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Essay chinese traditional medicine vs western pharmaceutical
Traditional Chinese medicine and western
Traditional Chinese medicine and western
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Traditional Chinese Medicine
China as a nation has contributed to development of society in numerous ways and have been inaugural in the world trade market since its gates were first opened. China has developed religion, with the doctrines of Buddhism, Confucius and Taoism; technology with the development of gunpowder and the compass; and world trade, with the products of silk and tea. Yet often forgotten is the contributions China has made to the medical field. The practice of traditional Chinese medicine was developed in China and is arguably one of China’s greatest achievements. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of importance in China, incorporates Chinese culture and beliefs, and is still prominent in China and other nations today.
Traditional Chinese medicine has a lengthy history in China. Early examples of primitive forms of medicine have been found from the early ages of human development. In the earlier primitive culture, traditional Chinese medicine began to develop with the early experimentation with cures for common ailments. An oral record of various roots and plant, which aided in healing, began to be established. In addition, the early humans discovered the benefits of pressing on certain parts of the body, which led to the development of acupuncture as well as the benefits of heat, which led to the development of the practice of moxibustion. The first written record of traditional Chinese medicine is the Hung – Di Nei –Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Cannon of Internal Medicine). The document dates back to between 800 B.C. and 200 B.C. and is one of the oldest medical documents in the world. The document explains the important aspects of traditional Chinese medicine such as prevention, diagnosis, treatments...
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...icine, I did not even get to incorporate all of my information. Another challenge I faced was trying to understand what qi was because the definition was a bit confusing. I thought that a strength of the project was that by being able to chose a topic myself, I was able to find something interesting to me, which made doing the research more enjoyable.
Works Cited
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Reddy, Sumathi. "A Top Hospital Opens Up to Chinese Herbs as Medicine." The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Schoenbart, Bill, and Ellen Shefi. "Traditional Chinese Medicine History." HowStuffWorks. N.p., 10 Aug. 2007. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
"Traditional Chinese Medicine History." China Direct. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Ross defines and differentiates between the terms healing and curing. She recognizes the fact that healing and curing are very intertwined and it can be hard to distinguish between the two terms. There are differences between the definitions in scholarly and general settings. She references an ethnographic study of healing versus curing conducted by anthropologists Andrew Strathern and Pamela Stewart in 1999 with native groups in New Guinea. The results of the study looked at how energy used by the different types of tribal healers to either cure or heal a patient. Eastern medicine focuses on how energy interacts with the healing process in connection within the mind. Whereas Western medicine is focused on the mind and the body separately. The practice is considered a holistic approach to finding cures. According to Ross (2013), healing is more a therapeutic process targeting the whole body and specific illness including emotional, mental, and social aspects in the treatment. The act of curing is a pragmatic approach that focuses on removing the problem all together. The life experiences of a person playing into how well certain treatments will heal or cure what is ailing them. These aspects can not be defined with textbook definitions. The interaction that the healing process has with energy is a variable in the success rate. Uncontrolled emotions can have a greater impact on the inside the body than a person can realize. The exploration of energy interaction within the body can be used for greater analysis of health care systems. (21-22). Are Western healthcare facilities purposely “curing” patients just so that they return are few years later? Is Western Medicine built upon a negative feedback loop? The terminolo...
The Lancet. (2013). Towards better health for people in china. Lancet (London, England), 381(9882), 1959.
Herbal medicine has been around for thousands of years. “The ancient Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Native Americans were all herbalists”(Herbs Friends of Physicians). The ancient Greeks and Romans were also herbalists (Herbs Friends of Physicians). Traditional medicine was the dominant medical system used in both rural and urban areas until the arrival of Europeans changed the medical
Medicine has come a long way from the Greek period. Theories composed of the four elements were used to explain the sick phenomenon that happens to our bodies. Many of the those theories are not relevant as of now. Medicine and remedies has begun with the Earth, providing all types of compounds and mixtures to meddle with. It began with what nature offered: natural lush of sprouts, flowers, trees, bushes, herbs, and more. And now, medicine has become expanded widely through the examinations of scientists and doctors to counter or lessen many types of diseases, poisons, and epidemic that are drawn to humans.
Many of the inequalities in the health of the Aboriginal people can be attributed to the
The philosophy and practice is composed of many different systems of traditional medicine, which are all influenced by prevailing conditions, environment, and geographic area within, where it first evolved into WHO (2005). Although it is a common
Chinese medicine has a tradition dating back thousands of years, but in recent years it has changed drastically. The influences of Western medicine, Communist ideology, and other government policies have been the force behind this evolution. Since 1950, Chinese medicine has been standardized and transformed into a mostly state-run program that integrates both traditional Chinese medicine and the more scientific, modern style of Western medicine. During this transition, traditional Chinese medicine struggled to find its place in the new Communist society. Today, multiple medical techniques have been blended together which allow the Chinese to receive top-notch healthcare, while retaining their culture and tradition.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine (WM) differ from each other in many ways. TCM favors a holistic approach, views the universe and body philosophically and develops inductive tools and methods to guide restoring the total balance of the body. In Chinese medicine, the correct balance between Yin and Yang make up the vital energy, Qi, an essential life-sustaining substance of which all things are made. Some Traditional remedies include herbal medicines, acupuncture, massage and moxibustion, an herbal heat therapy. Western medicine is closely linked to the scientific method and emphasizes biochemical processes causes disease, its treatment and health. This form of treatment views all medical phenomena as cause-effect sequences and relies on drugs, radiation and surgery to alleviate symptoms and cure diseases. As you see, the two types of medicine are completely challenged differently depending on the doctor, the diagnosis, and the treatment options. All of these are completely different when compared with each other.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: An Introduction [NCCAM Backgrounder]. (n.d.).National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [NCCAM] - nccam.nih.gov Home Page. Retrieved December 11, 2011, from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htm
Ancient roots of acupuncture can be traced back to archeology five thousand years ago. Its written existence has been around for about two thousand five hundred years (Dr. Michael). Acupuncture was discovered during the Chinese Empire in the Yuan dynasty which lasted from 1264 to 1368 CE (Felt). Statues of acupuncture were made during this time period and served as the base of date for the oriental medicine.
When you are sick you take medicine, but there are many remedies for the same problems. The use of herbal remedies traces back to the Chinese in the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well by a compiled book in China written back more than 2,000 years ago (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Modern medicine has roots that are more recent in the development and production of synthesize drugs (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). The old generations took herbal remedies to improve their health, but now as time and people, progressed modern medicine comes on top. Herbal and modern medicines have good and bad points, but one has qualities that are more effective.
One of the oldest records of such medicinal recommendations is found in the writings of the Chinese scholar-emperor Shen Nung, who lived in 2735 BC He compiled a book about herbs, a forerunner of the medieval pharmacopoeias that listed all the then-known medications.
Over the centuries, ancients made use of several treatment methods. Two of them are modern medicine and traditional medicine. Alternative medicine is older than modern one. That effective therapy has used for many centuries on the patience when modern medicine has not occurred in the world. Because it has improved in China, it can be called Traditional Chinese Medicine. In contrast, modern medicine has been in used since 1900’s. In this system, drugs’ testes are done in safety laboratories with care and nicety, and their side effects are located before they are given to the patient. However, sometimes the side effects are not blocked so, people have to take another pill to get better. It makes people to take more chemicals into their bodies. Further, modern medicine has splendid efficacy on the fatal diseases. Even, alternative medicine which people’s ancestors utilized stayed in the background when modern medicine has just found, it works at the present time efficaciously. ****** Therefore, using alternative medicine is more helpful to get better than modern medicine because there are fewer drugs, side effects; there is placebo effect and holistic therapy.
African Medicine The 21st century has begun with a global health crisis of new and re-emerging diseases spiralling out of control, which coupled with escalating violence and poverty, threatens to cripple entire communities and countries. To tackle this crisis, it is currently essential that the Medical community work to access and harness as many resources and partners as possible. One of the resources often overlooked and underestimated, is the role of traditional medicine and healers, and the potential contributions they can make at many levels of health care delivery. One of the most famous traditional medicine being African medicine.
Government funding for medical research aids society. This is because financial investment in research and development (R&D) in various areas of healthcare supports the medical system, medical professionals and citizens due to improved diagnosis and treatment. In particular, government funding for pharmaceutical research contributes to social well-being. Research conducted in China for decade 2002-2012 (Qui et al. 2014, p.3) shows that the increase in funding by both public and private groups has contributed to an expansion of the pharmaceutical industry across three sectors: chemical, traditional Chinese, and bio- pharmaceutical medicines. According to the detailed analysis of government statistical data(Qui et al 2014,p.5), Chinese government spending on medical research has been targeted on specific provinces which produce botanical resources, which are in...