Ken L Lunn
To the Heart of the Matter - examining the conceptual context of the understanding of cardiac illness
Abstract
This paper is an examination of the hypothesis, that the context of the empirical therapeutic philosophy of Western Herbal Medicine (WHM) demonstrates a conceptual understanding that is concurrent with the biomedical theories being developed within the field of Psychoneuroendocrinology (PNE). The origin of this commonality is examined within the context of the historical development of medicine, establishing the nature of holistic and vitalistic understanding, and its influence upon medicine.
A discussion of the conceptual understanding of the mechanisms of cardiovascular (CV) illness is presented as a debate forum for testing the hypothesis. Recent advancements in the development of biomedical theories describing the aetiology of CV illness in a PNE context, provide a comprehensive understanding, which facilitates a comparison based upon broad therapeutic principles.
An analysis of the current PNE concepts of CV illness is presented in order to demonstrate the multi-system approach and to provide a theoretical basis for conceptual comparison.
Examination of the empirical basis of WHM reveals the importance of the vitalistic understanding, and establishes its origin in Humoral Medicine and Phyiomedicalist practice. Explicating the main therapeutic concepts inherent with these systems, an examination of the WHM understanding of cardiovascular illness aetiology is presented as a theme for comparative discussion.
In testing the hypothesis, the comparative discussion demonstrates the aspects of conceptual understanding that reveal a commonality of understanding. These aspects are shown to relate to the vitalistic context dictated by a multi-system approach to understanding the human condition.
The paper concludes by discussing the consequences of this conceptual commonality in relation to the understanding of disease processes, and to the conceptual philosophy of WHM practice.
