Some of the traditional medicines used in Sabana Grande:
- Earleaf/Swasando
- Cures earaches
- Basil/Albacha
- Used for flavoring and medicine
- Cures nausea, stomaches, vomitting diarrhea
- Agua floreda
- Cures stiches in the stomach or hiccups
- Bitter leaf/Chilga
- Cures muscle sores
- Passionfruit leaf tea
- Used for general relaxation
- Llanten
- Cures menstrual cramps, allergies, ointment for burns, cirrhosis of the liver
- Oregeno
- Used for flavoring and medicine
- Cures cold, nasal congestion, asthma, sore throat, menstrual cramps
- Enaldo
- Prevents gas
- Lemongrass
- Helps against colds and swollen tonsils
Because traditional plants work slower, they have not caught on entirely in the village of Sabana Grande. Roughly 10% of the community believe in the use of the traditional plants, but there is also a good proportion of people that use both traditional medicine and modern medicine due to lack of access to modern medicine. Traditional medicine is thought to cure the root of the symptoms, while doctors usually just try to cure the symptoms without the roots.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Nicaragua
Some CAM therapies used in Nicaragua:
- Traditional birth attendants
- Herbalism
- Spiritualism
- Massage
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the US
In the US, 38.3% of adults use CAM in addition or instead of modern medicine.
Some CAM therapies used in the US:
- Acupuncture*
- Ayurveda*
- Biofeedback*
- Chelation therapy*
- Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation*
- Deep breathing exercises
- Diet-based therapies
- Energy healing therapy*
- Guided imagery
- Homeopathic treatment
- Hypnosis*
- Massage*
- Meditation
- Movement therapies
- Natural products*
- Naturopathy
- Progressive relaxation
- Qi gong
- Tai chi
- Traditional healers*
- Yoga
* = requires practitioner
Source: NIH (http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/2007/camsurvey_fs1.htm)
