HEALTH WATCH

Healing vs fooling

Nadira Gunatilleke

‘Healing’ is a word that all of us can hear and see everywhere all the time no matter where we live, what we do or what religion we follow. Whenever we fall sick the first word that comes into our mind is healing. We all need to heal ourselves whenever we fall sick.

Healing is a word that gives hope for a dying patient. At the same time it is the best business that one can do without a heavy investment! A health-related business without any investment which is not only unhealthy but poses a health hazard! Therefore we need to talk about it.

Here in Sri Lanka healing outfits for sickness and other aliments are scattered everywhere. You never miss a place that `heals’ down every kilometre. If you read any Sinhala newspaper or (some English newspapers) you can find advertisements that published by persons who claim that they can heal your sicknesses or aliment.

Unfortunately most people blindly believe in these type of advertisements and pay good money via money orders or payment per visit. No matter what religion they uphold, people want to get themselves healed. Our anxiety lies in certain unhealthy practices by these ‘healers’ who force the innocent people to indulge in unhealthy acts in the name of faith, which offer absolutely nothing of remedial value.

According to one popular `healing system’, the patient is being prevented from taking any type of medications. Some `patients’ who follow this healing system is ‘pronounced cured’ because they do not have actual diseases or aliments. Therefore they do not need any medications. But some patients die because they are actual patients with curable diseases and such diseases need immediate medical treatment from a hospital or at least from a qualified MBBS doctor.

More than a few persons belonging to different age groups died after following this healing system in the past. But still the Sri Lankan society is not aware of this trade due to lack of publicity. Such incidents do not get adequate exposure or publicity through media because of its strong link to a certain cult (sect).

The other issue lies in the practice of healing through water, king coconut, oil or similar substances. According to this `system’ patients are forced to intake abnormal amounts of water or any other substance or apply certain substances on their bodies. This intake of abnormal amounts of liquids harm the human body and create abnormalities and other health problems.

The healers interpret these health problems as signs of healing! The ignorant poor patients believe all these and fall seriously ill or die within days or weeks. Rarely does such incidents get revealed by media. Even when such incidents come to light the media does not give adequate publicity to them. Because of this the incident does not catch public attention.

But if a healthy person carefully and practically study these healing places and healing systems, he or she can find out the truth. The same paid `patients’ are presented at different healing events with ailments. No one knows their actual religion, from where they come or who they are. They are in every healing event that belong to various religions! The amazing fact is they are presented with different aliments at different healing places. For an example a blind person goes to one healing place and gets cured in front of all.

The following day she is at another healing place posing as a cripple. After the `healer’ heals her in front of the awe-struck crowds, she begins to walk! Spot any magic in that? It’s what their ‘healing’ is all about! The other highlight of these various healing systems is to wear certain gadgets such as bangles, bracelets, rings, belts necklaces and also unusual accessories.

There are a large variety of accessories available in the local market today to wear and get healed from any sickness. They come in different styles, materials and colours. But nobody knows the effect of these accessories. Various persons and institutions earn large amounts of money by selling these accessories to the gullible public. But there is no way of testing and proving the effectiveness or the ill effects of these things.

Some institutions which use certain instruments, offer free trials to attract patients. Some claim that they can enhance the human body’s natural immunity. Most of these healing systems use one common method. That is applying pressure on nerve ends and releasing a heat at the same time. But still all these `systems’ need to be recognized and approved by the relevant health authorities.

Think twice when you need a soothing `treatment’ for your body and mind. What substances they use, how they use them and what side effects will it have are points to ponder upon. Heeling is good. No argument on that. But it should be healthy. What is the erstwhile point if you fall sick while trying to feel good? That is the main point of the whole story. Healing is good only when it actually heals you.