Alternative medicine

Alternative medicine covers a wide spectrum, from the credible, such as herbal medicines, to the ludicrous, such as healing by touching. Along the spectrum, the habits of us Mirpuris probably lie closer to the ludicrous end, as shown by the popularity of pirs, or faith healers.

Often those who visit pirs have vague, undefined symptoms, such as ‘tightness’ in the head or aching bones. Some people may well experience a reduction in symptoms after a visit to the pir, but this is more to do with dubious symptoms together with the mental reassurance which goes with visiting a pir, as distinct from a three-minute visit to a more bureaucratic NHS doctor.

In so far as pirs offer reassurance and comfort, there is nothing wrong with visiting them. They can, for example, be part of the disease management process. But to suggest that the intervention of a pir can affect a biochemical change in the body, and thus cure an illness, is ludicrous.