Traditionl Healers in Latin America Essay

“Many Hispanics combine traditional health care practices with Western medicine. Although the use of Western medicine tends to be more prevalent, Hispanics who cannot afford these services often resort to traditional practices” (CDC, n.d.).

There are some methods of healing that are outside traditional medicine. For many cultures, including Mexican culture, having a shaman or medicine healer is very common. In Mexico they call this person a curandera or curandero. A curandera can help anyone who is having bad luck to suffering from a long-term illness like cancer. These sessions usually consist of one or a combination of the following prayer, medicinal plants, eggs, floral waters, spiritual cleansings known as Limpias, along with massage, indigenous acupuncture, and/or ceremony bring about internal and external balance (Sesma, 2014).

There had been convictions that these healing practices were helpful, at least as supportive care, to clients suffering chronic mental illness. Spiritist healing practices: Spiritist medium diagnosed by seeing (inwardly envisioning) the causes of the illness and other problems to the spirit world. They do not heal in any direct sense but open their bodies to possession by illness or problem causing spirits who have attached themselves to sufferers. Healing takes place when the spirit medium assists the sufferer to come into harmony with these spirits and forgive them so as to change his or her emotions, lifestyle, physical complaints and/or destiny. The widespread fear in Puerto Rico associated with either becoming or being labeled as a loco acts a restraint on the ways medium works with persons whom they perceived psychiatric concepts and definitions of mental illness and those of the Spiritists. There was a case that was compared with the most frequent complaint of 220 women receiving help from Spiritits mediums at ritual healing

Many traditional Native medicines and healing practices were discouraged with the advent of Western medicine, but now there is a movement to return to traditional ways (Zubek, 1994, p. 1924). Modern Western medicine treats the symptoms to cure a diseased state when the body is out of homeostasis. Native American healing traditions do this as well with herbs and plants suited to the purpose. These Native healing traditions also include sacred rituals, chants, and purification rites to help bring the spirit and mind of the afflicted back into balance. In effect, treating the whole person, not only the disease. A blending of these two healing practices could bring about better prognoses for today's patients. The purpose of this paper is

These religious and spiritual influences play a major role in the Hispanics health, illness and daily life. In much a similar manner, the Native American Indian family adopts the cultural beliefs to associate with illness and health. They believe that a person’s state of exists when he or she exists in harmony with nature and sickness occurs when an imbalance between the natural or supernatural forces and the sick individual exists (Askim-Lovseth & Aldana, 2010). Traditional health believes and practices involving healing ceremonies and rituals restore balance when illness happens. “These can be conducted by their traditional medicine men or women, who are thought to have compelling powers, the ability to read minds, and know-how in concocting medicine, drugs and poisons.” For the white young family, the cultural belief of invincibility and youth are the driving force behind health prevention (Askim-Lovseth & Aldana, 2010). “Focus on the temporary is regularised, while thinking about health is assigned to an adult person where family accountabilities pertain.” Protecting against illness or disease does not feature into their daily lives. Disease or illness is something that is insubstantial and distant, and unimaginable to their young, resilient bodies and thus irrelevant (Edelman & Mandle, 2010).

Not to mention, Hispanics also believe that illness and disease are caused by the paranormal and psychological disorders (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014). Mal de ojo (evil eye) is believed to be caused by the look of animosity by a person (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014; Jarvis, 2012). Susto (fright) and ataque de nervios (hysteria) are provoked by traumatic incidents, crises, and powerful emotions (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014). Folk healers such as curandero, spiritualist, yerbero, and sabador are still used, including home remedies (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014). Curanderos use prayers, herbs, rituals, and laying of the hands as a form of health promotion (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014). The

Native American traditional medicine and spiritual healing rituals go back for thousands of years, these traditions often focus on different variations of alternative medicine. This knowledge is passed on throughout generations, many of the tribes learn that by mixing natural plants such as herbs and roots they can make remedies with healing properties. It is believed that being healthy is when people reach a state of harmony not only spiritually, mentally but physically. To be able to overcome the forces that cause illness people must “operate in the context of relationship to four constructs —namely, spirituality (Creator, Mother Earth, Great Father); community (family, clan, tribe/nation); environment (daily life, nature, balance); and self (inner passions and peace, thoughts, and values)” (Portman & Garret, 2006, p.453). In this research paper I am going to show evidence of the tremendous influence that Native American medicine and spiritual healing have over modern medicine in the course of healing

The author of this essay is a university student. In this particular essay, the author explains Mexican culture from a medical point of view. The topics that are covered in this essay are all related to health and medicine. The introduction of Mexico is discussed in detail followed by how Mexican’s understand death and birth. The author also mentions about how this particular group defines health and sickness. It is also discussed about what this cultural group does to maintain wellness. The author also throws light upon the causes that the Mexican’s think are responsible for illness. Another thing that is described in this essay is about how the healers of this society heal the people belonging to this society. Lastly, the author has explained about how an occupational therapist should deliver care to an individual belonging to Mexican culture.

In the Hispanic culture health care is most commonly sought only after symptoms appear. In many cases only when those symptoms cause the individual’s incapacitation. Working through discomfort is considered the norm, dwelling on discomfort or mild pain is seen as weakness and seeking medical attention when not ill, such as preventive care, is almost unheard of.

They used Spanish folk medicine and Roman Catholic teachings. “Upon encountering western medicine, belief in spiritual causation and treatment of illness may persist in parallel with utilization of allopathic medicine so that prayer and other religious practices may retain high importance (Gillum & Griffith, 2010).” “Mexican and Korean Americans were less likely than the other two groups to believe that a patient should be told the truth about a diagnosis of metastatic cancer and terminal prognosis and were less likely to believe that the patient should make decisions about the use of life support (del Río, 2010).” The Hispanic concerned advance directive, life-prolonging therapy, and

According to the CDC Minority Health Report, people of Mexican heritage are the largest minority group in the U.S. and almost 30% of Hispanics in the United States lacked health insurance as of 2012 (“Minority Health,” 2014). The traditional form of health care practiced by those of Mexican-American heritage is Curanderismo, coming from the Spanish verb “curar,” which means “to heal.” This system regards the individual’s mind, body, and soul as inseparable and therefore

Traditional medicine is regarded as a viable alternative to Western medicine especially among the uninsured and undocumented. It is generally not seen as conflicting with Western medicine among patients and traditional healers. In terms of health awareness, pressures of work and lack of income and time.

The Shaman is defined by a person who can mediate between the natural and supernatural world, can foretell the future, and most importantly, can ‘magically’ cure illnesses and injuries. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was known throughout the Native American culture as this Shaman, or medicine man. He used illogical means to cure the Native American illnesses that ended up saving his life. “We did our healing by making the sign of the cross on the sick persons, breathing on them, saying the Lord’s prayer and a Hail Mary” (124). The surviving Spaniards used these methods in order to survive, but they did not know what they were doing. A typical Shaman uses metaphysical means of healing, which is exactly what the Spaniards did in order to stay alive.

In addition, doctors can learn how to establish a trustful relationship with Haitians by observing healing ceremonies preformed by Voodoo priests. Through this learning process, western doctors will begin to understand the importance of non-western methods for the treatment of Haitian’s illnesses. According to McCabe (2007), the acknowledgement and acceptance of non-western interpretations and techniques is paramount to the process of treating ethnic minority clients. Since traditional healers are acknowledged in their community as being a trusted spiritual healer it is critical for healthcare practitioners to understand the role of the traditional healers in counseling, health promotion and education.

The Ecudadorian participant didn’t hesitate to categorize the evil eye within the folk medicine. She said, “It is very important to pay more attention to the evil eye and resort to the folk healer when the physician cannot diagnose the sick person” (Victoria). Therefore, people in Ecuador attribute an unexplained sickness to mal de ojo.