Guest guest Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/07/investigating-chinese-me\ dicine-at.html Monday, July 23, 2007 Investigating Chinese medicine at the source I am on the road working on an upcoming documentary called Planet in Peril<http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/planet.in.peril/>. A few weeks ago I was in Central Africa looking at the causes for the disappearance of Lake Chad. Now I am in Beijing, China. My first stop was something that I had been looking forward to for some time: a Traditional clinic. Immediately upon entering, I saw two young gentlemen in short white coats carrying around what appeared to be dried snakes on small white pieces of paper. They quickly showed the " prescription " to the doctor and after getting her approval, they wrapped it up and handed it to the patient. " Was that dried snake? " I asked the doctor. She nodded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Her attitude was not surprising given that 95 percent of people in China use what is called TCM, or Traditional . There are huge textbooks with descriptions of medications that vary from rhinoceros horn to turtle shells and yes, snakes. In the book are not only doses, usually around 15 - 30 grams, but also specific uses such as " thins the blood, acts as a tonic " or my favorite, " restores the yang. " Now, if you are imagining a rustic, rural place in a small Chinese village, think again. The TCM clinic we visited was right in the middle of Beijing, one of the largest cities in the world. Right outside the office doors were fancy electronics and boutique stores selling high-end goods, and there was a long waiting line of well-dressed people with ailments ranging from arthritis to nausea to the common cold. One woman who came in for persistent vomiting was given a seven-day prescription of herbs and dried animal parts, including four different kinds of roots, orange peel, a huge spool of bamboo, shaved bull horn and a touch of turtle shell. The final prescription took up nearly the entire counter with each daily dose the size of a small salad. She was told to pour the entire quantity into a pot of hot water and drink the liquid as a tea. Judging by her happy reaction, she was quite confident this would fix what ailed her. I even decided to put it to the test myself. I described a raging headache that I was having, probably due to my long travel and numerous days with hardly any sleep. The doctor asked me a series of questions about the headache and my general medical condition and checked my pulse. She had a look at my tongue as well. While I was fully expecting some deer antler shaving or a dollop of dried plants and herbs, she simply smiled and said " go get some sleep. " It was a good diagnosis, but there was still something nagging at me. Many of the animals that provide the ingredients for traditional Chinese medicine are threatened, and some of the techniques used to get some of the animal substances are alarmingly brutal. For example, bear bile is often used in Traditional . To obtain this rare substance involves sedating a bear and then sticking a long needle straight into the bear's gallbladder and slowly filling up a glass jar with the green substance. It is not only dangerous and barbaric, but also life threatening for the bear. When I asked the doctor about this, she told me that TCM has recently evolved and no endangered species are used in making the medicine and brutal techniques have been stopped as well. She said the punishments are very severe if someone is caught doing it. When I pushed her on this particular issue, she conceded that there are probably places still offering some of these substances, but they were not available in her clinic. One of the reasons I wanted to pursue this story is in part my own curiosity as a doctor, but also because medicine seems to transcend borders unlike anything else. In fact, many of the same " prescriptions " previously relegated only to China and the Far East, are now available at stores focusing on health and wellness in the United States. Ironically, one young woman told me the newest generation of Chinese citizens has started to shy away from TCM, opting instead for Western medicine such as aspirin for headaches and prepackaged cold medicine. There in fact may come a day when Traditional may be more popular outside China than inside the country where it has been popular for thousands of years. So, would you try TCM to treat yourself or a loved one? Do you think in the United States that we have been too close minded to what Far Eastern medicine has to offer? Do you have any particular stories of your own experience with TCM? For more behind-the scenes reports from our work on Planet in Peril, visit the " Anderson Cooper 360 " blog<http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/> Posted By Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent: 10:14 AM ET 13 Comments<http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/07/investigating-c\ hinese-medicine-at.html> Add a comment <javascript:cnnBlogPopup('2804806858663207210');> I have spent my working life in the clinical laboratory with side trips into surgical technology and direct patient care. My grounding and belief in Western Medicine is strong and is based upon scientific application of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures by well educated physicians. While I know the herbal origin of many medicines now in use in Western Medicine, I am also aware that many herbal preparations are ineffective at best and harmful in many cases. There is a lack of standardization in the commercial herbal medication market. The TCM market by its nature must suffer the same lack of standardization and purity of active ingredients in the herbals. As for animal parts, we can only conjecture what various bacteria, fungi, and parasites are contained in these materials. TCM may have its successes in treating local pains by use of counter-irritants - pleasingly painful potions and poultices 101- and it may effect cures for some conditions that are situationa, stress related, etc, just as does faith healing and chiropractic. If one believes strongly enough in the treatment non-medical concerns may be alleviated. But despite the anecdotal successes and cultural bias toward TCM that drive millions to trust it and its practioners, I have no desire to subject myself or my family to it. Western medicine is based upon documented and proven science, repeatable results in diagnostic procedures, and continual review of procedures by peers. Traditional procedures are changed or even eliminated from practice as new and better procedures are developed and proven safe and effective. TCM works best if you have faith in it. For me, it falls into the same general category of treatment as laying on of hands, subluxations, and witchcraft. Posted By Stev Chuckey TN : 10:48 AM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=4515281124941685\ 443> Hi Dr. Gupta! I don't think that I'd try TCM. I think it's a nice big dose of a Placebo. You think it'll make you feel better and so it does! The power of the mind is greater than the body sometimes. I believe there may be valuable information that some of these things might impart to our scientists (maybe dried snake really does have something in it that would help to... restore my YIN as opposed to my YANG). I once tried something that was " all natural " and it was basically a strange herb from some place. I had the great joy of experiencing hot flashes and night sweats at age 28. But, aren't many drugs derived from natural sources? The antipyretic agents contained in white willow bark led to the development of aspirin; maybe there is something in that dried snake- you never know. Posted By Sharla-Dawn Jones <http://www.blogger.com/profile/17288961369329623232> : 12:40 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=4807936323825864\ 884> What is true about Chinese medicine and other ancient medicines like Ayurveda is that they are all based on natural resources. But unfortunately these natural resources work very well if they are used on a daily basis or regular basis. To give an example, in India Ladies apply Turmeric (they call it Haldi) all over the body, it prevents ladies from skin cancer and also helps them stop the hair growth. But they do this once a week or so, and it is effective. But if you think that you can use this in high concentration and use it once a while, it will not work. Similarly people apply Sandalwood paste so that their body is cool and prevents you from skin diseases. Unfortunately nowadays, people do not have time to live a regular life, they try to take shortcuts and then wonder as to why they have problems like headache, nausea etc. Like in your case, you had headache but that is due to unnatural event of long travel. It is people though who want exotic medicines and therefore believe that cord liver oil, bear bile etc are more powerful than their equivalents which can be obtained easily. Posted By Anonymous : 2:59 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=1466370650234508\ 999> Your column or blog stated that 95% of Chinese use TCM. That is most likely an error. First off Mao was not a big fan of TCM and banned most practices. The Communist Party in China also does not condone it's use. Please double check that figure as I believe it is closer to 30%. Oh and trust me Census taking in China is not a science so stating any statistics are dubious. Posted By Don Courtney : 3:01 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=4319143337652241\ 60> I had never tried TCM until back in 2001 when I moved from my home in the States to Amsterdam. I suffer from Behcet's Syndrome and have taken Thalidomide for my condition for some time. The one thing I learned when I was diagnosed is that Behcet's is much more common in along the Silk Road than in the States. So once I was in Europe for awhile, instead of trying to acquire another prescription of Thalidomide I decided to visit the TCM clinic in Amsterdam. I had three people helping me. One that spoke English and Dutch. Another that spoke Dutch and Mandarin. And finally the doctor that only spoke Mandarin. By then end of the appt. I went home with a combination of roots to make a tea. I specifically stated that I did not want anything that came from animals because I didn ot agree with the trade. They said there was no animal parts in my prescription even though I know there is no real way for me to tell. Although the TCM tea tasted terrible, and I mean terrible, it did seem to work once I had taken it for some time. A syndrome is hard to treat in any case, but the TCM did seem help. I must say though, on taste alone I switched back to Thalidomide once I returned to the States. Thanks for this report. Posted By Festival B<http://www.blogger.com/profile/16321298684119159029>: 6:10 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=1225992989717129\ 416> Unfortunately some of these medicines that come from endangered animals do work. I'm Chinese born here in America so I have not tried any of the traditional Eastern medication but my mother did back in China. She had a horrendous cough at night that wouldn't go away so a neighbor bought some stuff (too gross to elaborate) and made soup out of it. After my mom drank it, her coughing subsided. Keep in mind it wasn't just a simple cough...it was the kind where you cough so much that it makes your stomach cramp. She's taken other things for other ailments growing up and they've all worked for her without any side effects. Would I try those methods myself? The answer is no...there are Chinese Herbal shops here that have some pretty disgusting stuff that works but I just can't get past the smell or the images. Maybe there's a way we can breed some of these animals for their parts like we do cows. Just a thought! Posted By Anonymous : 6:51 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=3740773197524581\ 613> In regard to those comments, I can see that the TCM doesn't favor to many people. People said the western medication is based upon document & proven science, repeatble results in diagnostic procedures...etc. To me, western medication does cure the specific problem, but also bring along some side effects. All food/medication stated they were approved by FDA, but wait a minute, many medication/food were recalled after they had been selling in the market. Western medication is better? but which country has the highest obesity in the world? People over in Asia are living in much rougher enviornment, but their life expectacy are still higher than the western country, especially USA. A very high percentage of them are still using TCM. Also, higher smoking rate in China than the U.S. but how can these people still live longer than the people in the U.S. I guess that have explained and proven clearly to many open-minded people. Posted By Anonymous : 7:01 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=3952311709902426\ 615> I've used aspects of TCM mixed with western and found it helpful. I miss my accupuncture treatments, they really helped my migraines in a way pills never could. Seeing how many western medicines are drawn from other sources (asprin = willow tree bark, digitalis = fox gloves, etc) something good can come out of it. Though I think the plants have more effect on a problem then powdered horn. Unless someone can locate a real unicorn. Posted By JamiSings<http://www.blogger.com/profile/12756726189949304645>: 9:33 PM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=6296317307267577\ 655> Hi, Dr Gupta, I am a Japanese woman. TCM has been prescribed even in a big general hospital of Japan if a patient hopes. I have never tried, but some of my friends told me that TCM improved their poor condition. I have heard that TCM being used in Japan is made up of mostly plants, but I don’t believe it. Last year I saw a dried (coiled) pit viper in a TCM shop of Tokyo just like a trendy boutique. I may take TCM if the ingredient is proved to be only from plants. After all, I don’t want to take animal parts as medicine however effective it is, so I think it is no surprise that western people feel uncomfortable to have TCM. Posted By Mamie : 12:46 AM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=5367742215595758\ 491> 50 years ago, I developed itchy blisters on my fingers, finger tips and palms, so extreme I had bandages on all fingers and wore socks on my hands at night. My parent took me to an expensive dermatologist over months for long weekly shots, dry ice and ultr-violet treatments that had no effect. Finally in desperation, they took me to an old underground Chinese herbal doctor who had no medical licece to practice. His small one room office had one dest piled with Chinese books. He took my pulse, looked at my tongue and and asked a few questions. Then he said to come back tomorrow at which time he apllied a fragrant cool soothing yellow ointment that immediately felt so good on my inflamed hands. I took the small jar home and continued the applications and my hands immediatedly improved so that in a few days the itching stopped and the blisters disappeared. As an adult, this condition has periodically returned and now I know it is Dysidrotic eczema and a few days of ingesting prednisone takes care of it. But waht was that soothing topical yellow herbal ointment that was just a effective, less expensive and external? I'm certain pharmaceutical companies would like to knw also. There is some truth to Chinese herbal medicine. Posted By d-seid <http://www.blogger.com/profile/10291156044129115056> : 7:33 AM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=3419154626829145\ 860> I would definitely try TCM or alternative and complementary medicine. I do believe that certain naturally occurring substances can aid in the medical field. For instance instead of taking a western med for cholesterol you can take flax seed oil and red yeast rice and it lowers it significantly! I don't think we should be shut off to natural ideas because before there were pharmaceutical companies there were plants and herbs, which people have used for centuries! Posted By Anonymous : 8:26 AM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=4291728731341171\ 92> This was really interesting. I'm not opposed to TCM, except for the endangered animals put more at risk by the quest for ingredients. Many people are comfortable with other exotic medicines, such as acupuncture. Is it really that different? Posted By Marianne <http://www.blogger.com/profile/00758850506270936340> : 9:21 AM ET <http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=35126941 & postID=8399903605626263\ 94> I would not use TCM for the same reason I wouldn't use homeopathy, acupuncture, magnet therapy, chiropractic, naturopathic cures, or outright faith healers. The reason is of course that there isn't enough actual supporting evidence to warrant the use of any of these methods - merely unreliable anecdotes and the dreaded placebo effect. Promoting such " cures " is flagrantly irresponsible and may well lead people to avoid proven treatments for life-threatening ailments. As to the assertion of 95% of Chinese using TCM, it should be noted that the 5% who use evidence-based medicine are the ones who can actually afford it. Posted By Spook <http://www.blogger.com/profile/02724319252114427751> : 9:46 AM ET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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