Some differences between TCM & Western allopathic medicine

[Guest guest]

This is a post for list members who are new to TCM.

 

Part of understanding TCM is to recognize how the TCM approach to

healing differs from the way healing is approached in most Western

countries. az

 

For one thing, there are no one-size-fits-all treatments or diets in

TCM. Treatment is individualized to a degree seldom seen in the

West. There are general guidelines for maintaining health, but

healers and users of TCM are very aware that treatments for

restoring health can be very different for different individuals.

 

For example, take the Western idea to lower salt intake and

eliminate processed sugar from the diet. Some Westerners are shocked

when they discover that some TCM formulas (some Kidney formulas) are

to be taken with a pinch of salt. Ditto the including sugar in some

formulas or the instructions to take with sugar. Granted, the latter

is not called for in Western countries as often as in some Eastern

countries. The point is that what's bad for one individual may be

exactly what is needed for another.

 

One of the easiest TCM concepts for Westerners to understand is that

of Hot/ Cold. Some individuals are too Hot. The last thing they

need are herbs and foods that will make them hotter. People who are

too Hot need more foods and herbs with cooling energy. People who

are too Cold need more foods and herbs that will warm them up. What

helps a person who is too Hot (cooling them) will make a person who

is too Cold sicker, and vice versa.

 

Does this mean that a person who is too Hot should eat only foods

and herbs with cooling or neutral thermal energy, and a person who

is too Cold should eat only foods and herbs with warming or neutral

energy? No. It means that the overall thermal average of their

meals and the healing formulas they take should be warming for those

who are too Cold and cooling for those who are too Hot.

 

It is very, very rare for just one herb to be given to a TCM client.

It's rare for formulas to contain only 2 herbs. Typically, formulas

will include several herbs, each chosen for specific reasons.

 

Note: Not all clients will have Heat/ Cold problems. There are

imbalances in TCM that don't involve Heat/ Cold problems. At least

not at first and not directly. For example, Blood Stasis and Qi

Stagnation.

 

What gets diagnosed in TCM are TCM imbalances. One of the most

surprising things to Westerners is that with a very few exceptions

(like the common cold and arthritis), there are no one-to-one

correspondences between Western-defined medical conditions and TCM

imbalances. Individual can have the same disease (manifestation) but

different Roots. Even when it's the same disease, TCM treatment may

differ wildly because the TCM imbalance(s) the individuals have are

different.

 

The common cold is due to Wind Cold Invading in most cases,

sometimes to Wind Heat invading. Acute arthritis is due to Wind,

Damp, and/or Cold invading. But a condition like asthma can have a

Root of one or more of several different imbalances, and not all of

them directly involve the lungs! For example, the individual may

have Lung Qi Deficiency, Invasion of Lungs By Wind-Water, Damp

Phlegm Obstructing the Lungs, or Phlegm Heat Obstructing the Lungs

to name just 3 of the Lung imbalances that can result in

breathlessness. BUT in some individuals, the Root of breathing

problems may not be in the Lungs but in the Kidneys. There is a

condition called Kidneys Refusing to Receive Qi that results in

breathing problems. Or, the problem may be in the Large Intestine.

The person only has breathing problems when the bowels are not

moving properly. Acid reflux (Stomach Qi Rebelling) can be a factor

in other cases of breathing problems. Etc.

 

The disease/ condition can be the same, but the Roots are different.

 

A reminder that TCM Organs are not equivalent to anatomical organs;

hence, the captialization of TCM Organs. TCM Organs are collections

of funtions.

 

One thing that frequently surprises Westerners is that TCM healers

won't take a Western-defined diagnosis for the purpose of a TCM

diagnosis. They want to be aware of any Western-defined conditions

the person has, but they won't take a label as shorthand for the

specific symptoms the individual is having. For example, if the

client has hypoglycemia, the healer is going to ask " What do you

mean by that? " or ask what the specific symptoms are for the

individual. The reason for this is that symptoms can differ quite a

bit from individual to individual with the same Western-defined

medical condition because the individuals have different TCM

imbalances. TCM healers diagnose and treat TCM imbalances, not

Western-defined medical conditions. (Not unless the TCM healer is

also a licensed MD or DO.)

 

BTW, the recognition of the importance of Hot/ Cold is not limited

to TCM. Many people from around the world recognize this. For

example, many older Germans will talk about some stomach problems

being due to the stomach being too cold. An elderly great-great aunt

of mine who lived in the mountains used to talk about the importance

of not drinking too much cool water too rapidly when one was

overheated. If one gulped instead of sipping gradually, one

increased one's chances of coming down with an infectious disease.

[Guest guest]

I found this very informative, thanks much victoria_dragon ! :-)

I believe it was the difference between TCM and Western allopathic medicine that

drew me to want to learn more about TCM

Blessings,

Marlene

-

victoria_dragon

Chinese Traditional Medicine

Tuesday, December 06, 2005 7:41 AM

[Chinese Traditional Medicine] Some differences between TCM & Western allopathic

medicine

 

 

This is a post for list members who are new to TCM.

 

Part of understanding TCM is to recognize how the TCM approach to

healing differs from the way healing is approached in most Western

countries. az

 

For one thing, there are no one-size-fits-all treatments or diets in

TCM. Treatment is individualized to a degree seldom seen in the

West. There are general guidelines for maintaining health, but

healers and users of TCM are very aware that treatments for

restoring health can be very different for different individuals.