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A Summary of Healing, CAM, and Medical Philosophies
By Bill Manahan, MD
| TOPIC/PHYSICIAN | PHILOSOPHY SUMMARY |
ALLOPATHIC MEDICINE |
This system of medical practice combats disease by treatments that produce effects different from those produced by the disease treated. An allopath would treat an inflammation or infection with an anti-inflammatory (aspirin) or antiinfective (penicillin). The cause of most disease is believed to be physical. Treatment is generally restricted to surgery, radiation, and pharmaceuticals. |
BIOMOLECULAR MEDICINE |
This is also called NUTRITIONAL, ORTHOMOLECULAR, or FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE. It is the field of health care that employs assessment and early intervention to improve physiological, emotional/cognitive, and physical function. It uses applied nutritional science to a spectrum of therapeutic biological modifiers such as dietary nutrients and supplements, phytochemicals, and nutrient medicinal foods. |
BOTANICAL MEDICINE |
This is the philosophy of using plant material as medicinal agents to heal disease and prevent illness. Approximately 25% of all prescriptions still contain ingredients isolated from plants. |
ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE |
This medical philosophy (formerly called CLINICAL ECOLOGY) deals with environmental hazards including chemicals, ionizing radiation, air pollution, sensitizing substances, social and work settings, and communicable disease. Environmental illness is usually a polysymptomatic, multisystem chronic disorder manifested by adverse reactions to environmental excitants (foods, inhalants, chemicals) as they are modified by individual susceptibility in terms of specific adaptation. In other words, there are environmental substances (excitants) present in our air, water, food, drugs, and habitat, and we all react to them biochemically in a uniquely individual manner. For a certain percentage of Americans, the manner in which they react causes illness. Environmental medicine physicians also frequently work with patients having chronic fatigue syndrome, systemic candidiasis, and ordinary allergies. As opposed to ordinary allergies, environmentally ill people respond to toxins in the environment through pathways not necessarily mediated by the immune system. Environmental illness is a toxic but not always immunological reaction to foreign substances |
| ETHNOMEDICINE | |
AYURVEDIC MEDICINE |
This is a branch of traditional Indian Medicine. Ayurvedic is from Sanskrit roots in which ayus means life and veda means knowledge or science. It is translated as “the science of life.” Disease is seen as an imbalance in the life force (prana), or it may be karmically preordained. Central to Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatment is the principle of biologic individuality. It emphasizes host factors as the primary factor in the etiology of disease. It places importance on mental and emotional factors that it sees as critical to the development of these imbalances. Three irreducible principles (called doshas) regulate the different functions of mind and body. They are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The proportion in each person determines the psychophysiological type of that person. Its yogic exercises and meditation practices are aspects of Ayurveda that are experienced by some in the United States. |
NATIVE AMERICAN MEDICINE |
Native American medicine and spirituality come together to form the basis of healing and health. Relationship with the Creator begins early, and it comes from an inner guidance and leadership. Everyone is connected to the Creator and has some sort of direct relationship. It involves a respect for all of God’s creations including plants, animals, and humans. Earth, air, fire and water are important energies involved with Native American medicine and ceremonies. Disease is caused by some disharmony in the cosmic order as well as by hexing, breaking a taboo, fright or soul loss. |
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE |
This is an ancient method of health care that combines the use of medicinal herbs, acupuncture, food therapy, massage, and therapeutic exercise. TCM looks for underlying causes of imbalances and patterns of disharmony in the body, and it views each patient as unique. A diagnosis might include describing the body in terms of the elements – wind, heat, cold, dryness, dampness. Yin is used to refer to the tissue of the organ and yang refers to its activity. TCM works with qi, the life force that is all inclusive of the many types of energy within the body and flows through the body in pathways called meridians. For diagnosis, the TCM practitioner takes a good history and performs at least four methods of investigation: inspection of the complexion, general demeanor, body language, and tongue. |
FITNESS/EXERCISE MEDICINE |
This philosophy employs the use of aerobic and anaerobic methods to help an individual be well adapted to his or her environment and able to respond to its changing demands. Aerobic exercise is an activity that increases the heart and respiratory rate so extra oxygen is needed. Anaerobic exercises are those in which increased oxygen is not needed. These include stretching, muscle toning, muscle building, and activities designed to improve balance, flexibility, agility, and coordination. |
| ENERGY MEDICINE | This is an area of medical practice that involves subtle or very low intensity nonmaterial stimuli. Examples are homeopathy, acupuncture, electromagnetic therapies, Reiki, therapeutic touch, Jin Shin Jyutsu, prayer, light and color techniques, Qi Gong and Tai Chi. |
| HOMEOPATHY | Homeopathy is a natural pharmaceutical science that uses micro doses of substances to stimulate the immune defense system of one’s body. Substances from the mineral, plant, and animal world are used for treatment based on data taken from controlled studies in toxicology. The two guiding principles of homeopathy are the Law of Similars (like cures like) and the Law of the Infinitesimal Dose (the most potent remedies are those in the greatest dilution). The belief is that the remedies retain their effect because of electromagnetic frequency imprinting. The cardinal doctrine of homeopathy is that there is a vital force in the body that strives for health. Disease or disruption of this force cannot be classified but is unique to each person. |
| ACUPUNCTURE | Acupuncture is based on a philosophy that a cycle of energy flowing through the body controls health. Pain and disease develop when there is a disturbance in that flow. Needles inserted at certain points in the body can remedy that imbalance or disturbance and affect a therapeutic response elsewhere in the body. |
MANUAL MEDICINE |
This philosophy believes that improving the structure and functioning of the human body will improve health and treat many diseases. |
| BODYWORK | Bodywork includes therapies such as massage, deep tissue manipulation, movement awareness, and energy balancing. Principles include alteration of muscle and tissue through pressure or deep friction, movement, education and self-awareness, breathing and emotional expression. Some of the popular types of bodywork are MASSAGE, ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE, FELDENKRAIS METHOD, ROLFING, ASTON-PATTERNING, HELLERWORK, TRAGER, and BONNIE PRUDDEN MYOTHERAPY. |
CHIROPRACTIC |
Chiropractic is based on the theory that we have an innate intelligence flowing through the central nervous system to regulate bodily functions. There must be a balance between the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems that are all intimately related to the spinal column. Subluxations between vertebrae can cause compression of the spinal cord of nerve roots that then cause disease in any part of the body. Chiropractic focuses on removing obstructions to nervous system flow by spinal adjustments. |
| OSTEOPATHY | Osteopathy centers on the musculoskeletal components of health and illness since that system uses most of the body’s energy. It is based on the interrelationship of structure and function. Tension, restriction, or inefficiency in the musculoskeletal system can waste energy, and that can lead to a wide variety of health problems. Osteopaths use mobilization, articulation, release methods, soft tissue techniques, muscle relaxation, and cranial sacral manipulation. |
MIND/BODY MEDICINE (PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY) |
This philosophy is based on the belief that our psychological and emotional components have influence in our physical health. Stress, coping skills, personality traits, social connectedness, and self-esteem all correlate with both susceptibility and resistance to physical illness. Some of the approaches used are art and music therapy, bioenergetics, guided imagery (visualization), dance and movement therapy, dream work, focusing, Gestalt Therapy, hypnotherapy, journaling, Jungian analysis, neurolinguistic programming, postural integration, primary therapy, psychodrama, psychosynthesis, rational emotive therapy, reality therapy, rebirthing, Reichian analysis, and transactional analysis. |
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE |
This is a distinct system of healing. It is a philosophy, science, art, and practice that seeks to promote health through education and the rational use of natural agents. Its principles are based on the concept that the body is a self-healing organism. It centers on six basic principles: 1) the healing power of nature, 2) treat the cause, not the effect, 3) first, do no harm, 4) treat the whole person, 5) the physician is a teacher, 6) prevention is the best cure. Many different modalities are used including nutritional therapy, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, bodywork, counseling, and lifestyle modification. |
SPIRITUAL MEDICINE |
This philosophy refers to the wholeness and unity of our personal existence and to the integration of the many dimensions that make up that wholeness. That includes the biological, physical, intellectual, and religious dimensions. It encompasses our feelings, relationships, attitudes, values, goals, ethical principles and behavior, religious beliefs, and all that makes us fully human. Spiritual healing is rooted in the belief that there is a supreme being or universal energy at work in the world. Health and illness can be influenced by our connection with that being or energy. This supreme being or energy is known by various names including God, Goddess, Allah, Krishna, Brahman, the Tao, the Universal Mind, the Almighty, the One, chi, prana, the Great Spirit, love, the Life Force, and the Absolute. Prayer is most important in spiritual medicine. Prayer can be defined as asking something for one’s self or for others. Prayer, of course, can also be for confession, lamentation, adoration, invocation, and thanksgiving. Prayer is nonlocal meaning it is infinite in time and space. Prayer is not sending energy and, since nothing is sent, the Divine factor in prayer is internal, not external, to everyone. Therefore, in essence, all spiritual healing is a form of self-healing, since it is believed that God is present to some degree in all individuals. Spiritual medicine includes a belief structure, a sense of meaning in one’s life, a sense of connection and belonging, and religious views and traditions. |
