Above picture: Credit Mundos de mestizaje. A Vision of History through Fresco by Frederico Vigil / Torreon Fresco - National Hispanic Cultural Center
Healing Methods
Traditional Healing Methods
Traditionally, Hispanics have utilized healers. Healers were an important part of the Hispanic culture. Female family members or neighbors (senora/abuela) were consulted at the first sign of illness. Home remedies were the first line of treatment. These remedies were teas, made from various fruits, herbs, and spices. If the use of home remedies and the assistance of a senora/abuela had no effect on the illness then the individual had the option to consult either a yerbero (herbalist), sobador (message therapist), or partera (midwife) depending on the type of infliction. A cuarandero total (lay healer) may be consulted when all other methods fail. As a lay healer, these cuarandero’s are able to heal afflictions that affect the body, mind, and spirit.
Traditionally, Hispanics have utilized healers. Healers were an important part of the Hispanic culture. Female family members or neighbors (senora/abuela) were consulted at the first sign of illness. Home remedies were the first line of treatment. These remedies were teas, made from various fruits, herbs, and spices. If the use of home remedies and the assistance of a senora/abuela had no effect on the illness then the individual had the option to consult either a yerbero (herbalist), sobador (message therapist), or partera (midwife) depending on the type of infliction. A cuarandero total (lay healer) may be consulted when all other methods fail. As a lay healer, these cuarandero’s are able to heal afflictions that affect the body, mind, and spirit.
Today, Hispanics are less likely to use lay healers and more likely to use community health care. Unless the individual is very ill, they generally will not seek assistance. Senoras/abuelas may be consulted when the individual believes they are sick enough so as to not burden the family members with worry. Hispanics generally use multiple methods to treat themselves which involve prayer, folk medicine, prescription medications left over from friends as well as new medications prescribed by physicians.
Traditionally, conditions may be referred to as either “hot” or “cold”. In either case, they are treated with the opposite hot or cold treatment. For instance, conditions referred to as "cold" are treated with "hot" medications/treatments and "hot" conditions are treated with "cold" medications/treatments to restore physical, mental, and spiritual imbalance. When necessary, some Hispanics will travel to their home countries to have special "limpias" or cleansings performed.
Folk Medicine
Folk Remedies Everyone Should Know
(+ indicates yes, with + being least and +++ being most; - indicates no, with - being least and - - - most, i.e., - - - in the safety column indicates the treatment is significantly dangerous. ? ? ? indicates the information is not known to the author.)
Folk Remedies Everyone Should Know
(+ indicates yes, with + being least and +++ being most; - indicates no, with - being least and - - - most, i.e., - - - in the safety column indicates the treatment is significantly dangerous. ? ? ? indicates the information is not known to the author.)
(Kemp, 2005)
References:
Kemp, C. (2005). Folk Remedies Everyone Should Know. Retrieved from https://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/hispanic_health.htm
National Alliance for Hispanic Health. (2001). Quality health services for Hispanics: The cultural competency component. Retrieved from http://www.hrsa.gov/CulturalCompetence/servicesforhispanics.pdf