Holistic medicine can be defined as a medicine practice which focuses on the treatment of the well being of the whole body, spirit and mind other than treating just one type of disease system as Western medicine approach does. The western approach is mainly concerned with the symptoms of an illness and not its causes as illness is usually addressed when it has already turn into a fact (Mullins 1). Western medicine therefore differs from holistic medicine approach in terms of treatment options, diagnostic techniques as well as philosophy.
A holistic health care practitioner usually sees her/his responsibility as that one of an educator as well as that one of a facilitator and believes that the body does not require influence from outside such as surgery and drugs to heal but can heal itself (Healthy Lifestyle). In this approach, the patient is usually seen as an active participant where he/or she is involved with his/her body healing process through what the patients knows about his /her body. On the other hand, the western medicine approach sees physician’s duties as that one which looks out for an illness diagnoses the illness as well as treat the disease.
While western medicine cause and effect, it tries to dissect illness conditions in terms of different likely components such as germs, genes, and medical history, holistic medicine approach on the other hand views injuries or illness in terms of environmental, social as well as individual circumstances and how persons contributes to their health well being. In western medicine approach, diagnosis usually involves corresponding symptoms with their known diseases and determining the disease progression by a specialized health care provider (Alternative Medicine Articles). Treatment in western medicine approach involves prescription of consistent medication that is independently administered by the patient and sometimes with no necessary return visit to the doctor. However, holistic medicine approach diagnoses by contributing the patient to his/her condition without using the name of the disease or any specific condition. Recommendations in holistic approach involves, exercising, dietary changes, meditation exercise, massage, use of herbs, and acupuncture (Quantum Healing).
However, in both, recommends patient to take exercises for health and fitness purposes. In addition, dietary changes are also recommended in specific diseases in western medicine approach just like in holistic medicine approach. In both, curing the body and bringing a health end result is the purpose of both approaches. However, in my opinion, although each approach is effective in each own ways, holistic medicine approach is considered much better than western medicine approach in every case in almost every individual. This is because the patient is involved with his/her healing process through what he/she knows about his/her body. This approach involves the entire understanding of body, spirit and mind and the fact that it does not take into effect after the onset of ant symptoms allows individuals to understand how to avoid diseases, understand how they can heal and offers emergency to any matter that arise concerning the health of any individual.
Work cited
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Healthy Lifestyle. Option Medicine Is Holistic, Western Medicine Is Reductionist. 2011. Web. 23 May. 2011
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Mullins, Seth. The Difference Between Traditional Western Medicine and Holistic Healing. 2007. Web. 23 May. 2011
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