Por Virginia Galván
By Vickyvananda
A “Cultural Syndrome” is a term that refers to a medical anthropological psychosomatic syndrome, recognized as a disease that affects a specific society or culture. The term “culture-bound syndrome” was included in the fourth version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which also includes a list of the most common culture-bound conditions. There is no objective biochemical or structural alteration of body organs or functions and the disease is not recognized in other cultures. The American psychiatrist Arthur Kleinman is the author that has contributed most in this area with his studies. [1]
Carlos Zolla, anthropologist and investigator of this syndrome, traditional Mexican healers and other anthropologists, believe that cultural diseases are interpreted by observation, differing to the etiological, nosological and curative principles of scientific medicine. These so-called “Cultural filiation Syndromes” appear in specific areas in different cultures. They represent an autonomous medical system present in the Mexican indigenous culture, which demands acceptance in this century.
Health Institutions in Mexico have begun to recognize the effectiveness of Mexican Traditional Medicine that is currently practiced in some town hospitals in the state of Puebla. (Ayotoxco, Coxcatlan , Cuetzálan, Huehuetla and Tulcingo Valley). [2]
Within these rural hospitals there is space for a Temazcal - an ancient ceremonial steam bath - and other implements used for healing such as the required herbs, eggs, certain animals, flowers, beds and potions. In this area, some tradition healers assist patients who "believe” in this medicine. Traditional healers (which are 80% women over 50 years old) including midwives, accompanied by apprentices, assist in the hospitals and attend the consultancy on a daily basis.
The financial support given to the healers by the government is only 30% of the remuneration received by Western doctors. In some cases, like that of midwives in Tehuacán, there is no financial compensation. Instead they are offered medical care for themselves and their families at no cost, except for surgery. All Mexican traditional healers are trained in hospitals in terms of applying injections and serums, making sutures, setting bones, etc. which is a requirement in order for them to practice within these hospitals. They also assist surgery with a team of Western doctors, with or without remuneration.[3]
Mexican traditional medicine is based on the idea that the human body is an energetic organism that produces energy that makes possible the maintenance of life. It is considered that the body is permeable and a receptor of external forces and that is in constant communication with the environment with which it exchanges and receives “good and bad energies”. The pulses, also called “spirits or shadows” (12 which are located on the back, arms, legs, chest and belly) and joints are considered points of contact with the outside through which harmful forces enter, vital energy escapes, moods and pernicious effluvia are discarded, and beneficial influences of healing substances are also absorbed.
The vital principles of the body are: “the Soul” that resides in the heart and throughout the body and “the Spirit”, both linked to the blood and to the soul forces that preserve life. Every being is born with a strong or weak spirit. The strong spirit beings are said to possess powers to heal or to make someone ill. Everything that happens is referred to the existence of good and evil forces and its personifications: the divine and the devil whose representatives on earth are the witch and the healer. [4]
According to the principles that inspire the Mexican traditional medicine, health is preserved by maintaining physical, mental, spiritual and emotional balance, achieved through the control of emotions: anger, sadness, rage, greed, shame. Also avoiding overeating, sexual excesses and avoiding people who have accumulated “heat” due to pregnancy, postpartum, sexual excesses or because of anger. Health is also preserved using protection to prevent contamination.
This refers to ideas of balance, harmony, moderation, tranquility, serenity and equanimity, regarding relations with oneself, with others, with the Gods, with the beings of nature and relations of mutual respect between all men and women.
This medicine is empirical (based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic) where rituals are celebrated with herbs, songs, prayers, spells, potions, physical objects, candles, water, animals, etc., all combined with magic-religious knowledge. Healing is done either with the patient present or at a distance. The shaman is the intermediary between the divine and the patient. Their ability to diagnose and their divinatory power through dreams are still a mystery to science.
Mexican traditional medicine is considered a holistic medicine appealing to the mystical and spiritual side of the individual in synergy with the physical body. [5]
The most commonly described diseases as “Cultural bound syndromes” are:
- Air and shock (caused by air and emotional impacts)
- Bile and beat (bile leakage)
- Soft spot (depression of the fontanel in infants by dropping or blow)
- Rennet (stomach affection by a blow or fall)
- Harm through witchcraft
- Stomach ache or diarrhea called “empacho”
- Evil eye (Mal de ojo) (caused by envy and greed)
- Burns (a disease caused by the moods of women after their childbirth which affects others)
- Fright
- Fright of men (men’s disease - when interrupting sexual activities, being hit during sexual activity, been seen by third persons during intercourse)
- Shame
- Motolines (damages desire of food, sex or an object)
- Ixtazol, entazonado (adulterers attitude propagated mainly by children)
The Mexican Traditional Medicine is still very alive in the country. Statistics of the “Secretaría de Salubridad y Asistencia” show that 70% of the population uses its virtues at any time.[6]
[1] http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%ADndrome_cultural.
[2] Investigación: Síndromes de filiación cultural. Antonella Fagetti. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. Directora de la facultad de Antropología.
[3] Entrevistas realizadas en la ciudad de Tehuacán y en el pueblo de Cuetzalan por Virginia Galván y Jesús Martín.
[4] Síndromes de Filiación cultural, pág. 153. Antonella Fagetti.
[5] Síndromes de Filiación cultural, pág. 154, 155, 156, 157. Antonella Fagetti.
[6] http://www.sexenio.com.mx/oaxaca/articulo.php?id=5797
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario