| ||
| ||
Alternative Home |
Beauty Info |
All about Pregnancy |
|
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Infertility
Although health and healing are the common goals of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and allopathic medicine, their ideas on the etiology of disease, disease itself and the process used to regain health are decidedly different. The allopathic physician learns that disease must be cured by prescribing medicine, which kills bacteria or renders a virus ineffective; at times surgical intervention is a necessity. There is nothing inherently wrong with this approach. It often works. The question worth exploring is why TCM succeeds where allopathic medicine fails? What is the mechanism of action of acupuncture and herbal medicine, which results in palliation or cure that is not manifest in biomedicine? Though the goal of TCM is to cure a patient, the doctor of TCM attempts to do this not by treating the disease but rather by treating the whole person, taking into account the various attributes of an individual which, when combined, account for an individual being sick or healthy. A person, according to the tenets of TCM is more than their pathology. While treating the pathology may yield impressive results, they are commonly temporary. A person is not, according to TCM, represented solely by his or her illness, but by the accumulation of every human interaction engaged in from the moment of birth, including the values of and the culture from which the individual develops. The emotional experiences, eating habits, work habits, work and living environment, personal habits and the social milieu are factors that contribute to disease and are factors which, when modified appropriately may lead to regained health. Though the Western scientific community has not, to date, arrived at a methodology to use in research of Chinese medicine, the veracity and efficaciousness of this medical modality is nonetheless proved by its long history of continued success. More than a quarter of the world's population regularly uses TCM as part of their health care regimen. Chinese medicine is the only form of classical medicine, which is regularly and continuously used outside of its country of origin. THE FOUR EXAMINATIONS The 'Four Examinations' is a method of diagnosis which dates back over three thousand years. Observing, Listening and Smelling (Listening and Smelling are counted as one of the Four Examinations), Questioning and Palpating make up the 'Four Examinations'. This method of diagnosis is far from simplistic, allowing the practitioner to arrive at a differential diagnosis. Each of the "Four Examinations" can take years to master, and while these diagnostic tools are not replacements for that which Western medicine can provide in analyzing and treating disease, they have the ability to offer information which, when understood in the context of TCM, provides additional opportunities in mapping out patterns of disease and arriving at greater treatment success. The doctor of TCM must approach a patient with a clear and calm mind, without a preconceived diagnosis and etiology. This mind-set will enable the practitioner to yield clinical gems which are clues about the individual who sits before us! This is the stuff of TCM. The subjective, interpretive and objective evidence of an individual obtained via the 'Four Examinations' leads to the discovery of the etiology of disease while concomitantly opening a window to the 'Whole Person", thus revealing where in the individual's life the pathogenesis started and what initiated it. The practitioner of TCM must utilize his own interpretive skills, which takes into consideration what is verbalized by the patient and what is observed, while considering what the patient does not verbalize as well. Often, that which is not said can be as clinically enlightening as the information which is freely provided. The tone of the voice, the complexion, the condition of the eyes (in TCM, the Shen or spirt of an individual is said to be revealed through their eyes. Who can deny the clinical efficacy of this? Is there a different expression revealed through the eyes of a clinically depressed individual than from those of a happy, well adjusted one?), the facial expression, the overall demeanor, how one walks, sits, and stands are all observed and utilized by the doctor of Chinese medicine as part of the information required to arrive at a differential diagnosis. The doctor must be able to note and sense inconsistencies in an individual that are expressed by the patient even without the patient being cognizant of the chasms which exist between what they verbally express and what their spiritual presentation divulges. The sensitivity to and awareness of these human idiosyncrasies enables the TCM doctor to develop an understanding of who the patient is even before the 'main complaint' is discussed. Proper treatment in TCM is more than the elimination of pathological processes. In addition to attacking a pathological factor(s), it is the responsibility of the TCM doctor to support the individual in his or her goal of achieving overall health which includes aspects of physical-psycho-emotional and spiritual health. This paradigmatic approach is an inexorable part of the process of healing. Without it, we are merely chasing the sickness and forgetting about the patient. With this approach, the patient is seen as a whole person, representing the sum of a lifetime of experiences if you will, not just an embodiment of pathology. Pathologies are guests (and we hope temporary ones!) in a home which serves as a gracious host - our physical, emotional and spiritual selves. TCM first is concerned with strengthening the immune function which includes homeostasis of the physical, emotional and spiritual attributes of the patient, so as to be able to assist the patient in his or her endeavor to do battle and destroy the enemy at the gates (or inside them). When people are chronically exhausted from lack of sleep resulting from anxiety or depression, they can become chronically sick as a result of a lowered immune system. In TCM the point of departure from Western medicine is not to view the acute presentation (called "the branch" in TCM) as primary, but to treat the etiology (called "the root" in TCM) which is the anxiety and depression which causes the insomnia then facilitating exhaustion and lowering the immune function which can lead to chronic illness. So, rather than prescribing antibiotics repeatedly, we might address the patient's anxiety/depression syndrome or refer them out to a psychotherapist for appropriate intervention while simultaneously providing treatment. In Part II we'll look at the mechanisms of action in infertility. About The Author Dr. Mike Berkley has been treating fertility disorders since 1996 with amazing results. He works exclusively in the area of reproductive medicine and enjoys working in conjunction with some of New York's most prestigious reproductive endocrinologists. Sign up for his free newsletter at www.BerkleyCenter.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Your Mattress May Be Killing You The organic movement, which started with organic food, is moving to the bedroom in a big way. "The bedroom? " you say. Alternative Medicine and Therapies - What, Why and How of it Alternative Therapies and alternative medicine has been gaining ground along with conventional treatments. Alternative therapies have been practiced for thousand of years especially in the east commonly known as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. A Grounded Look at the Nature of Healing In "Evidence for the Sixth Sense", Hazel Courteney interviews an American scientist, Gary Schwartz, regarding the nature of energy and its relationship with the physical world. He explains three worldviews; one, that matter produces energy, it is a side effect of the physical world. Cause Of Stuttering When a person has a stutter or a parent realises that their child is developing a stutter they often want to find out the cause.So what causes a stutter?The answer is many things can trigger someone starting to stutter. The Subconscious Mind As Teacher: Why It Can Help You Relieve Your Pain Many disciplines are designed to program the subconscious. But except for the method used to derive visualization statements, no technique honors the subconscious as a teacher by first asking it what it believes will work. Top 3 Yogis Secrets for Health and Happiness For hundreds of years, the yogi's have been known to know the secrets for health, peace and happiness. In this short, but informative article, I will briefly describe 3 of these secrets with you. Aromatherapy Favorites: Patchouli Essential Oil Patchouli's History and UsesAh, Patchouli oil - people seem to love it or hate it. This well know essential oil has a somewhat deserved reputation as the scent of the Hippy generation (according to one source, it's use began as a mask for the odor of a particularly cherished herb), though it's traditional use dates back hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Aspergers Syndrome and its Symptoms Asperger's syndrome is a condition common in young children who experience impaired social interactions and develop limited repetitive patterns of behavior. Asperger's syndrome is other wise commonly called as pervasive developmental disorder. Why You Should Use Fruits for Constipation Fruits are made by nature and are a perfect food. They contain the right balance of nutrients with distilled water. Alternative Medicine vs Conventional Medicine - Pt 2 In Part 1 we discussed the fact that alternative medicine (so called) was being used in ancient times long before conventional medicine came on the scene. It is interesting to note that there were not so many diseases plaguing mortals in those days. Hemorrhoids - What Do I Need To Do? There are many unpleasant symptoms and diseases associated with constipation. Hemorrhoids is one such symptom and many doctor or practitioners say, "its not a serious condition. Health - Its All in the Mind Do you ever listen to other people's conversations? I mean when you're standing at a bus stop, or having a drink in a café after a hard morning's shopping. You know, those people whose voices are just a little too loud and you can't really help listening; after all you are on your own, and other people's lives are quite interesting. Do Magnets Work? The scientific explanation behind magnet therapy is that the magnetic fields produced by magnets (generating electromagnetic current) penetrates the human body thereby affecting the functioning of individual cells and improve the various disorders by taking care of the entire body system. Precisely how the magnetic fields do this remains a mystery, but there are several hypotheses. Bleeding Gums Bleeding gums can be one sign of periodontal disease, gingivitis, or other serious problems. Other symptoms of poor dental health may include persistent bad breath, toothache, and receding gums. Holistic Methods: Hemp Seed Oil and Aromatherapy in Steamboat Springs, Colorado Aromatherapy is a well known holistic method for healing, but when boosted by the quickly penetrating carrier hemp seed oil, the healing potential is magnified exponentially. No other carrier oil can take the beneficial medicinal qualities of aromatic essential oils as quickly through the epidermis as hemp seed oil, so if your lotions and salves are missing it, you're not doing your body justice, but it's not too late?. Breathing and Mental Concentration In spirituality, there are number of exercises available that help enhance the mental concentration. These exercises help reduce the flow of negative thoughts, which in turn lessens the mental confusion. Hemorrhoids Remedy: Practical Diet Tips, Toilet Habits And Exercise To Prevent Hemorrhoid Symptoms Some people say that prevention is better than cure. That is a wise statement indeed. Tai Chi Breathing Reduces Residual Air in Ineffective Retention Space Breathing is the source of life: if breathing stops, do does life. On average, an adult breathe 16-18 times per minutes, each time about 500ml of air exchanged in the lungs. Powerbreathe, Lung Conditioner, and Breathing Exerciser What is The Powerbreathe?POWERbreathe is the result of nearly a decade of research, and was designed by professional exercise scientists at Birmingham University and Loughborough University, UK. There are three models designed for specific uses: Wellness, Fitness and Sports Performance. What are the Best Roles for Western and Alternative Medicine? I think it's very confusing for patients to decide what the best roles are for Western medicine and alternative medicine.In this article, I'll try to clear some of that confusion with a few simple principles.
|
| Alternative home | site map | Beauty | Massage oils | Essential Oils | Health and Pregnancy | Alternative medicine Courses |
| Alternative medicine © 2006 |