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 M¢55  Funded By Mahalo ? |  August 29, 2009 02:05 AM

Why do some people distrust western medicine?

Yellow fever, smallpox, hookworn, and polio are just a few of the diseases that western medicine has cured. Eastern medicine is 5000 year old non sense that hasn't cured anything. Why do so many people disregard as being too harsh and go for herbal remedy nonsense.
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angiem1981 angiem1981
 
 August 29, 2009 03:36 AM
As someone who works in healthcare, I may be able to put this into perspective. Western medicine may be able to "cure" the individual but often does not take a holistic approach. All too many times, the patient isn't treated as the person that they are, but someone with an ailment. No one wants to be or should be referred to as a room number or the person with this or that. Western medicine isn't very personal anymore, unless you are one of the lucky people in a small area. Also, a lot of Eastern medicine is also based on spirituality of some sort. Religion does and often will play such a role. I am not promoting Eastern medicine, as I work in a field that provides "modern" Western remedies but I do not denote it either. The mindset and emotion of the patient are all very important aspects of recovery. This 5000 year old non sense has stressed this for years and there are clinical connections. If both were to meet in the middle, healthcare would work a little better. Think about this too, some of our "cures" aren't really all that healthy and can cause other health problems and/or death. Still, sometimes it may be the best choice. I think that it is important that people have this choice though, it's about keeping your identity and freedom. Hope this helps.


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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 29, 2009 06:32 PM
Okay, I like your answer, but why should holistic healing be important. Has that ever cured anyone?

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angiem1981 angiem1981
 
August 30, 2009 02:39 AM
I won't go so far as to say holistic healing has ever healed anyone but studies suggest that there are numerous benefits to the patient. These include a variety of things such as how quickly the person is back to functioning, etc. All of these things are important. Depression is often noted for those with cancer and other possible terminal illness, there is a direct correlation with this and how well treatments may or may not go. However, this is not always the case. The numbers are still too large to be ignored. The holistic approach offers more hope to some, and that's what many need. The goal is to treat the patient, not just the disease. I'm very passionate about what I do, sorry if I seem preachy.

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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 30, 2009 04:14 AM
I'm glad your passionate, but it seems like the "holistic" tag is put on things that are completely random. Some people heal faster, others dont, depending on age and overall health.

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angiem1981 angiem1981
 
August 31, 2009 10:31 PM
While I agree that many of these things are random, those with a better outlook tend to have higher rates of recovery and a better quality of life while facing serious medical issues, regardless of age and/or health. Sometimes things happen, no matter what the outcome the patient is still a person. In Western medicine we sometimes tend to forget this. That's why I like the holistic approach to medicine. Think about it, a loved one has just been diagnosed with cancer. Not only do you want the best treatments and doctors available, but you want them to be treated as a human being. Healthcare shouldn't be about the almighty dollar and people shouldn't be herded through the healthcare system as though they were animals. A positive experience, someone to listen, and show that they care can make even the worst news better for many of these people.

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heitikruus... heitikruus...
 
August 29, 2009 06:27 AM
Out of ignorance and absence of knowledge about sciences
Source(s):
medicine,sciences


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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 30, 2009 04:17 AM
I'm sure thats part of it. But please give more details.

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buddawiggi buddawiggi
 
August 29, 2009 06:46 PM
In my opinion.
A mistrust of modern western medicine might be because of a affiliation with "treatment" and not "cure" recently.
Linking the inherently altruistic practice of medicine with making money seems to erode general trust, I would go on to say that linking making money with the practice of medicine comes dangerously close to violating the Hippocratic Oath.
I am not saying the practice of eastern medicine does not generate money, it does but it is far older and might have inherent trust much more difficult to remove from the social psyche than the relatively new western style of medicine.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath


Tags: medicine

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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 30, 2009 04:14 AM
why does money being involved erode the system. America leads the way in medical technology and research, because we get paid to do it.

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buddawiggi buddawiggi
 
August 30, 2009 11:56 AM
I did not say money erodes the system.
I said money erodes the trust in the system. When humanity as a whole looks at the amount of sick and uncared for they see apathy on the part of those with the power to help these sick people. Perceived apathy never helps to gain or keep trust in anything, it will do exactly the opposite.
Just saying "Well, if they had jobs and insurance then we could help" does not foster trust and might bring about a sense of malignancy to the overall perception of the practice of medicine.

In the eyes of those who would not trust western medicine they would see a group of companies making enormous profits while poor people and people without access to these medical products and practices go without and that is the basis of the lack of trust.
I know medicine and its research/development is expensive.

I do not have the answers to fix this issue but the perception is real.

Companies that profit from the practice of western medicine will be viewed with disdain by those not able to participate and those who would like to side with the less fortunate.

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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 30, 2009 08:08 PM
Okay, I understand, but you are saying money erodes it. If theres no trust, theres no system

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coltech88 coltech88
 
August 30, 2009 05:11 AM
I hesitate to answer this question, as your comments indicate that you are clearly biased against Eastern Medicine - to which I suppose you are primarily referring to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Nonetheless, I will proceed to explain my point of view. It is based on my personal experience and numerous papers of investigations I have read.

First off, Chinese medicine treats the body as a whole.
Western Medicine - allopathic, oriented towards the disease, not the circumstances which may caused it.

A simple example: A man has constipation. Western medicine prescribes a laxative. Eastern medicine - teaches lifestyle changes that can improve natural function such as: (1) and change in eating habits and (2) teaching the person how to breathe diaphragmatically so that the intestines are massaged with the breath (a technique that also assists the person in their ability to relax, which also helps).

TCM techniques are not solely based on drugs, the integration of various body-based practices help the person to attain some control of the factors that predispose a person to have the disease are especially important in changing the gestalt of the person's situation, i.e, qigong and tai chi practices.

There have been numerous studies that have document the beneficial effects in the healing of cancer patients and many other serious illnesses.

The M.D. Anderson Hospital has an active program for cancer patients:
http://www3.mdanderson.org/calendar/related/event/Qigong_7950.html

I have attached a video that talks of the successes of qigong in helping recovery of cancer survivors and prevention of breast cancer.

Other problems for which it has shown positive effect are: high blood pressure, reduction of pain and anxiety, and reduction of cholesterol levels.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Qigong.asp

If you are open to change in your life, you can create change. Depending on others to create all the changes for you, or a dependence on drug-based treatments is not enough in many cases. A fundamental change in attitude and the relationship between the person's mind and body needs to change. In this sense, qigong and tai chi have certainly found a role in complementing Western Medicine to help patients create more body functionality and improve their attitude towards improving their health.

Look at all the evidence out there. There is so much.

Source(s):
http://www.healthyfoundations.com/guolin/guolin_article.html
mindbodylab.bio.uci.edu/.../CAPS%20Recent%20Developments.pdf

And references in the text


Tags: chi, gung, healing, cancer, qigong

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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 30, 2009 11:37 AM
I'm biased because the so many people put a lot of merit in this, for no good reason. Even this video you posted. She had a mastectomy and went through radiation. That helped her, not the yoga non sense. There's a certain amount 'wanting it to be true' which I think is just the placebo effect.

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coltech88 coltech88
 
August 30, 2009 01:47 PM
Qigong is a complimentary treatment that helps patients in recovery, and wise people use both in their healing process. It does not help to have a closed mind in the healing process. Many studies have documented that the attitude of the patient is fundamental in the healing process.

Look at the data in the links I have provided. Perhaps they will create a chink in you armor.

By the way, Mahalo is not a forum for blasting your opnion, evidence be damned, it is a forum for learning.

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colonial b... colonial b...
 
August 30, 2009 08:06 PM
I can see you misunderstood my response. You make a point of saying wise people use this in their healing process, I never said you had to be dumb. I'm saying that theres a certain amount of wishing it be true, and then if it does work we give the credit to Qigong. Even the link you put doesn't have any real evidence. Its all vague. It says things like "People had various degrees of improvement." Armor? I'm not being defensive, but don't give me this close minded crap. Real medicine works wether I want it to or not.

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coltech88 coltech88
 
August 30, 2009 11:15 PM
Your arguments are not logical and you should recognize that.

People have varying degrees of improvement through the techniques of Western Medicine, don't they? Are all people who undergo treatment for cancer, using the techniques of Western Medicine survive? Are you familiar with the statistics for cancer survival?

Perhaps you should review the evidence for your argument as well, ie "Real Medicine works whether I want it to or not." If you had prostrate cancer that had metasticized throughout your body, would Western Medicine be helpful in that case? (Except for drugs for pain relief, of course)

It's not all black and white, black and white, black and white........and the process of healing is not all black and white.

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jazs07 jazs07
 
October 29, 2009 01:03 PM
As we all know herbal healing had been part of some countries culture well actually it had been a part of almost countries all over the world for before the medicines had been invented this herbal supplements are the ones that are giving medications to people

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