An Active Approach

Alternative Health Care

An Active Approach

By Renee Rutz and Lisa Gottlieb-Clark

This is the first of a series of articles exploring the meaning and history of the alternative health care movement, the role it plays in our culture today, and how to become an informed consumer of the vast array of care available.

There is an implicit, unspoken pact between the average patient and the mainstream doctor in today's medicine. The doctor will fix injuries, illness and disease using scientific approaches, and the patient will give up the role of active participant in his or her own health and well being. This certainly has value in a medical emergency. If a person loses an arm in an industrial accident, a surgeon who specializes in sewing tiny nerve endings together is exactly what is needed. But most people need the kind of care that is more long term, and deals with preventative care and their overall health. This kind of care requires a more active patient involvement because it involves making choices that affect their daily style of living.

The term "alternative health care" generally refers to therapeutic approaches that use methods which are overlooked or dismissed by the established medical community in this country (see "Options," page 6 for some examples). These systems of medicine are designed to aid lifestyle changes, balance the mind and body, encourage self-responsibility for health, and improve overall health and vitality.

There is a spectrum, or continuum of care available, and could be referred to as inclusive medical care. On the one end are emergency medical procedures: heart attacks, broken bones, lacerations or other serious injuries. On the other end is preventative care and maintenance. Generally, mainstream medicine is more appropriate for life-threatening or emergency situations, while alternative care focuses more on preventative measures.

The differences between modern mainstream medicine and the re-emerging traditional health care create a challenging environment for anyone interested in pursuing better health. There are some medical doctors who want to deny the very existence of any system of care that hasn't been scientifically proven to be effective. There are also alternative health care providers who reject any possibility of adequate care coming from medical science. Both of these positions are extreme, and prevent the opportunity for the improvement of medical care in our culture. They also leave the patients (see "HEALTH," page 6)

(from page one) consumers caught between them, wondering which avenue will satisfy their needs.

Although some of the alternatives, such as acupuncture and massage have recently been recognized by the American Medical Association as having some value, most of the alternative health care approaches originate from a very different philosophical base than that of mainstream medicine.

Modern Western medicine was greatly influenced by the scientific theories of René Descartes, a mathematician who lived in mid-17th century France. He saw the world around him as a closed system, with everything compartmentalized and perfectly functional, like a finely-tuned machine. He saw human beings in a similar way. The body was one system, the mind another - separate from each other in function and process. This world view helped medicine become more systematic in its approach to the physical body, but created severe limitations to seeing anything but the most obvious forms of injury, illness and disease. This Cartesian approach continues to influence the progress and development of medical science and our attitudes of healing and wellness in our country today.

The alternative care approaches available today generally originated from ancient Eastern and Indian philosophies. These cultural traditions view the world as a complete, interrelated system, encompassing all living things. The body, mind and vital life force all influence each other, and are seen as connected, and in tum, as part of the vital life force of the planet. Instead of separating life into individual independently-functioning parts, the older traditions see every different part of life fitting into a larger picture . The cycles of life and death, the changing of the seasons, and the movement of our planet through the universe at large are all seen as related and interdependent.

This approach to health and healing encourages a more subtle understanding of illness and imbalance in the body and supports a more integrated attitude towards the process of being well. It gives us power to trust our intuition, instincts and common sense when faced with dealing with minor aches and pains in daily living. For example, if you hit your arm on a chair it is automatic for someone to rub or massage the area. When a baby cries, touching or holding it is instinctual. Everyone sees these activities as common sense. We don't need scientific research to prove them effective.

Many issues arise in the complex process of healing. These issues include a person's relationship with the practitioner. Does the practitioner listen well? Is she or he trustworthy? Are pertinent questions asked? Does the practitioner take lifestyle and diet into account? Are mental and emotional states explored, even if the complaint seems to show only physical symptoms? Mainstream and alternative medical care providers handle these issues differently, and this will often affect the outcome of treatment.

Ultimately, the goals are different. In mainstream medicine the idea is for the doctor to suppress the patient' s symptoms, to fix and repair. In alternative care the practitioner uses methods that lead to patient self-awareness, and teach about physical, mental and emotional states. This process is important because it empowers the individual to design the care she or he needs and to take action. Sometimes these health care choices will include mainstream medical approaches along with alternatives. They aren't mutually exclusive, and to look at them this way is limiting. Renée Rutz and Lisa Gottlieb-Clark are local alternative health care providers. Next month's article will focus on some of the various bodywork therapies available in Ann Arbor.