing typically involves marshaling many methods incorporating body, mind, and spirit.

Treatment is usually individualized and relies on signs and symptoms presented. The types of illnesses treated by the system include hypertension, sickle cell, diabetes, and cardiomyopathies (Moodley 63). Moreover, the majority of traditional practitioners are good at treating snake bites, eliminating neck tuberculosis, treating whitlow, and curing an aching tooth. Other health conditions harmonized by traditional specialists include male circumcision, abdominal surgery, midwifery, and cutting of the umbilical cord.

Non-Western Practitioners

A non-western practitioner offers medical attention in the community he/she lives applying incantations, minerals, herbs, animal parts, and other forms based on individuals' beliefs and culture. The specialist must be viewed by his/her community to be trusted, experienced, versatile, and competent (Sodi 351). Spiritualists, seers, diviners, witch doctors, priestesses, midwives, high priests, and herbalists are considered as competent practitioners. In certain cultures, they are identified by their local names according to their ethnicity. Also, many of them dress in particular peculiar attire with feathers, eyes painted, and headbands.

Traditional or alternative and complementary healing system is perceived as a combination of practice and knowledge utilized in preventing, diagnosing, and eliminating illness. Therefore, a practitioner may attain treatment position via previous experience and observations passed over one generation to another either spiritually by ancestors or verbally continually in forms of narratives.

Also, it is claimed that before achieving traditional knowledge, one is often required to be constrained into a secret community (Moodley 63). The reason is, many features of traditional treatment can only be passed over to initiates. Some practitioners, such as seers, spiritualists, and diviners, are born into it. They naturally possess the gift of diagnosing and treating a particular ailment. Others, like modern herbalists, midwives, and priestesses, attain the position by undergoing formal training.

World View and Integration with Biomedicine

Non-western healing system is not only appropriate in curing psychosomatic diseases. The majority of traditional medicine practitioners have a wide knowledge of herbs and their effects on patients. In addition, when dealing with patients, traditional healers apply a holistic method based on three levels: spiritual, emotional, and physical (Sodi 354). Furthermore, the treatment insists on the prevention of illness and optimistic changes in lifestyle to make sure that the three levels are balanced.

Another aspect of traditional healing is that it is community-based. Practitioners are chosen via a community process that insists on personal characters and having passed frequent tests. Since traditional healers are from a community in which they practice health care and treatment, they understand their patients personally (Moodley 63). Also, they are well acquitted with patients' cultural beliefs (moral, spiritual, and social wellbeing), backgrounds, and lifestyles.

Therefore, when biomedical doctors are dealing with a patient used to traditional medicine, concepts of cultural beliefs and backgrounds/lifestyles should be understood. Biomedical doctors should conduct a brief interview with a patient prior to diagnosis and treatment concerning traditional versus western treatment. It provides a clear understanding of patients' experience with traditional medicine and patient's perception towards western treatment (Ibeneme 15). As a result, a mutual agreement is established between a patient and a doctor such that diagnosis and treatment proceeds effectively.

Furthermore, some health observers advocate that successful steps incorporate modern medicine and innovation in traditional communities to create requirements for traditional practice. In particular, urban life creates circumstances that breed into a stress-related illness that are effectively cured by traditional specialists (Gupta 428). Such disorders include hypertension, duodenal and gastric ulcers, limb pains, migraines, certain types of paralysis, and dermatitis. More evidences continue to show that the effectiveness of traditional medicine can be improved if used in conjunction with Western medicine..

In light of traditional medical benefits, most South America, African and Asian nations have permitted the expansion of medical care dual system (Ibeneme 18). Therefore, people can choose to seek treatment from either Western or traditional clinics. Similarly, an individual can prefer the traditional system for some illness and modern health care for another disease. However, for preventive health care like nutritional instruction and immunization government clinics in the upcountry attracts almost 90% of the population.

Conclusion

In conclusion, traditional specialists frequently adapt to a wide range of practices to attract many patients from a more diverse population. For instance, urban practitioners have added visiting cards, waiting rooms, white overall coats, telephones, and signboards to publicize available services (Gupta 428). Herbal combinations and traditional herbs are packed well in the form of tonics, powder, salves, and capsules to be self-administered. Moreover, patients are linked with Western-style facilities for certain medical problems.

In nations like China, the state itself has promoted a dual health system where paramedical/" barefoot doctors" are trained in both modern and traditional modern orthodox procedures (Sodi 350). Although the program has been substituted by a 'village doctor program,' the Western and traditional medical care are still dispensed by 'mid-level physicians.' Generally, the non-western healing system portrays medical advantage in modern medical care in that people seek traditional treatment to complement Western-style treatment.

Works Cited

Gupta, Rashmi, and Vijayan Pillai. "Harnessing the Healing Power of Western and Non-Western Healers: Implications For Social Work Practice." Innovation in Aging, vol. 3, no. Supplement_1, 2019, pp. S428-S428.

Ibeneme, Sam, et al. "Roads to health in developing countries: understanding the intersection of culture and healing." Current Therapeutic Research 86 (2017): 13-18.

Moodley, Roy, and Huma Shireen. "traditional Holistic Healing Practices from Around the world." Holistic Healing: Theories, Practices, and Social Change (2019): 63.

Sodi, Tholene, and Olaniyi Bojuwoye. "Cultural Embeddedness of Health, Illness, and Healing: Prospects for Integrating Indigenous and Western Healing Practices." Journal of Psychology in Africa, vol. 21, no. 3, 2011, pp. 349-356.