User:LBird BASc/sandbox/ATK/Seminar5/Truth/Group 1 Medicine

Energy Healing

Energy healing has been performed by various civilisations throughout the Ages, most notable of which are the Indian and the Chinese (Qigong, Reiki, Qi Do). This article focuses on "putative energy medicine", in which a healer guides a person's energy with their hands to solve medical problems of an energetical level.

India

Prana is the life-force that exists on all planes of reality and in everything within Hindu philosophy and also the energy field healers within the Indian tradition aim to affect (? - proof).

Chakra

Chakra is the name given to the seven energy centers of the body which correspond to different colours, gemstones, planets, glands, organs, planets, etc. Regularly cleansing the energy in these centers ensures proper flux; concentrating energy on them is said to have beneficial aspect on both the aspect of life they are related to and the relevant body part (? - proof). On the other hand, problems with a particular body part may indicate problem on a higher level with these same associated aspects of life. Healing them includes releasing the energy blockage - different chakras are blocked by different emotions - and meditation on the given chakra/body part, involving the use of the colour, gemstones, and mantra associated with it, may also help, but will not ultimately resolve the problem.

• Muladhara, the first chakra (base of spine) - physical survival and safety, base of Kundalini energy; blocked by fear, anxiety and insecurity; associated body parts, colour, and mantra - anus, red, "Lam"
• Svadhishthana, the second chakra (just below belly-button) - joy of life, sexuality & emotion (unconscious desires), creativity; blocked by fear of death in particular OR, according to some, by guilt; the tongue (sense of taste), genitals, ovaries and testes; orange, "Vam"
• Manipura, the third chakra (between the navel and the solar plexus) - energy, (will) power, ego, passion, also creativity; blocked by shame; the eyes (sense of sight), the feet (movement), the digestive system (metabolism), pancreas, adrenal glands; yellow, "Ram"
• Anahata, the fourth chakra (heart) - connection between the lower (physical body) and the higher self (consciousness), action, emotion (love); blocked by grief; the heart, hands (sense of touch), skin, thymus; green, "Yam"
• Vishuddha, the fifth chakra (throat) - communication (creativity and self-expression), purification, learning lessons from negative experiences, success in life; blocked by fear (of speaking out), guilt, according to some - (the one specifically associated with) lies; ears (hearing), mouth (speaking), thyroid gland; blue, "Ham"
• Ajna, the sixth chakra (between eyebrows) - "third eye", subconsciousness, intuition, clairvoyance, intellect; blocked by illusion; brain, pineal gland, "Om"
• Sahasrara, the seventh chakra (crown of head) - connection with the universe, spiritual centre, pure consciousness; blocked by attachment to the ego/the physical world; fontanelle, intersection of the coronal and sagittal strutures; purple, "Kham"

Placebo in Medicine

Definition

An inert substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value, such as tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery. It affects how patients perceive their condition and encourage the body's chemical processes for relieving pain, but have no impact on the disease itself.

Ethical Concerns

Although the use of placebo in medicine had many positive effects on both patients and the development of the medical field, many were left sceptical about the use of "non-functional" medical processes. Some argued that the use of placebo should not be characterized as legitimate treatment as it is based on the idea of deceiving the patient.

Truth in Medical Diagnosis

Truth in medical diagnosis can be seen as both positivist and interpretive. Whilst the physiological fact of a patient’s condition may be absolute, the impact of that disease will differ from person to person, dependant on their own context. Truth in medical diagnosis is innevitably two sided with both the physician and patient playing roles in the decided outcome. Such a relationship, however, poses issues in the distribution of honesty and responsibility, but also in the perception of the whole truth

Physiologist Responsibility

Crucially, physicians must question whether the patient is to gain from learning the whole truth of their condition, or whether a redacted version may best serve the aim of doing no harm. In addition to this, there is a debate over whether a patient’s complete awareness and understanding of their condition in detail will improve the efficacy of treatment.

In "The Problem of Diagnosis" an article published to the BMJ (British Medical Journal), Iona Heath (President of the Royal College of General Practitioners) addresses the issue of converting empirical clinical evidence to valuable treatment that is specialised to suit a specific patient's varied needs. To form statistically valid results, clinical tests must be wholly disconnected from sources of subjective bias or influence. The application of such results could, therefore, be viewed as a source of contention when provided to a patient who may well be unaware of the complexity or meaning of the findings.

Patient Responsibility

GP Liam Farrell explores an inverse issue of truth in diagnosis in "The Truth Hurts", published to the BMJ. His satirical article addresses frustration over the unequal patient - doctor relationship whereby the patient is able to avoid the disclosure of the full truth around their health or lifestyle, yet the doctor is obligated to do the best by their patient. It could be concluded that a physician can never be wholly truthful if the information they initially received from the patient is distorted to hide confidential truths.