Nontraditional Healthcare Practices

Nontraditional Healthcare Practices

Nontraditional healthcare practices are a diverse group of health practices that are currently not part of mainstream conventional medicine. These modalities maintain effectiveness in treating human ailments and have been a significant component of various cultures across the globe. Traditional Chinese Medicine and ayurvedic Medicine are nontraditional healthcare practices native to cultures in the Chinese and Indian subcontinents but have gained prominence worldwide. This paper details nontraditional practices among the Chinese, Japanese, and Indian cultures.

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Nontraditional Health Care Practices in Different Cultures

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a prominent healthcare practice among the Chinese. TCM maintains effectiveness in remedying various health conditions. TCM defines a healing system encompassing acupuncture, herbal remedies, exercise, tai chi, and massage, among others. TCM is deeply embedded in the Chinese culture and has long been the main modality of treating illnesses among individuals of this culture. This practice is based on the philosophical concepts of Yinyangism, which detail the theories of Yin and Yang. The essence of traditional Chinese medicine is to restore and maintain a balance between Yin and Yang (Chien, 2022). As per these theories, health is attained when these forces are at equilibrium and exist harmoniously in the universe. Illnesses or disease is as a result of the perturbation of this equilibrium. Modalities described under TCM are targeted at restoring this balance.

Ayurvedic medicine is another nontraditional health practice that is native to Indians. Ayurvedic medicine details an ancient medical system that relies on a natural and holistic approach to remedy physical and mental illnesses. This approach focuses on illness prevention rather than treatment and recommends modalities such as nutrition, aromatherapy, yoga, massage, and meditation to maintain a balance between the body, mind, and the environment required for illness prevention (Narayana & Durg, 2021). Ayurvedic herbs are one of the most commonly exploited modalities of Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic herbs are diverse, with over 600 herbal formulas documented in this system of healthcare practice. These herbs have been used in alleviating illness and in disease prevention. Ayurvedic medicine practice remains common among Indians, and its utility has spread beyond the Indian subcontinent to other parts of the world.

Kampo medicines, an umbrella of traditional Japanese medicines, are nontraditional healthcare practices that have been used for decades among Japanese. The use of Kampo medicines among the Japanese dates back to the Edo period. Kampo medicines detail an assortment of herbal drugs used to manage various illnesses (Takayama et al., 2020). Some of the herbal formulas forming part of the Kampo medical system have been integrated into the mainstream healthcare system in Japan.

Importance of These Practices in Providing Holistic Care

TCM has gained global recognition for its effectiveness in remedying various health illnesses. TCM conceptualizes the fusion of the human body, soul, and values. Modalities under TCM, therefore, target the human body as a whole and not just the illness. It emphasizes disease prevention rather than treatment. The restoration of the yin and yang balance, which forms the conceptual framework of TCM, is attained by addressing both the physical and mental needs of an individual. TCM has widely been used in holistic approaches to care. Acupuncture, for instance, is a vital component of TCM that has been used in treating various illnesses. Its efficacy in alleviating symptoms and promoting wellness is why it is used in Western countries. Acupuncture promotes self-healing, improves vital organ functionalities, and minimizes stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

The Ayurvedic systems also emphasize holistic approaches to care. This modality of care aims at preventing illness by maintaining a mind-body balance. Modalities encompassed under ayurvedic systems target the body as a whole and address both physical and mental health. Massage and yoga are mind-body interventions that promote individuals’ physical and mental wellness. Nutrition, a key component of Ayurvedic medicine, promotes physical health by boosting the body’s immunity. The Kampo medicine used among the Japanese is effective in treating various illnesses. Despite their effectiveness in alleviating various illnesses, limited research findings exist on the utilities of these herbal formulas in holistic care. These modalities complement the Western medicine used in conventional medicine. A holistic approach in healthcare requires that the healthcare system provide care that views individuals as a whole. These approaches target all aspects of well-being. As seen in Ayurvedic and TCM, a holistic approach realizes all-around wellness and effectively manages various illnesses.

Nontraditional Healthcare Options

Several nontraditional healthcare options exist in the area. These include a herbal medicine shop, an acupuncture centre, and a massage pallor. The herbal medicine shop in the locality majors in traditional Chinese medicine but also has an assortment of Mexican and African herbs. This shop doesn’t have much traffic. The majority of the people in the vast area are believers in conventional medicine and prefer using Westernized medicine over herbal supplements. However, a pocket of people still utilize herbal remedies as complementary forms of therapy. Due to the higher number of Hispanics in the area, the Mexican herbs tend to be relatively under higher demand than the TCM. The acupuncture centre and the massage pallor receive a higher volume of people, and this may be because of the higher acceptability of these practices compared to herbal medicine use. Additionally, these services are used by persons across racial and ethnic folds and persons who believe in conventional medicine.

The use of nontraditional healthcare practices has seen an exponential increase recently. This may be due to several reasons. Increasing knowledge of these nontraditional health practices is one of the reasons for their widespread use. Scientific research in these fields continues to inform on these approaches’ effectiveness and efficacy in remedying illnesses. Many research articles have been published on the benefits of these modalities (Tangkiatkumjai et al., 2020). Increased availability of these products has also contributed to their increasing use. Herbal supplements, acupuncture, and massage services, among others, are now available widely in countries in which they are not considered native. Acupuncture and massage services are considered native to Asian countries but are now available globally. This enhanced access to these services has consequently increased their use.

These modalities also provide safer and more effective alternatives for chronic pain management. Chronic pain is a common feature in many chronic disorders. Conventional pain management approaches have been linked to adverse events and toxicities. Alternative and complementary approaches are effective and yet less toxic. There has been an increase in the utility of these approaches in chronic pain (Vickers et al., 2018). Cancer patients, for instance, have benefited from acupuncture and hypnotic approaches in pain management.

Nontraditional health practices continue to highlight the cultural practices of various ethnicities and racial groups. These approaches maintain effectiveness in alleviating human suffering and remedying illnesses. Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines are examples of prominent practices that have found widespread use across the globe. These practices have found use in other parts of the world despite being native to the Chinese and Indian subcontinent. The utility of nontraditional health practices has increased considerably over the recent past due to increasing knowledge of these modalities and their efficacy in modulating diseases.

References

Chien, T. (2022). The Holistic Philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Conflicts With Modern Medicine. Holistic Nursing Practice, Publish Ahead of Print. https://doi.org/10.1097/hnp.0000000000000508

Narayana, D., & Durg, S. (2021). Ayurveda: (W) Here is the evidence. Journal Of Ayurveda And Integrative Medicine, 12(2), 408-411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2020.07.001

Takayama, S., Tomita, N., Arita, R., Ono, R., Kikuchi, A., & Ishii, T. (2020). Kampo Medicine for Various Aging-Related Symptoms: A Review of Geriatric Syndrome. Frontiers In Nutrition, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00086

Tangkiatkumjai, M., Boardman, H., & Walker, D. (2020). Potential factors that influence usage of complementary and alternative medicine worldwide: a systematic review. BMC Complementary Medicine And Therapies, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-03157-2

Vickers, A., Vertosick, E., Lewith, G., MacPherson, H., Foster, N., & Sherman, K. et al. (2018). Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. The Journal Of Pain, 19(5), 455-474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005

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Assessment Description
Research different popular nontraditional healthcare practices. Write a 1,000-1,200-word paper exploring nontraditional healthcare practices and include the following:
1. Describe nontraditional healthcare practices in different cultures. Compare at least three cultures.
2. Explain the importance of these practices in providing holistic and quality health care.
3. Identify the nontraditional health care options in your areas, and identify the number of people choosing to use them over traditional medical practices. Propose reasons why the number of people using nontraditional health care options is rising.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric before beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.