Homeopathy v. TCM

[Guest guest]

Todd-

No feathers ruffled - just some clarification intended.

 

In a message dated 00-06-02 23:46:10 EDT, you write:

<< what this means is that while we could conceivably incorporate

homeopathic remedies into traditional Chinese medicine, there's really no way

to incorporate homeopathic philosophy into Chinese medicine. >>

 

Just the opposite: Since there is no way to incorporate homeopathic

philosophy into , then we cannot conceivably incorporate

homeopathic remedies into TCM.

 

<<The nature of the vital force of homeopathy is inherent in the word vital.

Vital refers to a

quality of living organisms.>>

 

Yet the vital force is also referenced as a vibrational quality, something

all objects posses whether animal, vegatable or mineral. Even rocks have a

vibrational pattern/qi/vital force.

See George Vithoulkas on this subject.

 

<<it could perhaps be argued that the vital force of homeopathy is but one

aspect of what Chinese medicine refers to as qi.>>

 

Qi and vital force are all the same. I think you are splitting hairs here.

 

<<Homeopathy uses non material forms of medicines to focus its therapeutic

effect on a completely non material aspect of qi. >>

 

By non-material forms of medicines, you're referring to potencies which

possess less than trace elements of substance. However, therapeutic effects

of homeopathy focus clearly on very material aspects of qi whether it be

internal disease, external lesions or skin sx, or abnormal behavior due to

mental sx.

 

<<Since homeopathy appears to address an aspect of the qi not addressed by

other forms of Chinese medicine>>

 

Disagree. Both forms of medicine address the same sx pattern and incorporate

body/mind/spirit sx.

 

<< the remedies appear to act according to a different set of rules>>

 

They act according to an opposite set of rules. Homeopathy treats heat

conditions with remedies that would produce heat in the healthy person; TCM

uses cooling herbs and points to clear heat. There are no similarities here.

However, as a practitioner of both, what I have found is that the disease

mechanisms of TCM explain the sx pattern of the remedy. Before I studied

TCM, the remedy patterns of the materia medica made little sense - for eg,

why would one remedy treat itchy skin, thirst, heartburn and inability to

sleep? Yes, the common thread is heat, but that understanding came through

the study of heat evil.

 

<< So once again, we return to the choice of either having to reorganize

homeopathic remedies according to the principles of traditional Chinese

medicine or immerse oneself completely in the system as it currently exists.

>>

 

Exactly. We cannot reorganize remedies according to TCM principles. Remedies

and TCM cannot be used together under the same philosophy, and probably

should not be used together to treat the same condition. I say probably, for

logically, if you are trying to clear heat for eg, then a remedy that would

produce burning pains would seem to work against the TCM treatment strategy.

On the other hand, remedies are energetic and herbs physiological, so

theoretically it is argued that one should not necessarily effect the other.

Thus, because of this, and coupled with the fact that you cannot tell which

strategy is having an effect, it's suggested that modalities are not combined

in the same treatment.

 

Sometimes in treating a patient, you reach an impasse where either a remedy

is no longer producing change, or herbs and acupuncture level-off in

effectiveness. At such a time, I may put the acup patient on a remedy, or

treat the homeopathic patient with acupuncture. This seems the most effective

strategy. However, if you are not an accomplished homeopath, this strategy

can really mess-up your case, so I do not suggest it for amateurs.

 

Gina Gabrielle, LAc, DHom