Advantages of the Alternative Therapists - Research Paper Example

? Alternative Therapist: History and Role in Modern Medicine Alternative medicine has increasingly gained popularity for the past 25 years and a lot of the credit for the revamp of this health system is due to the Alternative therapists that have been professionalizing their practice and placing standard for proper scientific evaluation. From being dissed by the modern medical world to its status today, Alternative medicine and its practitioners – the alternative therapists are indispensable tools for holistic healing. In the future, more scientific evidence of the effectiveness of Alternative medicine will surface and with this, the status and reputation of the Alternative Therapists will once again belong to them. Keywords: CAM, Alternative therapy, Alternative therapists Alternative Therapist: History and Role in Modern Medicine Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is rapidly gaining popularity as an option for treatment of myriad diseases and disorders. Though these two terms (complementary and alternative medicine) have been lumped together in many texts and the practices in one, there is a slight difference in their definition. Complementary Medicine includes treatments and products which are not considered part of conventional medicine but used in conjunction with conventional medicine. Alternative Medicine, on the other hand consists of the practices and products that are used for healing instead of conventional medicine (Snyder et al., 2010). More and more people are turning from chemical medicines and standard medical procedures, and opting for practices like Ayurveda, naturopathy, homeopathy, and other forms of CAM. It is remarkable how fast CAM had progressed in terms of its acceptance in society, from being quack and unreliable to being the next best option in healthcare. Aside from the almost miraculous ways healing is achieved in CAM, one of the biggest factors that sets it apart from contemporary medicine are its practitioners - the Alternative therapists. Alternative therapists have existed long before CAM became popular for most procedures under CAM have been practiced for thousands of years. Alternative therapy is very broad and the National Center for Complementary/Alternative Medicine (NCCAM, 2008 as mentioned in Snyder 2010) defines it as …a large and diverse system...comprising all practices, and products that are not considered part of conventional medicine. In this sense, alternative therapists can come from different cultures and walks of life and they have many names like shamans, faith healers, chiropractors, nurses and even our own mothers. I. History of alternative therapists Alternative therapists were once the mainstream in healthcare and they were held with utmost regard by their society. Early civilizations turned to their priests or shamans in order to get the evil that causes their ailments to leave their bodies. These priests will then prescribe different herbal and nature derived concoctions that when accompanied with prayers and meditation will in their knowledge take the sickness away (Whorton, 2002). Ancient Egyptians, the Sumerians, and even the Incas practice this type of healing system (Banerjee, 2004). The records of the concoctions they gave and practices they employed to cure different illnesses are what inspired the rise of conventional medicine. With the help of the scientific method, the indigenous practices were refined and standardized to a point wherein these traditional medicines have been put aside and replaced with manufactured chemicals and the healers ousted by medical professionals with university-earned degrees (Bivins, 2007). In our time, the priests and shamans are equivalent to Alternative therapists and even today, there are still practicing priests and healers especially for the Native American people and people of Asia and in some parts of Europe. Some of the traditional methods of healing that are still practiced today include Hmong, Samoan, Somali, Mexican-American and Native American therapies (Snyder, 2010). About a quarter of a century ago, people began to see and patronize Alternative medicine once again. The cause of this shifting back to CAM is attributed to three main reasons: the rising cost of conventional medicine and specialists, the reduced time for patient-doctor or patient-nurse interaction, and the high regard with the quality of life expected by the patients (Chivers, 2006). The services of alternative therapists are relatively cheaper compared with the services of specialists. The treatments and the medicines are also relatively cheaper. Another aspect that makes the Alternative therapist a more cost effective option is that most procedures and therapy sessions are conducted in out-patient environments which does not require hospitalization, and some alternative therapists also do home visits so instead of the patient going to the center, the therapists goes to them at their convenience. Doctors, especially specialists are paid by the hour and the feeling of certain patients when they go to the doctors is that they are hurried and there is really no interaction between the patient and the specialists. The aspect of “care” is not really essential anymore in the case of conventional medicine practitioners. Care and building interpersonal relationship with the patients is very essential for the alternative therapist in contrast. And patients appreciate this and they would prefer the alternative therapists to whom they can talk too rather than consulting the Doctors or nurses that can’t give much time for them. Especially for therapists who specialize in spiritual and emotional methods of healing, they really need to make the person open with them and release their stresses in order to “treat” the patient’s ailments. Many people also choose alternative therapists over conventional medicine practitioners because they don’t want the treatment to make their life conditions worse than without the treatment. Alternative therapists take harmony with one’s self and their surroundings as an important element in the treatment of the sick and the treatments that patients undergo with alternative therapists more often than not consists of meditation and stress-release as well as a balance in one’s lifestyle and habits. This makes the overall quality of life for the Alternative medicine patients better as they undergo the treatment, whereas conventional medicine’s approach to treating diseases causes more stress and a lessened quality of life. To better illustrate this, let’s examine cancer treatment in the perspective of homeopathy and conventional medicine. Table 1. Condenced information about Homeopathy and Conventional Medicine approaches to Cancer treatment (Bivins, 2007; Banerjee, 2004; Whorton, 2002). Elements and practices in Cancer Treatment Homeopathy Conventional medicine Typical mode of treatment Life-style change, converting to specialized vegan diets, prescribed meditation times, support for family and friends Various tests which depending on the type of cancer could be painful, chemotherapy which is uncomfortable and can disfigure the patient during treatment, surgery and radiation Treatment Facility There are homeopathic centres that specialize in giving care to cancer patients in whatever stage they are. These centres are normally located in peaceful places, away from the pollution and face pace of the urban landscape. A place to relax and heal. Normally hospitals and out-patient centres where the patients get tested or have their chemotherapy session. Normally they are alone, or in some cases they are with people who are also cancer patients. General feeling of the patients Comforted and cared for. They feel stronger and because of counselling and meditation, they have inner peace. Normally bleak and a constant struggle. There is little emotional support from the nurses and specialists for they have tens of other patients who also need to be attended. It is evident that CAM has its benefits and that is why many people are turning to Alternative medicine instead of conventional medicine. However, other people and conventional medicine practitioners started to complain about Alternative Medicine and alternative therapists. The methods employed in healing under Alternative medicine are not scientifically proven and there are no standards of pertaining to professionalism of Alternative therapists. This is why in 1992, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) founded the Office of Alternative Medicine which was later changes to the National Center for Complementary/ Alternative Medicine in 1998. (Snyder, 2010) Since then, the practice of Alternative medicine was professionalized and researches into the effectiveness of Alternative medicine were undertaken and have thus produced significant results. These steps further made Alternative Medicine and Alternative therapists’ credit for their work in the healthcare system and thus they are now fully recognized and can be recommended by doctors, nurses and specialists under proper supervision. II. Alternative Therapists in today’s health care After being ignored for hundreds of years, alternative medicine and its practitioners are back in the lime light. There are many proponents in the current health care system that are against alternative medicines’ come back yet people still flock to acupuncture clinics, and meditation therapy in order to relieve their pains and sicknesses. Alternative therapists are now indispensable and for healthcare and even conventional medicine practitioners are gaining insight into the validity of their methods of healing. The healthcare system of the US and other progressive countries are slowly giving way to accommodate compensation for citizens who choose alternative medicine. With these changes, the alternative therapists of today now has to be part of a reputable CAM organization like the British Complementary Medical Association (BCMA) and the NCCAM and they should undergo formal training and have the proper accreditation to establish their practice. This standardization in Alternative medicine practice saves the alternative medicine therapists from certain lawsuits and they get more reputable and thus more recommendable by their conventional medicine counterparts (Chivers, 2006). Doctors and even nurses are now required to get a working knowledge of CAM so as to be culturally sensitive to their patients and to be able to assess whether the alternative treatments will be complementary to the conventional treatments the patient is currently undergoing (Synder, 2010; Chivers, 2006). III. The future for alternative therapists As more and more people avail of the services and products of CAM, the need for alternative therapists will be greater. More competition between alternative medicine practitioners will be evident and those that are truly qualified and gifted will be the ones that will succeed in the healthcare system. The need for patient-therapist interaction is crucial to the continued growth of Alternative Medicine. The holistic approach to treatment of disorders and diseases will continue as science further quantifies and qualifies the effects of Alternative medicine (Bivins, 2007). The former glory and prestige of being alternative therapists will be brought back just like how they were regarded during the early civilizations and we can actually see it happening now. References Banerjee, D. D. (2004) History of Medicine. B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. 1921, Street No. 10, Chuna Mandi, Paharganj, New Delhi 110055 India. p.1-4 Bivins, R. (2007). Alternative Medicine?: A History. Oxford University Press, New York. p.1-17, 135-200 Chivers, M. (2006) Dyslexia and Alternative Therapies. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 116 Pentonville Rd.,London N1 9JB, UK. p.13-1 Snyder, M., Niska, K. and Lindquist, R. (2010) Complementary/ Alternative Therapies and Cultural Aspects of Care in Complementary & Alternative Therapies in Nursing: Sixth Edition. Edt. By Snyder, M. and Lindquist, R. Springer Publishing Company, LLC. 11 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036. p.3-24 Whorton, J. C. (2002). Nature Cures: the history of Alternative Medicine in America. Oxford University Press Inc. 198 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. p.3-7, 49-75, 133-140, 221-244, 271- 300 Read More