The Background

When seeking to understand the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine it is important to remember that the theory has been developed over 4000 years and therefore contains explanations that do not always seem logical to a person reading them in the 21st century, with the benefit of modern scientific knowledge.

In the same way that the terminology and underlying theory of many religious scripts, written on the basis of an ancient understanding of the world, does not devalue the quality of the message they convey, neither does the, at times, intangible theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, devalue its ability to cure disease maladies and relieve symptoms.

Chinese Medicine Compared with Western Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine has arisen out of 4000 years of practice, academic application and trial and error. Western medicine out of a few decades of intensive research. Neither have a monopoly on perfection and in the opinion of many, both have their place in modern healthcare.

It is worth pointing out that the Western Medical establishment does on occasions appear to believe it has a unique ability to determine what is, or is not, an effective treatment. It may be pertinent to point out that after years of opposition to the effectiveness of acupuncture, primarily because research had not been undertaken and no obvious reason for the healing process was evident, Western medicine has now decided that acupuncture is effective. Western medical doctors are learning to perform basic acupuncture in their 1000’s and yet they still do not understand how or why it works!

There are a number of facts we would like to highlight:

• In China, where Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, has been used for 4000 years they have grown used to the idea that extensive research is not necessary to prove it works. If people have been gaining benefit for millennia that is good enough.
• Western medicine is widely available to around 40% of the Chinese population but this has not reduced the demand for the traditional remedies. In China, there are 1000’s of hospitals dedicated to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
• It is unrealistic and irrational for the Western medical establishment to ridicule herbal remedies. Many Western remedies are derived from plants and there are many plants in the UK that have a severe bio-chemical effect on humans. For example
  • Deadly Nightshade - The drug atropine is produced from the foliage, which along with the berries are extremely toxic, with hallucinogenic properties.
  • Foxgloves or Digitalis – The entire plant is poisonous (including the roots and seeds), although the leaves of the upper stem are particularly potent, with just a nibble being enough to potentially cause death. Early symptoms of ingestion include nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, wild hallucinations, delirium, and severe headache. Despite this many useful medicines are made from this plant
  • Aconite or Monkshead. A common plant with many actions on the central nervous system and used in China to control certain heart conditions and a form of local anaesthesia. Highly toxic, frequently fatal in small amounts.

We can only reproduce a tiny fraction of the total works on this subject. Even today, the Chinese spend many millions of Yuan on research into the further development of one of the world’s most ancient and respected systems of health care.

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