Eastern medicine is more holistic and believes that an illness should be diagnosed by examining the entire body — particularly the imbalances and disharmony in the person, instead of just the symptoms. For example, traditional Chinese medicine looks at multiple factors called functional entities. These functional entities include the Five Fundamental Substances i. A more general perspective of tradit ional Chinese medicine diagnosis uses the Eight Principles.
Using the Eight Principles as a framework, eastern medicine then measures whether a person has an excess or a deficiency of qi in 1 yin, 2 yang, 3 interior, 4 exterior, 5 heat, 6 cold, 7 deficiency, and 8 excess.
Similarly, Ayurvedic diagnosis follows suit by diagnosing the patient holistically, compared to simply focusing on the symptoms.
With the results of the diagnosis trividha pariksha and an in-depth knowledge of Ayurvedic concepts e. Western medicine approaches diagnosis primarily based on information gathering and the scientific method. Upon receiving an ill or ailing patient, the medical practitioner then proceeds to gather information through patient history, physical exam, assessment of signs and symptoms, and a battery of diagnostic tests.
The doctor then evaluates and interprets all the evidence gathered to conclude a diagnosis. After diagnosis, medical practitioners can then address the problem with the appropriate treatment. Just as the process of diagnosis varies greatly between eastern and western medicine, so does the treatment. Like diagnosis, eastern medicine treatments are more holistic in nature. Eastern medicine principles retain that treating a disease requires treating the whole body. Hence, treatments in eastern medicine are far more diverse than in western medicine.
In tradition al Chinese medicine, treatments can include herbal medicine, acupuncture, cupping therapy, moxibustion burning dried mugwort on certain points in the body , gua sha skin scraping , massage, and dietary therapy.
Treatments in traditional Chinese medicine generally aim to fix or improve the flow of qi in the body, which should subsequently treat the disease. Similar to traditional Chinese medicine, the Ayurveda also has a wide variety of possible treatments. These include abhyanga warm oil massage , shi rodhara a liquid is poured over the forehead , netra basti the eyes are submerged in ghee , pinda sveda massages with hot cotton bags filled with herbs , herbal baths, panchakarma body cleansing , yoga, and meditation.
Treatments in western medicine of ten directly approach the disease and its symptoms. These are often drugs, radiation, or surgery. While society perceives medicine as a means to treat diseases, a primary goal of medicine is to prevent diseases from occuring. Preventive methods in traditional Chinese medicine would include emotional adjustment, seasonal health care, dietary care, herbal therapy, acupuncture, massage, detoxification, foot baths, and more.
The Ayurveda describes preventive medicine in the swasthavritta , guidelines for people to remain healthy and fit. In this philosophy, preventive medicine in the Ayurveda relies on herbs, yoga, and meditation. Another aspect in the Ayurveda that can be considered as preventive medicine would be the rasayana , an Ayurvedic discipline that recommends herbs, herb-mineral formulations, diet, lifestyle, and even social etiquette to achieve balance in life, prevent disease, and lengthen lifespans.
While the WHO included Traditional Chinese Medicine, it also notes that the goal is to "share evidence-based information. Almost everybody knows there are two very unique ways of treating disease and maintaining health. But not everybody knows how these two methodologies differ from one another. And depending on where you live in the world, there may be one that is more prominent than the other. Both systems have their pros and cons.
This is the battle between Eastern and Western medicine. To begin, we have to look at the history of both systems. Eastern medicine has been around for nearly 5, years and began when ancient herbalists experimented with plant substances and their effects on humans. There are substances that have been found to enhance health, beauty, energetics of the body, and the mind.
Western medicine has only been around, in its current form, since the 19 th century, although the roots began in ancient Greece and Egypt.
This is also when the current Western medical system discovered it can manipulate certain actions in the human body through the use of synthetic pharmaceuticals. Next, we compare the examination methods. Eastern medicine is much more holistic in this regard, as it takes every aspect of the body into account. Because the body cannot be compartmentalized based upon the disease, it makes sense to consider how each bodily system is affecting the others. When our qi is in balance, we feel vibrantly unburdened — wellness at its best — but modern life has a way of interrupting that natural equilibrium.
Learn how to identify an imbalance and to elevate your energy to its peak potential. Integrating these simple, traditional practices into our modern lives can n reap major benefits.
But committing to routine acupuncture appointments is actually a very easy, low maintenance habit that can help to heal pain and fight chronic stress. Such a nebulous article ultimately nothing-to-say puff… just the sort of stuff that makes alopatically trained medical processionals scoff..
The Chalkboard Editorial Team. Photo Credit: Patients Talk. Use the info below to dive deeper into Eastern medicine and guide your own self-care practices… The Core Principles of TCM Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches health in a uniquely holistic way, enabling us to reach a level of vibrancy like no other.
Susan Di Santo
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