Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM)
versus Western Medicine
Although the goals of TCM and Western medicine
are the same, their ideas about what causes a disease,
the nature of the disease itself, and the process used to
regain health are very different. The physician learns that
disease must be cured by prescribing medicine or by surgery.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this approach. It often works. But why does TCM succeed where
western medicine fails in some of cases? What is it about acupuncture and herbal medicine that can
result in relief of symptoms or even a cure that is lacking in western medicine for some of cases?
Although the goal of TCM is to cure a patient, the doctor of TCM attempts to do this by treating the
whole person, taking into account the various attributes of an individual that, when combined, account
for an person being sick or healthy. People are not, according to TCM, represented solely by their
illness, but by the accumulation of every human interaction engaged in from the moment of their birth
and by the culture they are exposed to. The emotional experiences, eating habits, work habits, work
and living environment, personal habits, and social network all contribute to their disease and are
factors that, when changed appropriately, may lead to regained health.
Western treatment typically interfere with disease process to stop it or interfere with physiological
process to mask symptoms. In the end, the body must heal from the treatment as well as the illness.
The power and effectiveness of TCM is evidenced by its long history of continued success. More than
a quarter of the world’s population regularly uses TCM including acupuncture and Chinese herbal
remedies as part of their health care regimen. Chinese medicine is the only form of classical medicine
that is regularly and continuously used outside of its country of origin.
Diagnosis with TCM
The only diagnostic tools used by doctors of Chinese medicine are the “Four Examinations”:
1. Observing
2. Listening/Smelling
3. Questioning
4. Palpating
This method of diagnosis dates back over 3,000 years, and although it may seem quite simple, is far
from simplistic. Each of the Four Examinations can take years to master, and the astute practitioner
uses them to arrive at a differential diagnosis. With the advent of technology—as amazing,
necessary, and beneficial as can be—there seems to be a direct correlation between advances in
technology and a decline in doctor sensitivity to the patient, and thus, misdiagnosis.
The experienced doctor must use his or her own interpretive skills and consider not only what the
patient reports to them about their condition, but also what they reveal without meaning too and what
they don’t express.
A great doctor is one who can process a mix of medical knowledge with a personal sensitivity based
on experience. The doctor of TCM specializes not just in inserting needles or prescribing herbal
remedies, but in being able to see “hidden” or subtle conditions that may not been seen or understood
by practitioners of other types of medicine. This ability to see these hidden elements is difficult to
master, and is done without the benefit of modern technology.
Proper treatment in TCM is more than the elimination of the disease processes. In addition to
attacking a factor that is contributing to the disease process, it is the responsibility of the doctor of
TCM to support the individual in his or her goal of achieving overall total health, which includes the
physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. This multidimensional approach is
crucial to the process of healing. Without it, doctors are merely “chasing” the sickness and forgetting
that the patient is much more than their disease. They are a whole person—the sum of a lifetime of
experiences.
TCM first is concerned with strengthening the immune function, which includes balancing the physical,
emotional, and spiritual attributes of the patient, so as to be able to assist the patient in his or her
endeavor to do battle and destroy the “enemy at the gates
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine has been used successfully
to treat patients for thousands of years.
Practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine rarely use a single herb in treatment. Chinese herbs are
formula based; many herbs are mixed together to create the perfect “decoction” specifically designed
for the individual patient.
Some formulas contain two herbs and some thirty or more herbs. Each herb has many functions. Each
herb has its own flavour, nature, temperature and trophism. Prescribing the correct herbal remedies
requires extensive training and clinical experience.
Self-medicating with herbal medicine presents a dual dilemma. At best the herbs will be useless, as
the key to correct formula prescription is an accurate differential diagnosis that can only be rendered
by a licensed, highly educated, experienced practitioner. In the worst case, self-prescribing of herbal
medicine may prove harmful or fatal. A good example of this is Ma Huang/Ephedra. Ma Huang is an
herb safely prescribed on a daily basis by hundreds of alternative medicine practitioners to thousands
of patients. That several people have died as a result of taking Ma Huang has very little to do with the
dangerous properties of the herb inasmuch as it has to do with the fact that in all cases of fatalities the
individuals were self-medicating. Aspirin can prove fatal if taken by a haemophiliac, and this is not an
indication that aspirin should be banned or that it is a dangerous drug. Like herbal medicines, it is
totally safe if used appropriately.
One should take herbs only when they’re prescribed by a high educated and experienced herbalist.
Not only is herbal medicine safe, it is highly effective and free of concomitant harmful side effects that
often accompany pharmaceutical drugs. There are more than one million hospitalizations per year as
a result of drug-induced side effects; not so with herbal medicine.
We use about 500 kinds of fresh, dried herbs including
flowers, seeds, fruit, leaves, roots and bark imported from
China to prepare hundreds of formulated herbal remedies
in our clinics. Our highly experienced practitioners will
prescribe a combination of these natural products in the
form of pills, tablets, powder, capsules, cream or lotion,
or origial tea etc. Herbal medicine will be specially prescribed
and prepared for you according to the individual conditions.
(TCM)
versus Western Medicine
Although the goals of TCM and Western medicine
are the same, their ideas about what causes a disease,
the nature of the disease itself, and the process used to
regain health are very different. The physician learns that
disease must be cured by prescribing medicine or by surgery.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this approach. It often works. But why does TCM succeed where
western medicine fails in some of cases? What is it about acupuncture and herbal medicine that can
result in relief of symptoms or even a cure that is lacking in western medicine for some of cases?
Although the goal of TCM is to cure a patient, the doctor of TCM attempts to do this by treating the
whole person, taking into account the various attributes of an individual that, when combined, account
for an person being sick or healthy. People are not, according to TCM, represented solely by their
illness, but by the accumulation of every human interaction engaged in from the moment of their birth
and by the culture they are exposed to. The emotional experiences, eating habits, work habits, work
and living environment, personal habits, and social network all contribute to their disease and are
factors that, when changed appropriately, may lead to regained health.
Western treatment typically interfere with disease process to stop it or interfere with physiological
process to mask symptoms. In the end, the body must heal from the treatment as well as the illness.
The power and effectiveness of TCM is evidenced by its long history of continued success. More than
a quarter of the world’s population regularly uses TCM including acupuncture and Chinese herbal
remedies as part of their health care regimen. Chinese medicine is the only form of classical medicine
that is regularly and continuously used outside of its country of origin.
Diagnosis with TCM
The only diagnostic tools used by doctors of Chinese medicine are the “Four Examinations”:
1. Observing
2. Listening/Smelling
3. Questioning
4. Palpating
This method of diagnosis dates back over 3,000 years, and although it may seem quite simple, is far
from simplistic. Each of the Four Examinations can take years to master, and the astute practitioner
uses them to arrive at a differential diagnosis. With the advent of technology—as amazing,
necessary, and beneficial as can be—there seems to be a direct correlation between advances in
technology and a decline in doctor sensitivity to the patient, and thus, misdiagnosis.
The experienced doctor must use his or her own interpretive skills and consider not only what the
patient reports to them about their condition, but also what they reveal without meaning too and what
they don’t express.
A great doctor is one who can process a mix of medical knowledge with a personal sensitivity based
on experience. The doctor of TCM specializes not just in inserting needles or prescribing herbal
remedies, but in being able to see “hidden” or subtle conditions that may not been seen or understood
by practitioners of other types of medicine. This ability to see these hidden elements is difficult to
master, and is done without the benefit of modern technology.
Proper treatment in TCM is more than the elimination of the disease processes. In addition to
attacking a factor that is contributing to the disease process, it is the responsibility of the doctor of
TCM to support the individual in his or her goal of achieving overall total health, which includes the
physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. This multidimensional approach is
crucial to the process of healing. Without it, doctors are merely “chasing” the sickness and forgetting
that the patient is much more than their disease. They are a whole person—the sum of a lifetime of
experiences.
TCM first is concerned with strengthening the immune function, which includes balancing the physical,
emotional, and spiritual attributes of the patient, so as to be able to assist the patient in his or her
endeavor to do battle and destroy the “enemy at the gates
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine has been used successfully
to treat patients for thousands of years.
Practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine rarely use a single herb in treatment. Chinese herbs are
formula based; many herbs are mixed together to create the perfect “decoction” specifically designed
for the individual patient.
Some formulas contain two herbs and some thirty or more herbs. Each herb has many functions. Each
herb has its own flavour, nature, temperature and trophism. Prescribing the correct herbal remedies
requires extensive training and clinical experience.
Self-medicating with herbal medicine presents a dual dilemma. At best the herbs will be useless, as
the key to correct formula prescription is an accurate differential diagnosis that can only be rendered
by a licensed, highly educated, experienced practitioner. In the worst case, self-prescribing of herbal
medicine may prove harmful or fatal. A good example of this is Ma Huang/Ephedra. Ma Huang is an
herb safely prescribed on a daily basis by hundreds of alternative medicine practitioners to thousands
of patients. That several people have died as a result of taking Ma Huang has very little to do with the
dangerous properties of the herb inasmuch as it has to do with the fact that in all cases of fatalities the
individuals were self-medicating. Aspirin can prove fatal if taken by a haemophiliac, and this is not an
indication that aspirin should be banned or that it is a dangerous drug. Like herbal medicines, it is
totally safe if used appropriately.
One should take herbs only when they’re prescribed by a high educated and experienced herbalist.
Not only is herbal medicine safe, it is highly effective and free of concomitant harmful side effects that
often accompany pharmaceutical drugs. There are more than one million hospitalizations per year as
a result of drug-induced side effects; not so with herbal medicine.
We use about 500 kinds of fresh, dried herbs including
flowers, seeds, fruit, leaves, roots and bark imported from
China to prepare hundreds of formulated herbal remedies
in our clinics. Our highly experienced practitioners will
prescribe a combination of these natural products in the
form of pills, tablets, powder, capsules, cream or lotion,
or origial tea etc. Herbal medicine will be specially prescribed
and prepared for you according to the individual conditions.
| Home Contact Us Site Map A Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Clinics 665 Main St. E. Hamilton ON L8M 1K1 107--2201 Brant St. Burlington ON L7P 3N8 508--2000 credit Valley Rd. Mississauga ON L5M 4N4 Phone: (905) 317-8650 Copy Right @ 2003 A Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Clinics, All Right Reserve |
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