A moveable feast of herbal healing
With traditional medicine back in vogue, new Bangkok forum may leave a lasting imprint, writes Supaporn Asadamongkoln
Traditional medicine is gaining popularity as patients around the world seek alternatives to — often over-prescribed — antibiotics and other Western therapies that come with potentially harmful side effects. As more people turn to “Oriental” or holistic treatments, Southeast Asia and the broader Asean region is reputed to serve as a global hub for this branch of medicine that is closely tied to timehonoured cultural wisdom.
Despite the advancements made by new technology and modern medicine, a number of countries in the region still focus heavily on traditional medicine as a source of effective cures and treatments for a range of illnesses.
To further promote its benefits and extend its reach, traditional folk healers met in Thailand this year to exchange their knowledge and practices, combining centuries of experience in the cultivation and brewing of indigenous herbs to extract their medicinal properties.
The kingdom hosted the 2017 Asean Health Wisdom Conference in the middle of May at the Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Prachin Buri, the country’s leading authority on traditional medicine.
Participants came from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka.
The folk healers brought to the table their experiences and techniques for producing and marketing traditional medicine as well as their shared knowledge of local herbs.
Apart from the herbs themselves, many practitioners claim cures have much to do with the patient’s spiritual condition.
Teerathammapat Phumchai, an 81-year-old folk healer from Ranong, said at the conference traditional medicine combines the arts with science and that practitioners must have not only a sound knowledge of medicinal herbs but also an unshakable sense of integrity.
Born into a family of traditional healers, he learned a strong sense of ethics from his mother and aunt and said he prays twice a day to remind himself to act in a virtuous way.
Mr Teerathammapat said traditional medicine is rendered more effective by the invocation of spells during the treatment. He also suggested that only fresh herbs be used, as heating or processing them can weaken or destroy their medicinal quality.
He said that in the olden days many people enjoyed good health without having access to hospitals because they consumed herbs and regularly attended customary rites, in which deities were summoned to help deliver treatments.
The inclusion of deities was believed useful for instilling faith and building the patients’ confidence in the treatment, scholars say.
Throughout the two-day conference, which began on May 15, many folk healers described how they cared for patients whose ailments ranged from high blood pressure and diabetes to bone deformities. They also discussed massage techniques and post-natal care for mothers.
Folk healers from Myanmar and Cambodia showed they have a shared understanding of where high blood pressure comes from.
A Myanmar folk doctor said it stems from an imbalance between the level of heat and coolness inside the body. This requires the administration of herbal pills and an adjustment of lifestyle and diet on the part of the patient. He recommended they lessen their intake of foods heavy in oil and salt, and exercise more.
Seun Le, a folk doctor from Cambodia, said people who suffer from high blood pressure may be suffering from a blood clot. The man, who came to prominence after designing treatments for such conditions, said they should take herbal medicine regularly and remove “excess” blood, a process known as bloodletting, to relieve the pressure.
Other healers said a physical disability can occur when one of the inner organs malfunctions, meaning the physician must cure the organ to tackle what is effectively a symptom of the real problem.
Seun Le said that in serious cases herbal balms and sprays must be applied to the patient’s hands and feet in addition to oral herbal concoctions and electroacupuncture in a combination of treatment procedures.
The patients may also require cupping. In Chinese traditional medicine, cups are placed on the skin for a few minutes to create suction and improve the flow of qi to treat respiratory and other diseases.
Seun Le said practitioners may start by applying needles to acquire a droplet of blood on the skin as a preliminary to this. After cupping has finished, electroacupuncture stimulates the nerves, followed by a massage or balm being rubbed onto the skin.
Another folk healer from Cambodia called Lim Chun, who is renowned for his chiropractic skill, said he believes a cocktail of herbal products often works best.
At the event, he demonstrated how to treat a patient suffering from a fractured carpal bone. Lim Chun applied a paste made from the crushed leaves of various herbs to the fracture and used a bamboo splint to prop up the bone.
Lim Chun said the herbal paste needs to be reapplied every four days until the patient gradually heals, adding that recovery should take about 20 days.
During the conference, many folk doctors demonstrated their expertise at massaging patients.
A folk healer from Indonesia said there are over 500 types of massage in his country, with many islands in the archipelago having their own unique forms.
On the island of Java, where the capital Jakarta is located, he said practitioners commonly seek a blessing from the deities beforehand to help keep their mind clear and a smile on their face.
India and Sri Lanka were also well-represented at the conference.
In India alone, more than 1 million traditional medicine practitioners are believed to be employed. Historical records suggest there was a transfer of knowledge across South Asia and the Asean region in the distant past.
According to one participant from the Chhatisgarh association for traditional medicine, folk healers in India are credited with preserving breeds of rare herbs, maintaining local wisdom associated with the ancient medicine and promoting the use of herbs in every day life.
Hariramamurthi Govindaswamy, a programme adviser at the School of Health Sciences at India’s Trans-Disciplinary University, said herb-based science has to be “topped up” through research and information exchanges to create new knowledge.
This knowhow must be documented so folk healers can gain formal acceptance and be more empowered, he said.
Forums on herbal treatments for long-term, chronic illnesses like diabetes and arthritis have led to improved chiropractic techniques for the spine and other parts of the body’s frame, he added.
Dr Supaporn Pitiporn, secretary-general of the Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital Foundation, said the Bangkok meeting represented a new chapter of collaboration between folk healers from various countries, leading to stronger networking and new knowledge.
It marks a crucial first step in having folk doctors cooperate closely across national boundaries, said Unnikrishnan Payyappalli, an Indian research coordinator at the Education for the Sustainable Development (ESD) project at the United Nations University.
The hospital foundation was honoured for pioneering campaigns to conserve traditional medicine practices, including working with folk healers to diversify knowledge of treatments.
A proposal was also put forward to develop a region-wide training programme for healers, possibly organised by Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital with the aid of Trans-Disciplinary University.
In former times many people enjoyed good health without having access to hospitals because they consumed herbs and regularly attended customary rites.
TEERATHAMMAPAT PHUMCHAI FOLK HEALER FROM RANONG