Imagine that you have a headache all the time. When you go to the doctor, they give you a painkiller. It relieves the pain for a while, but after a few days, the headache starts again. Is it really possible to treat only the symptoms without looking at the root cause of the headache? That's where the concept of 'Holistic Medicine ' comes in. Simply put, it is a way of treating the patient, not just the disease.
What is Holistic Medicine?
Holistic Medicine is a system of treatment that considers the body, mind, spirit, and emotions of a person when thinking about their health and well-being. According to this philosophy, it is only by maintaining a good balance in all these areas of life that one can achieve optimal health.
Doctors who follow this method believe that the human body is made up of many interconnected parts . Just like a car. If one part of the car malfunctions, it affects the functioning of the entire vehicle, right? In the same way, if there is an imbalance in any aspect of our lives, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, it can harm our overall health.
Therefore, when a holistic doctor treats you, they may use a wide range of things, from standard Western medicine to alternative therapies .
What is the difference between Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine?
You may have heard of Naturopathy, or natural medicine. This is also a part of Holistic Medicine. However, Naturopathy uses only completely natural things like herbal medicine and acupuncture to help the body heal itself. However, some Holistic doctors use things like conventional Western medicine along with these natural things.
What are the basic principles of Holistic Medicine?
Holistic Medicine is based on some beautiful principles. The main belief here is that unconditional love and support are the most powerful healing tools. It also emphasizes that you are ultimately responsible for your own health.
The other basic principles are:
- Every person has an innate healing power: our bodies have an amazing ability to heal themselves. Treatments help support that ability.
- A patient is not a disease, but a person: Here, attention is paid to you as a whole person, not just your symptoms.
- Healing is a team effort: This is not something that just the doctor does. You and your doctor need to work together as a team. Every aspect of your life (work, family, relationships) is considered here.
- Treating the root cause: Instead of suppressing the symptoms , what happens here is finding the root cause that caused the disease and treating it.
For example, when someone with recurring migraines sees a holistic doctor, in addition to prescribing pain medication, they will also look at everything that could be causing the headaches. They will also discuss things like your diet, sleep, stress, and personal issues. The treatment plan may include medications to relieve symptoms, as well as lifestyle changes to help prevent headaches from recurring.
Who are the experts found in this method?
Some holistic practitioners have medical degrees. Others have degrees in alternative medicine. Let's take a look at some of the main types of specialists in this field.
| Type of Specialist | Description |
|---|---|
| Integrative Physician | They are licensed medical doctors (MDs). They combine traditional Western medicine with mind-body therapies such as massage, acupuncture, and nutrition. |
| Naturopathic Doctor (ND) | They help the body heal itself through natural treatments such as herbal medicine and nutrition. In some countries, they are properly licensed and trained. |
| Osteopath (DO) | These are also licensed to practice medicine. They have received special training in manual medicine, which involves manipulating the body's tissues and joints. |
| Chiropractor (DC) | They work on the premise that the body's functions are related to the structure of the spine. They seek to relieve pain and improve health by manually adjusting the spine, without the use of drugs or surgery. |
| Ayurvedic Doctor | This is a traditional medical system that originated in India and is very popular in our country. It believes that diseases are caused by imbalances in the body's 'prana' energy. It attempts to restore this balance through special diets, herbal remedies, yoga, massage, and meditation. |
How to choose a good holistic doctor/therapist?
This is the most important thing. Since there is no centralized agency for this in Sri Lanka, you need to be very careful before choosing someone. Here are some things to consider:
- Ask someone you trust: Get a recommendation from someone you trust. Ask a friend or relative.
- Do your research: Find out as much as you can about the training, experience , and expertise of the person you choose. Find out exactly whether he/she is a qualified doctor like MBBS or someone from another field .
- How do you feel?: Do you feel comfortable and relaxed when talking to that person? Is your ideas and beliefs respected? This is very important because this is a team effort.
- Do you give them enough time?: Make sure the person takes the time to fully understand your questions. You can't do this in 5-10 minutes.
- Are they asking the right questions?: Not just about your illness, but also about your diet, sleep, exercise , mental health, and family relationships? If they ask that, it means they are seeing you as a whole person.
- Treatment plan: Will the treatment plan be limited to just medication, or will it also include lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise?
The most important thing: Holistic Medicine is not a substitute for traditional Western medical treatments. It is a supplement to them, and should be used as a support . Therefore, before starting anything like this, be sure to talk to your family doctor.
Take-Home Message
- Holistic Medicine is a treatment method that treats not only the disease, but the patient's body, mind, and spirit as a whole.
- The main goal here is to find and treat the underlying cause of the disease, rather than suppressing the symptoms.
- This can include traditional Western medicine and surgery, as well as alternative methods such as nutrition, exercise, massage, and herbal remedies.
- Please remember, this is not a replacement for your regular medical care. It is just a complement, that is, additional support.
- Before trying any alternative treatment, it is very important to discuss it with your treating doctor.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න