Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine each have their strengths. Blindly adhering to one therapeutic approach may potentially hinder the progress of the disease. However, for certain common diseases, there are several conditions more suitable for TCM treatment.
- Allergic Diseases: Conditions like eczema, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, and allergic asthma generally involve immune system dysfunction. Due to the systemic nature of the immune system, it’s challenging for Western medicine to find targeted treatments. Often, it can only suppress immune function, leading to recurrence after discontinuation. TCM takes a holistic approach, viewing allergies as a result of relative deficiency of vital energy and invasion by pathogenic factors. Treatment aims to assist vital energy, expel pathogenic factors, and achieve effective results with simple therapies.
- Gynecological Diseases: Gynecological diseases often involve hormonal imbalances. Adjusting a specific hormone not only poses challenges in dosage control but may also trigger a series of hormonal changes. TCM excels in holistically regulating gynecological conditions. TCM believes that most gynecological diseases result from blood stasis or blood deficiency. Treatment involves liver and kidney regulation, blood nourishment, and blood circulation improvement, yielding excellent results.
- Spleen-Stomach Disorders: Conditions like chronic gastritis, abdominal distension, and loose stools often have prolonged courses and complex mechanisms. Western medicine often relies on single-component drugs, while TCM, offering individualized treatments (unique prescriptions for each person), is more aligned with the nuances of the disease. TCM views the spleen as responsible for ascent and the stomach for descent. By using herbal medicine to help regulate the spleen and stomach and, when necessary, addressing liver issues, TCM effectively manages digestive system disorders.
- Respiratory System Diseases: There’s a popular saying: “Colds don’t need treatment; whether treated or not, they recover in seven days.” Many doctors say this because Western medicine lacks highly effective treatments for the common cold. If bacterial, antibiotics can be used; if viral, recovery mainly relies on waiting. However, TCM, with its differentiated treatment, may lead to recovery in one or two days. Additionally, respiratory conditions like coughs, tonsillitis, and bronchitis are suitable for TCM treatment, helping avoid the use of antibiotics.
- Complex Chronic Diseases: Conditions such as chronic nephritis, rheumatism, sequelae of stroke, and tumors may be treated with hormone therapy in Western medicine, which carries certain side effects. TCM, through differential diagnosis, herbal decoctions, or acupuncture, yields good results with minimal harm to liver and kidney functions. Tumor patients, when complemented with internal Chinese medicine, can also alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy.
- Functional Disorders: Some individuals often experience symptoms like fatigue, low energy, dizziness, bad breath, constipation, and irritability without clear organic abnormalities in Western medical tests or imaging. TCM excels in addressing these symptoms, allowing for early treatment to prevent worsening conditions.