The Dialogue With Alternative Medicine Essay, Research Paper
Conventional medicine has little to learn from alternative medicine
Suppose you catch a sudden flu after a frantic night out, what would
be your first treatment? Do you rush to the pharmacist nearby or your
doctor? Or do you have a hot bath and relax sipping some herbal tea and
patiently wait until your body condition comes to normal believing in your
natural healing power of your body system? Whatever you have in your mind,
alternative medicine is not such an alien method as some might reckon.
As a matter of fact, it is very deeply involved in our everyday life. It
varies from simple treatments such as aromatherapy to rather complicated
(and somehow mystic!) ones like accupuncture and hypnotherapy. It has such
a wide coverage that any method with no reference to institutionalized
medical knowledge might well be called alternative medicine. Alternative
medicine has indeed far longer history than conventional one that had
sprung from the former.
One of their differences is in their respective philosophy and
methodology. Conventional medicine is mainly based on analytic and
positivistic approach toward human body. Medical doctors regard a human
body as a mechanism regulated by scientific law. Human body is supposed to
be measured and controlled (without exception, in principle) by scientific
method and treatment just like any other material. The present medical
institution is sustained by the strong belief in this positivistic
approach and philosophical attitude of mind-body dualism. It develops
itself by way of chemical and physical experiment and anatomy: it demands
a strong evidence and proof. Evidence, in theory, is the sole criterion
to tell the science (therefore conventional medicine) from non-science.
On the other hand, alternative medicine shows totally different approach
towards human body (and world itself, sometimes). Our body is regarded as
a holistic organism with a strong (or almost inseparable) connection to
our mind. Physical disorders are mostly caused by the imbalance involving
the whole person. To cure means to regain our balance as a whole person
not only physically but also mentally. Sometimes alternative medicine
practitioners?? approach is grounded on functionalism- functional effects
is enough to justify the value of any specific treatment. In this sense
it is also rather pragmatic than positivistic.
In spite of this seemingly vast gap between the two, increasing number of
doctors and practitioners are on the move to communicate and learn from
each other. In particular, more and more conventional doctors are willing
to adopt alternative way for the treatment specifically stress-related
diseases such as insomnia, indigestion and muscle pains etc. For instance,
hypnotherapy has somehow proven itself as an effective way to eradicate
heavy smoking habit. Also acupressure and acupuncuture are widely being
recognized and accepted as practical and efficient treatment for aches
and pains.
Aside from some fundamental positivists, most doctors don??t hesitate to
admit the possibility of alternative cure for any specific disease. Unless
they take the other as an rival for the same market and attack and deny
each other purely out of their business interest, it seems there are
more gain than loss in their co-operation.