The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness

An alternative to the vast, bureaucratic system of the American medical system can be found in the twin rituals of attention and care offered by alternative medical modalities. The popularity of alternative medicine first rose in the 1990s as a resistance to the growing dominance of technocratic medicine. O’Rourke’s own journey to an integrative doctor reflects this shift, for she is looking for healing based on individual attention and an unambiguously high quality of care. However, this type of care is not covered by insurance. The key difference between integrative medicine and traditional Western medicine, as O’Rourke experiences it, is that the latter’s hands are tied where the evidence stops. When confronted with two different narratives about her own body, O’Rourke struggles to navigate the benefits and costs of both. While integrative medicine offers her small but effective adjustments based on honoring the needs of her body, the out-of-network care costs are tremendous.

O’Rourke then contends with a major opponent to alternative medicine, Steven Salzberg, and summarizes his key critique that embracing a healing modality that is not based on empirical evidence can be dangerous for the patient. However, she asserts that Western medicine itself is equally guilty of erroneous judgments and potential patient harm.