Previously we discussed the place of alternative medicine by looking at a quote from Wikipedia that discussed the term medicine.
You can check out the previous article to review the extended quote from Wikipedia if you like.
Now we are going to focus our attention on three other important aspects involved with an understanding of medicine:
“The word medicine is derived from the Latin ars medicina, meaning the art of healing.[1][2]
Though medical technology and clinical expertise are pivotal to contemporary medicine, successful face-to-face relief of actual suffering continues to require the application of ordinary human feeling and compassion, known in English as bedside manner.[3]”
Note the bold text (added by me) from the excerpt above. We’ll elaborate on those points in this article.
Alternative Medicine & The Art of Healing
Too often we think of “medicine” as belonging SOLELY to folks wearing lab coats, or doctors in white jackets with stethoscopes around their necks.
True enough, we’ve come a long way from the “dark ages” of medicine practiced only 70 or 80 years ago.
But the definition of “medicine” involved much more than treating symptoms. And too often holistic health care practitioners are looked upon as second class citizens in the health care.
The art of healing, in my view, involves treating the WHOLE PERSON… not just treating and removing acute symptoms.
Clearly, this underscores the simple fact that actual healing can (and should) involve much more than taking a pill as the only viable treatment option available.
Successful Face to Face Relief of Actual Suffering
It goes without saying that so-called alternative therapies offer much more in the way of pain reduction, quality of life, and the alleviation of suffering.
For example:
- Massage therapy
- Acupuncture
- Reiki
- Reflexology
and other disciplines as well have, at their core, a focus on reducing or removing pain completely by treating root causes of the problem.
The relief of suffering should be the core focus for any medical treatment – and alternative therapies are in many instances better able to reduce or remove suffering long term.
The Role of Compassion
Too often the role of compassion in health care is completely overlooked.
And is it any wonder?
Shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” or “House” with their “theater of the absurd” portrayal of the hospital environment certainly underscore, if not contribute, to an overall lack of compassion in the hospital environment.
Case in point. Two years ago my wife needed an emergency C-section. As they wheeled her into the operating room I was left standing in the hall next to the dirty linen waste basket.
No kind words. No reassuring smiles.
An army twenty-something-year-old lab technicians were wheeling in equipment and laughing it up sharing inappropriate jokes as I looked on helplessly.
I understand that they O-R is their work place and nothing more. But please understand that those of us simply visiting during a tough time in our lives would appreciate a little more compassion and understanding. Does that seem fair enough to you?
Fortunately for us everything turned out alright in the end.
But I haven’t forgotten that lonely, helpless feeling… and the fact that nobody working there seemed to notice or care one bit.
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