Nontraditional Health Care Practices: Nontraditional Practices Affecting Wellness and Prevention in Different Cultures

Nontraditional Health Care Practices
By
Institution
Nontraditional Health Care Practices
Asian Culture
Asians are a culturally diverse group and so are their nontraditional health care practices. However, the Chinese therapies remain popular. Chinese nontraditional health practices are aimed at aimed at maintaining the body’s yang (hot) and yin (cold) energies in peaceful balance through acupuncture, diet, lifestyle, and herbal regimens (Juckett, 2016). Cold water and air are considered unhealthy, thus Chinese patients usually reject ice water for hot water or hot tea.
Some Asian nontraditional therapies may cause scars or bruises that are often mistaken as signs of abuse. For example, acupuncture is at times used with moxibustion (i.e., smoldering herbs that are placed on the skin or even attached to an acupuncture needle) which may end up causing scars like those of cigarette burns (Juckett, 2016). Other Asian therapies including cupping, which is commonly used to treat back pain. It involves the application of heated glass jars on the patient’s skin, and the jars cool, suction effect pulls the skin inwards. This usually causes localized bruising and redness. The other nontraditional technique is coining whereby the sides of a coin is rubbed against the patient’s skin resulting in red striations. This technique is thought to pull out "cold illness" from the patient (Juckett, 2016).
Latino Culture
This is also another group that is diverse in nature with a variety of nontraditional therapies. For example the use of parteras, who are midwives, curanderos, who make use of herbs and abuelas, who are a grandmother who provides initial care. Latino diagnosis is often cultural interpretations of typical symptoms and is usually categorized as cold or hot illnesses (Juckett, 2016). For example, essential hypertension is considered a hot condition that is managed by cold therapies including passionflower tea. Others include what is commonly called empacho (blockage or indigestion) that is usually characterized by cramps, constipation or vomiting. The nontraditional therapy used in the Latino culture is herbal purgative tea or abdominal massage. Lastly, fatiga that is characterized by asthma symptoms and fatigue (Juckett, 2016). It is commonly treated by steam inhalation and herbal treatment including mullein and eucalyptus.
Black Culture
The use of nontraditional health practices has long held a significant place in the black culture, and much of it is linked to folk healing traditions including herbal medicine, root work, nutrition and home remedies (Aetcnmc.org, 2016). Rootwork involves the use of stones, roots, herbs, and other organic materials to heal the mind, cure the body, or solve a problem. Animal parts and plants are liquefied or ground into powder and mixed with other material to make treatment.
Some of the terms used in the Black culture to infer to certain conditions include "falling out" which means stress-related collapse that is characterized by temporary immobility and dizziness but still fully conscious with all senses functioning (Aetcnmc.org, 2016). "Bad blood" is the other term that ...