Blog 5: Traditional Medicine versus Western Medicine
The debate between Traditional and Western Medical practices permeated lunch time discussion following Dr. Thirunarayanan’s lecture on Traditional Medical Systems in India. Traditional Medical practices are very different from Western medical practices in terms of both practice and philosophy. Western medical practices emphasize logic and reason whereas Traditional Indian medical practices retain elements of spirituality and Eastern philosophy. Dr. Thirunarayanan discussed the several types of traditions within Traditional Medical Systems in India. I further consulted Rothstein and Rajapaksa’s “Health Beliefs of College Students Born in the United States, China, and India” to analyze the perceptions of Traditional versus and Western Medicine.
One Pan-Indian medical tradition is Ayurveda, the Science of Life. The traditions stem from multiple, thousand year old texts and legends. These traditions have been practiced for many years on many people, proving a degree of success. Many of the medical practices are focused on prevention based techniques, such as proper diet and exercise. However, other important themes are present in Ayurveda medicine. Such themes include harmony with nature, body-mind linkage, prevention of disease, and uniqueness of the patient. An emphasis on the relationship between Microcosm systems and Macrocosm systems are also stressed.
Traditional Indian medicine also recognizes 5 elements of the human body, a starkly different view than Western medicine provides. One element is Earth: all solid states of matter comprise this element. Examples include bone, teeth, skin, and muscle. Earth in the body is associated with stability and permanence. The second element is water. As one might assume, all liquid parts of the body, such as water, belong to this category. Energy and cleanliness are examples of health statuses associated with this element. Thirdly, Fire in the body is responsible for binding atoms and creating reactions and emotions. Fourthly, Air is all gaseous forms in the body and is most closely related to breath. Positive Air in the body promotes positive and clean energy. Finally, Ether represents the space in which all energy and processes occur within the body. Ether is the source of all matter and all matter is contained within it. These elements comprise the Trinity of Life: Vata (Air and Ether), Pita (Fire), and Kapha (Earth and Water). Vata is associated with expansion and contraction within the body. Pita is associated with digestion and absorption of nutrients along with intelligence and emotions. Kapha is correlates with physical structures within the body.
The philosophy of the Traditional Indian practices is obviously different from Western medicine. The lecturer admitted that Western medicine lends itself to as be more adapt to certain medical situation such as medical emergencies. Rothstein and Rajapaksa’s article point out that Aruyvedic medicine does not recognize body organs, and instead, practitioners of Aruyvedic medicine focus on the body system. Rothstein and Rajapaksa hypothesize that youth from India and China, though educated in the US will retain some of their traditional medical beliefs.
To test this, the authors asked students from each nationality basic health questions, phrased in an objective light from either medical practice. The authors found that students identified eating healthily, maintaining a proper body weight, plentiful rest, and adequate exercise are most important in living healthily. These four lifestyles are congruent with both Western and Eastern Traditional practices. The group also agreed on regular checkups, which surprised the authors. They expected such a Western practice to only be seen in the American students. Western and Eastern students agreed that adequate rest and application of medicine is necessary for recovery. The authors found significant variations in the groups of students concerning their recognized cause of disease. The Western students were more likely to blame or identify a single cause for their sickness, rather than associated disease with an imbalance within their body.
Understanding the relationship between these types of medical practices was the cornerstone of the lecture and of the student’s lunch time debate. To relate to our Poverty and Health class, I think from a policy stand point, it is important for India to recognize the different benefits each style of medicine brings to people. For example, Western medicine, as our lecturer admitted, ought to be used over Ayurvedic medicine in instances of medical emergencies. However, Dr. Thirunarayanan stated that the majority of Indians see Ayurvedic specialists because they are more cost effective and easier to understand. Policies geared at helping India’s poor escape the poverty trap that inadequate health care can create ought to actively work to implement the positives of each type of medicine while increasing availability and reducing cost. Simultaneously, education of Western medicine to rural Indians and implementation of helpful Ayurvedic techniques in Western medicine might increase the effectiveness of both types of medicine.
Rothstein, William G, Rajapaksa, Sushama. “Health Beliefs of College Students Born in the United States, China, and India” Journal of American College Health, Mar2003, Vol. 51 Issue 5, p189-194, 6p, 4 Charts
Thirunarayanan, T. Lecture ion Traditional Medical Systems in India. 10/24/2011.
