Ukuhlola Amakhambi Okwelapha

“Ukuvula indlela yokubonisana kobuchwepheshe phakathi kodokotela nabelaphi abasebenzisa amakhambi kubalulekile ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukunakekelwa kwempilo yalezo ziguli ezikhetha ukwelashwa ngamakhambi.”

LAWO MAZWI anyatheliswa kuyi-Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) ka-November 11, 1998. Lesi sihloko sathi: “Lesi sidingo [sokubonisana] kulindeleke ukuba sikhule ngenxa yokusetshenziswa kwamakhambi okwelapha, ikakhulukazi njengoba imishuwalense yezempilo ihlanganisa amakhambi anjalo ezinzuzweni zayo.”

Iziguli eziningi ngokwandayo zisebenzisa amakhambi kuyilapho zisebenzisa nezindlela zokwelapha zodokotela. Nokho, ezinye azibatsheli odokotela bazo ukuthi yini eziyenzayo. Ngakho-ke, i-Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter ka-April 2000 yanxusa: “Kufanele uzisize ngokusebenzelana kanye nodokotela wakho, hhayi ukuzenzela okubonayo.” Yanezela: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi udokotela uyavumelana yini nalokho okwenzayo noma cha, usethubeni lokuzuza ngokuhlanganyela lokho kwaziswa naye.”

Lokhu kwashiwo ngenxa yezingozi zempilo ezingase zivele uma amakhambi athile ehlanganiswa nemithi yodokotela. Beqaphela ukuthi ezinye iziguli zabo zikhetha ukusebenzisa amakhambi, ochwepheshe abaningi bezokwelapha bazama ukungavumeli imibono yabo ngempilo ibathiye ekusebenzelaneni nabelaphi abasebenzisa amakhambi ukuze kuzuze iziguli.

Ukuze sinikeze abafundi bethu umbono wokuthi ayini amakhambi asetshenziswa abantu abaningi emazweni amaningi, sinikeza incazelo emfushane ngambalwa awo. Nokho, siza uphawule ukuthi i-Phaphama! ayizigunyazi lezi zindlela zokwelapha noma olunye uhlobo lokwelapha.

Amakhambi

Ngokunokwenzeka lawa amakhambi avame kakhulu ekwelapheni okuhlukile kokodokotela. Nakuba sekungamakhulu eminyaka kusetshenziswa amakhambi ekwelapheni, zimbalwa kakhulu izitshalo ososayensi abaye bazicwaninga ngokucophelela. Futhi zimbalwa kakhulu izitshalo nezithako zazo eziye zacwaningwa ngokucophelela kangangokuba kube nokwaziswa okutholakalayo ngokuphepha nokusebenza kwazo. Okuningi kokwaziswa okuphathelene namakhambi kusekelwe kokuhlangenwe nakho okungokomlando kokuwasebenzisa.

Nokho, eminyakeni yamuva nje kuye kwaba nocwaningo oluningi lwesayensi olubonisa ukuthi amakhambi athile ayasiza ekwelapheni izifo ezinjengokucindezeleka okuncane, ukukhohlwa okubangelwa ukukhula nezimpawu zokuvuvukala kwendlala yesinye. Elinye ikhambi eliye lahlolwa yi-cohosh emnyama, ngezinye izikhathi eyaziwa ngokuthi i-snakeroot emnyama, i-bugbane noma i-rattleroot. AmaNdiya aseMelika ayebilisa lezi zimpande abese ezisebenzisela ukwelapha isilumo nezinkinga zokubeletha. Ngokwe-Harvard Women’s Health Watch ka-April 2000, ucwaningo lwamuva nje lubonisa ukuthi isithako se-cohosh emnyama ethengiswa eJalimane singase siphumelele “ekuqedeni izimpawu zokunqamuka kwefindo.”

Kubonakala sengathi ukufuneka kwamakhambi anjalo angokwemvelo kusekelwe embonweni wokuthi aphephile kunemithi yokwenziwa. Nakuba kungase kwenzeke ukuthi lokhu kuyiqiniso, amanye amakhambi anemiphumela engemihle, ikakhulukazi uma esetshenziswa neminye imithi. Ngokwesibonelo, ikhambi elithandwayo elituswa njengomuthi ongokwemvelo wokuqeda ukuqumba nowokunciphisa umzimba lingenyusa umfutho wegazi nowokushaya kwenhliziyo.

Kukhona namakhambi enza isiguli sophe kakhulu. Uma la makhambi exutshwa nemithi yodokotela “ehlambulula igazi,” kungaphakama izinkinga ezingathi sína. Abantu abanezifo ezingamahlalakhona, njengesifo sikashukela noma umfutho wegazi ophakeme, noma labo abaphuza eminye imithi kufanele bacophelele ngokusebenzisa amakhambi okwelapha.—Bheka ibhokisi elihambisana nesihloko.

Okunye okubangela ukukhathazeka ngamakhambi ukuntuleka kwezinga eliphakeme lomkhiqizo elihlala njalo. Eminyakeni yamuva nje kuye kwaba nemibiko yemikhiqizo engcoliswe yizakhi ezisansimbi ezinamandla nezinye izinto. Ngaphezu kwalokho, eminye imikhiqizo yamakhambi kuye kwatholakala ukuthi izithako okuthiwa zinayo zincane noma azikho nhlobo. Lezi zibonelo zigcizelela isidingo sokuthenga amakhambi okwelapha, kanye nanoma yimiphi eminye imikhiqizo yempilo, ezindaweni ezinedumela elihle nezinokwethenjelwa.

Izithasiselo Zokudla

Kubikwa ukuthi izithasiselo zokudla, njengamavithamini namaminerali, ziwusizo ekuvimbeleni nasekwelapheni izinkinga eziningi zempilo, kuhlanganise nesifo sokuntuleka kwegazi nokuchachamba kwamathambo—ngisho nasekuvimbeleni ukukhubazeka okuthile kwasekuzalweni. Izinga lamavithamini namaminerali elituswa uhulumeni nsuku zonke libhekwa njengeliphephile neliwusizo.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi amazinga aphakeme alezi zithako atuswa ngenjongo yokwelapha izifo ezithile angase abe yingozi empilweni. Angaphazamisa ukugayeka noma ukusebenza kwezinye izithako futhi angase abe nemiphumela engemihle. Leli thuba lokuzifaka engozini, kanye nokuntuleka kobufakazi obuqotho obusekela ukusetshenziswa kwamavithamini amaningi, akufanele kushaywe indiva.

I-homeopathy

I-homeopathy yasungulwa ngawo-1700 njengendlela engcono yokwelapha kunalezo ezazisetshenziswa ngaleso sikhathi. I-homeopathy isekelwe esimisweni sokuthi “iva likhishwa ngeva” kanye nakuyinkolelo-mbono yokunciphisa imithi. Amakhambi e-homeopathy athakwa ngokuhlambulula isithako eselaphayo—ngezinye izikhathi, sihlanjululwa kangangokuthi akusali ngisho nengcosana yesithako ngokwaso.

Noma kunjalo, lapho eqhathaniswa nokusetshenziswa kwe-placebo, kwatholakala ukuthi amakhambi e-homeopathy ayaphumelela ngandlela-thile ekwelapheni izinto ezinjengesifuba somoya, ukungezwani nezinto ezithile nohudo lwezingane. Imikhiqizo ye-homeopathy ibhekwa njengephephile, ngoba ihlanjululwa kakhulu. Isihloko esanyatheliswa kuyi-JAMA ka-March 4, 1998, saphawula: “Ezigulini eziningi ezinezinkinga ezingamahlalakhona okungelula ukuzixilonga, kungenzeka ukuthi i-homeopathy iyindlela yokwelapha ebalulekile newusizo. Uma isetshenziswa ngokulinganisela, i-homeopathy ingase ithasisele emithini yodokotela ‘njengelinye ithuluzi emgodleni.’” Nokho, ezimweni eziphuthumayo ezisongela ukuphila, kungase kube ukuhlakanipha ukusebenzisa izindlela zokwelapha ezivamile.

I-chiropractic

Kunezinye izindlela zokwelapha eziningana ezisebenza ngokulungisa umzimba. I-chiropractic iphakathi kwezindlela zokwelapha ezisetshenziswa kakhulu, ikakhulukazi e-United States. Isekelwe embonweni wokuthi ukululama kungashesha uma kulungiswa amathambo omgogodla ame kabi. Yingakho odokotela be-chiropractic besebenza ngomgogodla ukuze balungise amathambo eziguli.

Imithi yodokotela ayikwazi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukudambisa ubuhlungu beqolo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ezinye iziguli ezithola ukwelashwa nge-chiropractic zibika ukwaneliseka okukhulu. Buncane kakhulu ubufakazi obusekela ukusetshenziswa kwe-chiropractic ezimweni ezingahlobene nobuhlungu.

Kuyinto ephawulekayo ukuthi ayikho imiphumela emibi eba khona lapho udokotela onguchwepheshe esebenzisa i-chiropractic. Kodwa-ke, ngesikhathi esifanayo, umuntu kufanele aqaphele ukuthi ukwelulwa kwamathambo entamo kuhlobene nengozi engathi sína, kuhlanganise nokufa uhlangothi nokukhubazeka. Ukuze kuncishiswe izinkinga, abanye ochwepheshe batusa ukuthi umuntu ahlolwe kahle emzimbeni ukuze kutholakale ukuthi ukwelulwa kwamathambo athile kuphephile yini kuye.

Ukubhucungwa

Sekuyisikhathi eside izinzuzo zokubhucungwa (massage) zaziwa cishe kuyo yonke imiphakathi. Kuyabikwa ngisho naseBhayibhelini. (Esteri 2:12, NW) “Izinqubo zokubhucungwa zifeza indima ebalulekile ekunakekelweni kwezempilo okungokwesiko eChina naseNdiya,” kusho i-British Medical Journal (BMJ) ka-November 6, 1999. “Ngasekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19 leminyaka, uPer Henrik Ling wathuthukisa izinqubo zokubhucunga eYurophu, wasungula lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ukubhucunga kwaseSweden.”

Kuthiwa ukubhucungwa kuthoba imisipha, kuthuthukise ukugeleza kwegazi futhi kukhiphe ubuthi obunqwabelana emisipheni. Odokotela manje sebetusa ukubhucungwa ngenxa yezinkinga ezinjengobuhlungu beqolo, ikhanda nokungagayeki kokudla esiswini. Abantu abaningi ababhucungwayo bachaza indlela okubenza bazizwe kahle ngayo. NgokukaDkt. Sandra McLanahan, “amaphesenti angu-80 ezifo ahlobene nokucindezeleka, futhi ukubhucungwa kuyakunciphisa ukucindezeleka.”

“Izinqubo eziningi zokubhucungwa zinethuba elincane lokuba nemiphumela engemihle,” kubika i-BMJ. “Izimo ezingase zibangele inkinga ngokubhucungwa zivinjelwa ngokuyinhloko ngokusebenzisa ukuhluzeka kwengqondo (ngokwesibonelo, ukugwema ukuhlikihla amanxeba okusha noma ukubhucunga isitho esinemithambo evalekile) . . . Abukho ubufakazi bokuthi ukubhucungwa kwabantu abanomdlavuza kuwenza usakazeke emzimbeni.”

U-E. Houston LeBrun, owayengumongameli we-American Massage Therapy Association, wathi: “Njengoba ukubhucungwa sekwamukelwa kabanzi, amakhasimende akhathazeka ngedumela lomuntu owelapha ngokubhucunga, futhi kube kufanele.” I-BMJ yeluleka ngokuthi ukuze zigweme ukuphathwa ngendlela engafanele, “iziguli kufanele ziqiniseke ukuthi abelaphi babhaliswe nenhlangano efanele eshaya umthetho.” Umbiko wangonyaka odlule wabonisa ukuthi kwagunyazwa abelaphi ezifundazweni ezingu-28 e-United States.

Ukutshopa

Ukutshopa kuyindlela yokwelapha esithandwa kakhulu kuwo wonke umhlaba. Nakuba igama elithi “ukutshopa” lihlanganisa izinqubo eziningana ezihlukahlukene, ngokuyinhloko lisho ukusetshenziswa kwezinalithi ezincane ezifakwa ezingxenyeni ezithile zomzimba ukuze zelaphe umuntu. Ucwaningo kula mashumi eminyaka adlule lubonisa ukuthi ukutshopa kungase kusize kwezinye izimo ngokukhipha amakhemikhali ezinzwa, njengama-endorphin, angase asize ekudambiseni ubuhlungu nokuvuvukala.

Olunye ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi ukutshopa kungase kuphumelele ekwelapheni izifo eziningi nokuthi kuyindlela ephephile kunokusebenzisa imithi ebulala izinzwa. I-World Health Organization ivumela ukusetshenziswa kokutshopa ekwelapheni izinkinga ezingu-104. Kanti ikomiti emiswe yi-U.S. National Institutes of Health yaveza ubufakazi bokuthi ukutshopa kuyindlela eyamukelekayo yokwelapha ubuhlungu bangemva kokuhlinzwa, ubuhlungu bemisipha, isilumo kanye nesicanucanu nokuhlanza okubangelwa ukwelashwa ngamakhemikhali noma ukukhulelwa.

Nakuba ukutshopa kungenayo imiphumela eminingi engemihle, abantu bangase bezwe ubuhlungu bomzimba, ukuba ndikindiki noma ukushoshozela komzimba. Ukugezwa kahle kwezinalithi noma ukusebenzisa izinalithi ezilahlwayo ngemva kokusetshenziswa kunganciphisa amathuba ezifo. Abantu abaningi abelapha ngokutshopa abanalo ulwazi lobudokotela oludingekayo ekuxilongeni ngendlela efanele noma ekutuseni amakhambi angcono. Kungaba ubuwula ukushalazelela lokhu kuntuleka kolwazi lokuxilonga, ikakhulukazi uma ukhetha ukutshopa ukuze udambise isifo esingamahlalakhona.

Kuningi Ongakhetha Kukho

Okungenhla kubonisa nje izindlela ezimbalwa zokwelapha ezibhekwa manje njengokwelapha ngamakhambi ezindaweni ezithile. Kusasa, odokotela bangase bazamukele ezinye zazo, kanye nezinye esingaxoxanga ngazo lapha, njengoba sekunjalo kakade kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba. Yiqiniso, ezinye zingase zingabe zisasetshenziswa noma zibe nedumela elibi.

Ngeshwa, ubuhlungu nokugula kuyingxenye enkulu yokuphila kwesintu, njengoba neBhayibheli lisho ngokunembile: “Siyazi ukuthi yonke indalo iyaqhubeka ibubula kanyekanye futhi iba sezinhlungwini kanyekanye kuze kube manje.” (Roma 8:22) Kumane kuyinto engokwemvelo ukuba abantu bafune impumuzo. Kodwa singayitholaphi? Siza ucabangele amanye amaphuzu angase abe usizo kuwe lapho ukhetha indlela yokwelashwa.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Ukuxuba Amakhambi Nemithi Yodokotela—ZIYINI IZINGOZI?

Umphakathi uxwayiswa njalo ngokuphuza imithi ethile kadokotela uyixube noma uyiphuze nophuzo oludakayo. Ingabe ikhona ingozi nasekusebenziseni amakhambi athile uwaxube nemithi kadokotela? Wande kangakanani lo mkhuba?

Isihloko se-Journal of the American Medical Association sakhuluma “ngokusetshenziswa ngasikhathi sinye kwemithi kadokotela namakhambi.” Saphawula: “Phakathi kuka-44% wabantu abadala abathi baphuza imithi kadokotela njalo, cishe oyedwa (18,4%) kwabahlanu wabika ukuthi usebenzisa okungenani ikhambi elilodwa, amavithamini anamandla, noma kokubili ngasikhathi sinye.” Kubalulekile ukwazi izingozi zemikhuba enjalo.

Labo abasebenzisa amakhambi athile kufanele bacophelele nalapho belashwa ngendlela edinga ukuba babulawe izinzwa. UDkt. John Neeld, umongameli we-American Society of Anesthesiologists, wachaza: “Kunemibiko yabantu ebonisa ukuthi amanye amakhambi athandwayo, kuhlanganise i-ginseng ne-St. John’s wort, angashintshashintsha umfutho wegazi kabi. Lokho kungaba yingozi kakhulu lapho umuntu ebulawe izinzwa.”

Lo dokotela wanezela: “Amanye amakhambi, njenge-ginkgo biloba, ujinja ne-feverfew, angaphazamisa ukujiya kwegazi, okuyingozi enkulu lapho umuntu ebulewe izinzwa ngasebuchosheni—uma opha ngasemhlandleni, kungase kubangele ukukhubazeka. I-St. John’s wort ingaqinisa nemiphumela yesidakamizwa esithile noma imithi ebulala izinzwa.”

Ngokusobala, kubalulekile ukwazi ngezingozi ezingase zivele ngenxa yokuxuba amakhambi athile nemithi yodokotela. Abesifazane abakhulelwe nabancelisayo kufanele baqaphele ikakhulukazi umonakalo ongase udaleke enganeni ngenxa yokuxuba amakhambi athile nemithi yodokotela. Ngakho-ke, iziguli zikhuthazwa ukuba zixoxe nodokotela bazo ngokuthi ziphuza miphi imithi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi amakhambi noma cha.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Amanye amakhambi aye aba usizo ekwelapheni izinkinga zempilo

I-“cohosh” emnyama

I-“Saint-John’s-wort”

[Umthombo]

© Bill Johnson/Visuals Unlimited

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ukuze bathole imiphumela emihle, iziguli nodokotela kufanele babambisane