Which is More Effective: Traditional Chinese Medicine or Western Medicine?
Each city has hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, and people have always been concerned about which one is better. In fact, the focuses of both are different, and there is no absolute superiority or inferiority. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine each have their own advantages and characteristics, and usually the choice depends on the patient's condition. If there is a tumor in the patient's body, it is recommended to choose Western medicine for direct surgical removal to avoid subsequent adverse effects. For regulating the constitution, traditional Chinese medicine is preferred.
Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes holism and can grasp the essence of problems globally and macroscopically. In clinical practice, traditional Chinese medicine first conducts a comprehensive four-diagnosis and then examines the cause of the disease, formulates a treatment plan based on syndrome differentiation, and selects appropriate herbs and formulas to achieve the effect of treating different diseases with the same method and treating the same disease with different methods. In terms of medication, traditional Chinese medicine has a slow onset, gentle physical feelings, and lasting effects. The treatment philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine is: prevention before illness and prevention of disease progression.
Western medicine, also known as modern medicine, focuses on objectivity and diagnoses diseases through visual inspection, palpation, auscultation, olfaction, and the use of modern advanced medical equipment and laboratory tests. It adopts targeted treatment methods to eliminate pathogenic factors (such as bacteria, viruses, and biochemical injuries) as the main means of treatment. In terms of medication, Western medicine has a fast onset, strong effects, but also has greater adverse reactions, higher drug prices, and poor compliance among some patients.
Firstly, we need to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors. For some benign tumors, such as uterine fibroids, if the tumor is small and does not cause irregular bleeding, surgical treatment is not recommended because the tumor may regrow after surgical removal. Instead, traditional Chinese medicine can be chosen for syndrome differentiation and treatment, and some prescriptions for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis can be prescribed, which may help reduce the size of the tumor. Every six months, the size of the tumor should be monitored and follow-up examinations should be conducted. If it is a malignant tumor, the treatment method should be evaluated based on the stage of tumor development. If the tumor is small and has not metastasized to other parts of the body, it is a good opportunity for surgical treatment. Surgery should be performed as advised by the doctor. After surgery, traditional Chinese medicine can be used to strengthen the body's qi, improve immunity, and protect the patient's vital energy, thereby enhancing immunity, fighting against the tumor, and preventing recurrence.
Many people have experienced insomnia, which can be a very distressing condition. When visiting Western doctors for insomnia, they often prescribe sedative medications. Although these medications can indeed help patients fall asleep, they may not result in a restful sleep. Upon waking, patients may feel mentally scattered, lack energy, and experience symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and dizziness. Insomnia is a systemic disease that affects the nervous system, the highest commander of our body. When treating insomnia, we cannot simply rely on sedative medications based on symptoms. Instead, we need to combine the overall concept and syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine to identify the underlying causes of sleep disorders and prescribe appropriate medications.
