Premium Essay

Eastern Medical Traditions

In:

Submitted By mbansmithe
Words 312
Pages 2
Eastern Medical Traditions

Geographic boundaries have an enormous impact on the development of individual cultures and practices. This is very evident when comparisons are drawn between modern countries and the dynamics of their medical practices. For instance there are similarities between European countries in terms of scientific development as there are similarities between countries east of the deserts and mountain ranges of Eurasia. Neither region has less developed medical practice because both are ancient and distinct in how the body is viewed and treated. India and China have some of the oldest of these medicinal traditions, approaching illness in a wildly different way than westernized medicine. For this reason it is vital to study these practices to gain perspective on the growing standard of western medicinal practice. Indian Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese medicines have many striking similarities in regards to anatomical interpretation, diagnosis and treatments, and the overall emphasis on a spiritual experience. The most distinct aspect of Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese medicines is the concept of a flowing force throughout the human body. In China the force is referred to as qi which exists as spiritual yet physical energy which invigorates both the mind and muscles of the body. Qi flows through channels or meridians from certain areas of the body into another, originating at the navel or center of the person. Illness in the Traditional Chinese method emerges from an imbalanced flow of qi. For instance, if there are symptoms in the right eye then a practitioner might assume the stomach meridian is to blame as it flows up into the right side of the head. Healthy humans should have a balanced and consistent flow of qi throughout their bodies that can be maintained with herbs and exercise. Ayurvedic healers have a similar understanding of the

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Heritage Assessment

...Health Traditions and Cultural Heritage No wonder modern technology innovations keep coming out each year. Even with all the new changes and the fast lifestyles. Few things are resolute such as customs and traditions. Each country has a wealth of culture and heritage passed on from their ancestors. Many people believe and value the inheritance; ensure to transfer the tradition to the upcoming generations. The distinguishing civilization, inheritance, and traditions are unique for each nation. The heritage assessment tool helps to differentiate various traditions and heritage of different cultures. Being an Indian my traditional beliefs, customs, and practices pertaining to health are diverse and is specific to each region. Indians are well-known for their endurance and the way they entertain guests unbiased by his/her race, religious beliefs or economic status. People in India especially elderly believe that health and wealth are very much related to mind, body, and soul. Though people seek medical help for aches and other illness of unknown origin, individuals are ashamed to report mental health issues to the medical practitioner and sometimes wait until decisive moments to get assistance from health care personnel (Shapiro, n d). Apart from the western medicine India has a wealth of traditional system of medicine including Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Acupuncture and Acupressure. Ayurveda also known as “the science of life” deals with multiple...

Words: 1244 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Health Traditions and Herittage

...Health Traditions and Cultural Heritage No wonder modern technology innovations keep coming out each year. Even with all the new changes and the fast lifestyles. Few things are resolute such as customs and traditions. Each country has a wealth of culture and heritage passed on from their ancestors. Many people believe and value the inheritance; ensure to transfer the tradition to the upcoming generations. The distinguishing civilization, inheritance, and traditions are unique for each nation. The heritage assessment tool helps to differentiate various traditions and heritage of different cultures. Being an Indian my traditional beliefs, customs, and practices pertaining to health are diverse and is specific to each region. Indians are well-known for their endurance and the way they entertain guests unbiased by his/her race, religious beliefs or economic status. People in India especially elderly believe that health and wealth are very much related to mind, body, and soul. Though people seek medical help for aches and other illness of unknown origin, individuals are ashamed to report mental health issues to the medical practitioner and sometimes wait until decisive moments to get assistance from health care personnel (Shapiro, n d). Apart from the western medicine India has a wealth of traditional system of medicine including Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Acupuncture and Acupressure. Ayurveda also known as “the science of life” deals with multiple...

Words: 1060 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Differences in Health Traditions and Cultures

...Differences in Health Traditions and Cultures   Growing diversity in the United States is veracity in the 21st century. Undeniable proof on poor quality of health care provided to ethnic and racial minorities of all ages, compared to non-minorities, were provided by The Institute of Medicine. Attempts to remove health inequalities rising from differences in culture should concentrate on creating patient-clinician reliance relationships, knowing the cultural surrounding conditions of health responses and humanizing one’s consideration to cultural differences in association with the administrative process and preferences in health care (Schmidt, 2012). Discussing the usefulness of applying a heritage evaluation in assessing the requirements of the whole person is helpful in looking at one’s roots and hereditary. The prominent sociable society in the world has raised worry on modified attention in health care. The cultural surroundings of an organization or society have extensive result on management and power of health care issues, which is necessary. The rise in public responsiveness to the support of firm health and disease anticipation has encouraged the formation of method that makes it easier for professionals in healthcare to know the people in their care. Implementing Heritage Assessment tool is one of the mechanisms to get back the attributes of a person before administrating health involvement (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). As a person from Indian background...

Words: 1303 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Marginalization Nancy Foner Summary

...throughout these two eras. For centuries, immigrants have dynamically enriched the city’s multicultural landscape and developed its commercial and industrial infrastructures. Yet, although mobility has increased for recent female arrivals of color, they still face a domestic confinement that their predecessors endured between 1880 and 1920, and immigrant marginalization continues on the basis of gender. Although immigrant women of color continue to face gender subordination as they gain econo-physical mobility, Foner argues that many immigrants have thrived while driving New York’s economic and cultural growth. Recently-arrived professionals revitalize its economy and geographically-diverse newcomers continue to embellish its cultural traditions by forming network-based ethnic enclaves, progressively making the city a more welcoming and prosperous immigrant destination....

Words: 978 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Swot Analysis

...SWOT Analysis Wheeling Hospital Inc. David S. Pesi DeVry University SWOT Analysis Wheeling Hospital Inc. The place I chose to do my SWOT analysis on is Wheeling Hospital, where I work. It has served as a hospital in the Northern Panhandle of WV, Eastern Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania longer than any other hospital in and around WV. Founded in 1850 by Bishop Richard V. Whelan and Dr. Simon Hullihen, owned and operated by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. A catholic hospital that serves as a health ministry that provides care to people of all creeds and providing first-rate health care by abiding to their mission of HUMAN TOUCH: Healing, Understanding, Ministry, Advanced technology, Nurturance, Tradition, Ongoing education, Unity, Care and Hope. Wheeling Hospital has the area’s only full service Cardiac Catherization lab, which allows them to diagnose and treat all cardiac health issues. All other hospitals in the area are only able to take X-ray pictures of your heart, but if you need treatment for your case, they have to send you out to another hospital an hour to two hours away. This proves to be an advantage for Wheeling Hospital because people who care about their loved ones, wants them to recover with the least amount of complications and with the heart, time is of the essence. They also provide extraordinary cancer care through their Schiffler Cancer Center. It is internationally recognized and has treated patients from thirty-four states and thirteen foreign countries...

Words: 1065 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Companies will carry on having boundaries and have always had. People in today’s world, work and are experts in various jobs, for example RN, LPN’s, MA’s as well as Medical doctors for that reason boundaries exist between these types of functions. People have numerous different levels of influence as well as authority, so therefore limits are there between said subordinates as well as their bosses in medical care companies in addition to other companies. People who work inside a company do various job functions compared to, their clients, and their suppliers along with other outsiders do, for that reason here limits also exist too. There are people throughout the world work in various locations, under different circumstances, and at times in various time zones as well as cultures, for that reason creating additional limits. The main objective of all these limits is to segregate those processes, people and production in healthy as well as essential methods. These types of limits that are established keep things concentrated as well as clear, so for that reason without said limits several companies would be disorganized, those people who work in these kinds of companies without limits, would not know what to do or exactly where to go or even whom to report to. There would be nobody available to organize the sources as well as skills that the company needs to succeed and there would be no differentiation of jobs either, as well as any sense of direction...

Words: 2265 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Heritage Assessment

...has a vast number of cultures, traditions and views on health care, it is important to recognize that a particular cultures view on health is not wrong but just simply their view point on health. Since the Unites States has a large collection of cultures and races it is expected to have some of these cultures join together. In this paper we will introduce three different families and their views on health when intertwined with their culture. Family A is an interracial family the mother from Mexico and the father is African American. Family B is an intercultural family the mother is American and the father is from the United Kingdom. Family C is also an intercultural family the mother from the Philippines and the father from Hawaii. Cultures and traditions will change and advance; this paper will explain the differences and similarities of each family focusing on their views on health maintenance protection and restoration. Family A Family A is a family from Goodyear, Az. The mother is from Nogales Mexico, the father is of African American decent. Family A will enlighten the reader of how health is view in this household focusing on the mother tradition with some similarities to that of the father’s culture. The Mother grew up in Mexico until age 5 then migrated to the United States. Her mother is from Nogales, Sonora Mexico, Sonora being a state in Mexico. Nogales being a border town has a large number of tourist and tourist activities. Medical care in Nogales is a huge contributor...

Words: 1201 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Nsg Heritage Assessment

... This allows us to integrate cultural health related beliefs in treatment plans and allows us to bridge any gaps between cultural and ethnic health maintenance, protection and restoration beliefs. Many of these health related beliefs come from a person’s heritage. Culture and heritage are terms that are similar and can be used interchangeably. Culture refers to “the learned and shared beliefs, values, and life ways of a group that are generally transmitted from one generation to the next and influence people's thoughts and actions.” (Smith, 2009, pg. 272) Heritage is defined as “something inherited at birth, such as personal characteristics, status, and possessions or anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition.” (Webster, n.d) This paper focuses on the interview and assessment of three families from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds using the Heritage assessment tool. The heritage assessment tool is a resource to gauge the impact of a person’s culture and beliefs, actions and way of living in their day-to-day life. It is a useful tool in helping health care providers meet a patients needs with respect for their cultural beliefs surrounding health promotion, maintenance and restoration. (Spector, 2000) The first family interviewed is the Morgan family...

Words: 1464 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Linda's Heritage Assessment Paper

...America today. Approaches to health also differ from one culture to another. People are shaped by their traditions and use traditional ways to satisfy their needs for better health (Agec, 2012). America is a melting pot of different cultures. This cultural diversity comes with differences in health traditions and health decisions. It could be a religious approach to health or a cultural tradition. Health has a different meaning for different people. So, everyone has a different approach to his or her health ( Alpa, 2007). Cultural heritage is an important of one’s economic, social and health issues. It helps one understand someone else’s health heritage, as well as traditional health methods that are used to maintain, protect, and restore health. Applying these concepts makes it easier to deal with a person’s physical, mental, and spiritual beliefs. Different cultures have different values and beliefs of health, disease, illness, birth, and death. It is essential to open a pathway for the effective communication of others values and beliefs, in regards to health, illness, family support as well as spiritual values ( Agec, 2012). Health concerns though practiced in all traditions, varies among different cultures. To become aware of another’s culture and health traditions can enable one to better understand and respect another’s cultural traditions, health concerns and issues. In this paper I will write about...

Words: 1159 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Nawfal: Cultural Competence In Healthcare

...Cultural competence is defined as having “the attitudes, knowledge and skills necessary for providing quality care to diverse populations” (Black, 2014, p. 198). Healthcare professionals who have obtained cultural competency “are prepared to provide patient-centered care with a focus on the patient’s specific needs that are shaped by culture” (Black, 2014, p. 198). I had the opportunity to interview one of my friends, Nawfal Patel. Nawfal has grown up into the Muslim religion his entire life, and has family members that are in the healthcare profession. Having the chance to interview him was very interesting to me since I’m not entirely familiar with his religion. Nawfal educated me on his family’s culture and traditions, and how they are affected in the medical field....

Words: 1242 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Heritage Assessment

...transcultural nursing indicates that there are many barriers and issues in health care, particularly for persons from diverse cultures. For instance, health care for poor Americans and ethnic minorities is less than optimal because they are unable to pay for services because of lack of insurance (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). Ethnicity is a reference to a collective identity, a sense of uniqueness within the larger society, and a distinction from nonmembers. Ethnicity denotes a sharing of customs, food, dress, music, religion, and of symbols, such as language, among those who see themselves as fellow members of the group (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). An ethnic group may have “common geographic origins, family patterns, language, religion, values, traditions, symbols, music, dietary preferences, and employment patterns” (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). The ethnic group includes those members with the sense of belonging to the collective identity. A traditional method of maintaining, protecting, and restoring health requires the knowledge and understanding of health related resources from within a given person’s cultural heritage and community. These methods may be used instead of or along with modern...

Words: 1637 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Global and Cultural Awareness

...awareness. In essence, the adoption of a culturally competent system of health care is important as this ensures that health care professionals remain sensitive to the existent differences between groups, not only in accordance to the outward behavior but also to attitudes relating to emotional events like pain, disability and depression (Christine & Karren, 2013). In this paper I will discuss the scope of global and cultural awareness in relation to the health care system by depicting the various aspects that surround the scope of global and cultural awareness. Factors of culture affecting an individual’s health status The various cultural factors that may have an impact on an individual’s health status are literacy levels, ethnicity, traditions, and health disparities. Literacy levels bear a significant influence on an individual’s health status with the issue affecting many people in the world who exhibit low levels of health literacy. Many adults demonstrate only the basic or even in some instances below-basic levels relating to prose literacy (Wawrzyniak et al., 2013). This is a major issue of concern as it undermines their decision making regarding their level of health care (Hamric et al., 2014). Also, the health care system needs to create written material that all...

Words: 929 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Death and Afterlife : Christianity, Buddhism and Atheism

...issues for thousands of years as different individuals have different views on death depending on religions, culture, personal belief and medical profession. Basically, in medical terms death is defined as the termination of all the vital functions that supports a living organism (Godbole 2009). The answer as to whether there is life after death is simply a question of faith for some individuals. Religions generally interpret death as the death of the body and not of the soul. To this day, there is no precise answer to this issue and over the centuries experts have tried to explore and unravel the mysteries of this complicated or rather confusing phenomenon but have failed to arrive at a concrete conclusion. It has long been established that the Western and Eastern society have very different views on death that have been developed over the centuries. In the Western society, death is viewed as something that is permanent and emphasized the notion of Heaven and Hell. Heaven is conceptualized as a place of eternal bliss or happiness after death and Hell is depicted as a place where souls are continuously tortured or punished by creatures of Hell called demons. The entrance to either of these places relies on the deed or sins that have been committed in one’s life. Christianity is one of the many religions that view death in this concept. The Eastern society, as an...

Words: 3053 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Registered Nurse

...providers when dealing with new patients of different races, ethnicities, religions, cultures, and other things that make each and everyone unique and different. This tool helps the nurses and providers to reach into the beliefs, and probably the superstitions of their patients, and this may guide them in providing proper care without making assumptions on the needs and ways of life of their patients. This tool also helps our patients to expound on the health aspects of their lives that may help in their treatments and wellbeing. It is a tool that propagates respect of beliefs, traditions, religions, cultures, and ways of life of patients among nurses and other healthcare providers. With this tool, the nurses and healthcare providers can work with the patients and marshal out care plans that are specific to their patient and congruent to their patient beliefs. For example, the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria believe that a woman who just delivered a baby must not eat anything cold because it causes indigestion and does not help in healing the new mother's womb and intestines (Davis, 2015). Another example is from the beliefs Ewe people of Ghana. According to International Journal of Innovative Research & Development (IJIRD), when a child is born, an amulet on a string is immediately placed on the child's neck or hand to ward off evil spirits (IJIRD, 2015). Amongst the Wolof and Mandinka peoples of Senegal, Qintessetial Journal pointed out that a pregnant mother must wear...

Words: 1084 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Culture Essay

... Week One Homework Ubong Jimmy Essien Grand Canyon University: HLT 324V March 8, 2012 Definition of Culture Culture id the quality in a person or society that arise from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in art, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits etc. (http://dictionary.reference.com). It is the way of life of a particular society or group of people, including patterns of thought, beliefs, behavior, customs, traditions, rituals, dress, and language as well as art, music and literature. (Webster, 1992). Introduction Every country has unique cultures and sub cultures which “form the essence of the group to which one belongs” (Module 1, lecture). Hence the social norms, traditions, and beliefs and values that people share, together form their culture. My culture is the Ibibio culture of Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria. This essay will focus on the religion, ethnicity and beliefs about health care. The Ibibios of South Eastern Nigeria are the fifth largest groups in the country. They live in what is now known as the Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria. The other ethnic groups that share the state with the Ibibios are the Anang people, Oron people, and Eket people as well as Ibeno people. These ethnic groups have different dialects and sub-cultures. However, they understand each other and co-operate in areas of commerce, education, health care, religion, and politics. For over two hundred...

Words: 714 - Pages: 3