African Traditional Medicine

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The development, changes and the use of traditional medicine have a very long history that corresponds to the stone age. In Africa, the practice and belief of traditional healing medicine is much older than some of other traditional healing method and it seems to be much more prevalent compared to conventional medicine.

African medicine is a form traditional medicine disciplines involving, divination, indigenous herbalism/ herbalism and spirituality. Traditional healers provides health care services based on culture, religious, knowledge and attitudes that are base on his environment or area, with it belief that illness is derived from chance occurrences, but having natural and supernatural causes and must be treated by physical & spiritual means, using divination, herbs, animals and incantations.

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Traditional medicine was once termed primitive in Africa before the arrival of the Europeans, who introduced science-based medicine, which was a big turning point in the history of tradition & culture. Traditional medical practices are still shrouded with much secrecy, the lack of detailed documentation of traditional knowledge, which is transferred orally. Some adverse effects or reactions can result from mis-identification, misuse of healing plants or herbs and not following the right procedure.

Traditional healers are known by different local names depending on their region, country or tribe. Example; Bokomowo in Ghana, Babalowo, Dibia, Boka in Nigeria, Sangoma in South Africa, Inyangas in Swaziland e.t.c. There unusual attire, with feathers, eye painted with native chalk, animal skin wear and head bands.

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There’s a belief among the traditional healers that the ability to diagnose and treat illnesses are a gift from God. Rather than looking for the medical or physical reasons behind an illness. It has also been said that before attaining such knowledge in traditional African medicine, one is to be initiated into a cult or secret society, however, dwindled among the colonial period, whereby it was viewed as inferior to Western medicine. Still traditional healers attempt to determine the root cause underlying it, which is believed to be caused by a lack of balance between the patient and their environment of the spiritual world, which is supernatural causes and not natural causes attributed to the illness. Compared with modern allopathic medicine, herbal medicine is freely available and can easily be accessed.

Some of this plants parts used in herbal medicine and uses are;
1)Anredera Cordiofolia leaves; used for swollen feet from poor circulation and liver/kidney problem are treated with this leaf.
2)Datura Stramonium plant; The leaves are used to treat pain and swelling boils, abscessus and tetanus.
3)Rumex Sagittatus plant; A cold water infusion of the root are used as a body wash as it’s believed to cleanse the body of misfortunes and evils.
4)Fruits and seeds also contain highly active phytochemicals and essential oils.

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Long before the advent of western medicine, Africans had developed their own effective way of dealing with diseases, improved plant identification, methods of preparation and scientific investigations have increased the credibility and acceptability of herbal drugs.



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I wonder... If an herbal cure for something serious was discovered tomorrow, when would we see it available? Sadly the focus will always be on what can be sold for a lot of money.

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