32 replies to this topic

[JoeBlack]

Chinese medicine has been around for millennia. However, in the past 200 years, scientific discoveries have made the practice of Chinese medicine obsolete. The "western” medicine had become the main practice in China and the most of the world. Although "western" medicine did not directly prove that Chinese medicine is wrong, many of scientific fields such as plant biology has shown the ingredients of some Chinese medicines have no medicinal value. Still, the concept of Chinese medicine can be so strong in the mind of Chinese that many of people of older generations still consider Chinese medicine as the primary source of health care. Many Chinese considered Chinese medicine as alternative medicine. They treated Chinese medicine as nutritional supplements. In recent years, there rises a fad in which people using Chinese medicine for diet purposes. Some users damaged their kidney in the process. One has to wonder if the culture of using Chinese medicine actually harms the general public.

Finally, Chinese medicine actually contributed in many exotic Chinese cooking. It is not without benefits.

[Klamath]

The main distinction of chinese and western medicine is of their theoretic foundation and purpose.

Chinese medicine are often used to prevent disease , while western medicine are mainly used to cure.

E.g These days I felt hot in my body(上火）, it make me xeransis.But I have no disease, how to handle with that. I can't imagine there are some kind of western medicine could make me better. I just drink a cup of (玄麦柑桔）(some plant drink) , the next day I get through from this uncomfortable.

Well, in summer, people drink red tea would be much effective than drink cola to get coolness.

[jwrevak]

Chinese medicine has been around for millennia.  However, in the past 200 years, scientific discoveries have made the practice of Chinese medicine obsolete.  The "western” medicine had become the main practice in China and the most of the world. 

I'm not so sure. In the U.S., Chinese medicine is popular amongst some people, including non-Chinese. Here in California it is perhaps more popular than elsewhere in the U.S. Acupuncture is respected and used by a fair number of people here in California and, perhaps to a lesser extent, elsewhere, in the U.S.

[TMPikachu]

I think it's just a matter of degrees. If some really are harmful, stop using them

like Western religion and medicine, some followers of Western religion believe it is against God to use certain medicines (or use medicine at all) or certain medical procedures, and so they suffer from it. That doesn't paint all western religion practictioners as loons, but it shows that some are more extreme than others.

[sima old bandit]

In general western medicine is faster so if you have a headache etc you are gonna reach for a painkiller rather than boil some herbs.

But some illnesses, western medicine only treats the symptoms and can have side effects so in some cases chinese medicine is better.

Chinese medicine has gone to the trouble of actually categorising every food items effects and benefits to the point that i think the only fruit that is neutral is the apple.

The main problem affecting chinese medicine i think is that herbs are often poor quality and practitioners can vary immensely in skill.

[RollingWave]

Throughout the years, many scientific research proved past scientific research wrong. this is true in all fields, and perhaps nowhere as true as the field of medicine, where we are still very far from knowing everything. so saying Chinese medicine was proved unscientific is fundementally flawed.

Real chinese medical treatments are conclusions drawn from milliuems of trial and error, from my own personal experince, it works.

The main problem is that today there are many fake or inadept practictioners out there, the mainland does not exercise very strick qualifications to practice chinese medicine unlike Taiwan.

The "western" way of life have been notoriously unhealthy, it is no secert that the longest living nation today is Japan, and places like the US, people are acturally not living longer than in China, where conditions are not nearly as good. and people are much more likely to die from other problems.

Science is made to prove things logically, it needs to be build on hypothosis and speculations such as "why is this happening?" "could there be another way" "could we have been wrong" to advance, to hold belives in non negotiable terms is in itself, unscientific.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Chinese medicine has been around for millennia.  However, in the past 200 years, scientific discoveries have made the practice of Chinese medicine obsolete.  The "western” medicine had become the main practice in China and the most of the world.  Although "western" medicine did not directly prove that Chinese medicine is wrong, many of scientific fields such as plant biology has shown the ingredients of some Chinese medicines have no medicinal value.  Still, the concept of Chinese medicine can be so strong in the mind of Chinese that many of people of older generations still consider Chinese medicine as the primary source of health care.  Many Chinese considered Chinese medicine as alternative medicine.  They treated Chinese medicine as nutritional supplements.  In recent years, there rises a fad in which people using Chinese medicine for diet purposes.  Some users damaged their kidney in the process.  One has to wonder if the culture of using Chinese medicine actually harms the general public.

Finally, Chinese medicine actually contributed in many exotic Chinese cooking.  It is not without benefits.

What about acupuncture? It's a chinese tradiitonal medical practice that has spreaded even to the west.

I would say Western Medicine is able to cure the illness faster, while chinese medicine is more for preserving a longer health.

Chinese medicine comes mainly from herbs, and there are complex theories about the human bodies from ancient chinese medical practice.

[Liang Jieming]

Real TCM is a cummulative sum of millenia of observation and records on what works and what doesn't. The common perception is that TCM goes for balance. In a sense this is true in that it promotes a restoration of equilibrium in the body's natural system rather than a direct application of corrective action in localised problem areas such as that of western medicine. In the truest sense, TCM is more an aid to the body than a corrective method of curing ailments. It promotes self healing, and much of TCM (but not everything about TCM) involves strengthening the body or guiding the body back to health.

TCM unfortunately suffers from firstly, crack pot practitioners who are out for a quick buck and secondly bad press especially within the western medical profession. Western medical schools indoctrinate their graduates to debunk TCM. I've found this to be very true from direct experience with family members who are doctors.

[TMPikachu]

every once in a while, on American TV there's an add that says "if you have medicine X, get rid of it immedietly! side effects cause death, whoops!"

so even modern modern 'today' medicines have their side effects

howmany TCM's cause dihharea and nausia anywways?

[urofpersia]

Chinese medicine has been around for millennia.  However, in the past 200 years, scientific discoveries have made the practice of Chinese medicine obsolete.  The "western” medicine had become the main practice in China and the most of the world.  Although "western" medicine did not directly prove that Chinese medicine is wrong, many of scientific fields such as plant biology has shown the ingredients of some Chinese medicines have no medicinal value.  Still, the concept of Chinese medicine can be so strong in the mind of Chinese that many of people of older generations still consider Chinese medicine as the primary source of health care.  Many Chinese considered Chinese medicine as alternative medicine.  They treated Chinese medicine as nutritional supplements.  In recent years, there rises a fad in which people using Chinese medicine for diet purposes.  Some users damaged their kidney in the process.  One has to wonder if the culture of using Chinese medicine actually harms the general public.

Hi, you fail to acknowledge that in Taiwan, Chinese medicine/medical practises are highly regarded and frequently practised side by side with western ones in hospitals and private clinics.. Doctors are often given the choice and opportunity to pursue license in chinese medication 中医。Without a doubt however, western medicine is still by far the most popular even in Taiwan. I suspect the popularity of doctors there may have something to do with 健保！ :-)

Ur of Persia

[TMPikachu]

I think TCM would be more along the lines of "a balanced diet for good health!"

while Western medicine is more... "Making incision to remove tumor..."

and in a videogame analogy that maybe only I will get
TCM= regeneration effect, healing over time, raised defense against illness
WM= Instant cure effect, 'heal 40 hp', 'remove curse'.

[青文景武剑]

western medicine is more of technology and biology, plus the use of antibiotics and operations.

however, chinese medicine involves much more, therefore it is the real medicine. china just had a breakthrough in AIDs.

one examle; 10 people suffer from the same decease in the same spot, in the west, the hospital would treat them the same way. in chinese medicine, they will all recieve different treatments, because even though they have the same desease, the causes and effects are much more different.

as far as i know, china has the real medicine instead of pure science.

[青文景武剑]

if huatuo did not kill by caocao, chinese medicine would be also expert in operations

[青文景武剑]

in chinese culture, "guan" is the very top of the building block where gets the most respect, science and medicines are far behind "guan" in society. on the other hand, west repcts scientists more than politicians. not until modern days, chinese did not bring out people such as zhangheng, lishizhen, shenkuo and zuchongzhi to compete with the west.

chinese heroes: zhugeliang, guanyu, yuefei. not scientists
western heroes: newton, plato, aristotle. not nixon or stalin

[Liang Jieming]

TCM= regeneration effect, healing over time, raised defense against illness
WM= Instant cure effect, 'heal 40 hp', 'remove curse'.

Hahahaha how apt but you've been playing 1 too many RPG games.