Dr. felicia fu

Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are many diagnostic methods. All of which carry their own philosophy and execution. To start with there are the different forms of examination such as, an overall inspection, auscultation and smelling, interrogation, pulse feeling and palpitation. After a thorough examination these is also the analytical phase where the physician must consider the differences within the eight principal syndromes, the visceral syndromes, the syndromes of vital energy, blood and fluids and meridian syndromes. The possibility of epidemic and exogenous fibril diseases must also be considered and analyzed according to the theory of the six meridians, as well as many other theories based upon information provided by the patient during the consultation. After this process the physician will recommend the appropriate treatment regime.

Patient treatment can take many forms; from acupuncture and diet adjustment to using Chinese herbals and nutritional supplementation, as well as the promotion of healthy thoughts and belief. The ultimate goal of these treatments is to achieve balance of the patients yin and yang as well as blood and chi of all organ systems. The balancing of these properties is essential to treating the root cause of the patient’s alignments.

Traditional Chinese medicine has a history of over 3,000 years, it was not discovered by any particular individual; rather, it had been developed out of the necessity of maintaining good health among the Chinese people. The ancient Chinese, like all of us, had to struggle against diseases in order to stay in good health and in the process, they accumulated valuable experiences by consuming herbs (known as Chinese herbology, inserting needles in the body (Chinese acupuncture), eating the right foods (Chinese food cures), massaging the body (known as manipulative-Tui Na therapy today), exercising the body (qi-gong and tai-chi).

Very much so. It is practiced side by side with modern medicine; in China, there as many hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine as modern hospitals of Western medicine. From the Chinese point of view, traditional Chinese medicine is on an equal footing with Western medicine; in fact, many Chinese value traditional Chinese medicine more than Western medicine.

The reason is that some diseases cannot be treated by Western medicine or drugs but can be treated successfully by Chinese medicine. It is a fact that many patients experience instant relief of pain by Chinese acupuncture, which cannot be achieved by Western medicine. It is also a fact that traditional Chinese medicine had been proven superior to Western medicine for many diseases, notably, skin diseases, liver diseases and kidney diseases to mention only a few.

A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner (R.TCM.P) will first make diagnosis before treating a patient. When you go to see a R.TCM.P, you will notice that practitioner will observe your complexion and look at your tongue, take your pulse, ask you many questions about your symptoms, your eating habits and your preferences etc and then the practitioner will come up with a diagnosis of what is wrong with your body and tell you whether you need acupuncture or herbs and what foods are good for you, etc.

In China, virtually all kinds of diseases are being treated by traditional Chinese medicine. Some disease may be more effectively treated by acupuncture while other may be more effectively treated by herbs, still others may be treated by food cures. In general, pain and muscular symptoms may be more effectively treated by acupuncture while skin diseases may be treated by herbs; however, it is necessary to make the diagnosis before deciding what type of treatment is more effective for you. When a medical doctor tells a patient that there is no cure for his or her diseases in question cannot be cured by traditional Chinese medicine. It only means that there is no cure for the disease by Western medicine.

There are a number of basic differences between the two distinct types of treats symptoms, whereas traditional Chinese medicine treats the causes of symptoms. Secondly, Western medicine is more useful in first-aid and surgery, whereas traditional Chinese medicine is more useful in dealing with skin and internal diseases, chronic disease in particular. Thirdly, many remedies in Western medicine are based upon the results of experiments on animals which may not be effective on the human body, but remedies of traditional Chinese medicine are based upon successful experiences on clinical practice which are more reliable. Fourthly, most Western chemical drugs are more drastic in action and tend to produce serious side effects. On the other hands, Chinese herbs and acupuncture and food cures are not drastic in action and have long-lasting effects and besides, they generally do not produce side effects when used properly.

Although traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine operate very differently, it is better for you to consult your medical doctor whenever possible in order to get a diagnosis which may be of some use to a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner; however, some medical doctors do not know much about traditional Chinese medicine. It is important to remember that your health is your own responsibility; you should make your own decision on whether or not you want to consult a R.TCM.P.

You can do so by asking your friends who may know more about traditional Chinese medicine or someone who had been treated by traditional Chinese medicine. A typical Chinese patient in China will tell you that he made a decision to see a R.TCM.P., either because his friends or relatives with similar health problems have been cured by traditional Chinese medicine or because he believes more in natural healing based upon past clinical experiences than modern medicine based upon laboratory experiment. Either of the above two reasons can also be a good reason for you to consult a Registered Traditional Chinese Practitioner (R.TCM.P).

You can find one from local yellow pages normally under the healing of “acupuncturists” or herbalists. The best way is to ask your friends to recommend one for you. Do not forget to tell your friends about it after you have been helped by traditional Chinese medicine. This time-honored Chinese healing art definitely needs your help to become an established health profession in our society.