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Developing My Clinical Vocabulary II

…As far as non-pain related disorders, I chose to explain to them (and still do) that Acupuncture and Herbs (Herbology) affects higher brain areas and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters that influence the immune system and the antinociceptive system. Another explanation that I often still use is that Acupuncture and Herbs affect the blood concentrations of Triglycerides, Cholesterol, and Phospholipids.

 

Once I gave these explanations to the Western practitioners, I could instantly sense that they were more comfortable and receptive to my methods of practice. In fact, many of them asked for more in-depth explanations and they asked more questions. However, most importantly, they started to respect me as a clinician who can function in their “system”. As I stated before, their impression of TCM was that it was “Quackery” and they viewed me more as a Witch Doctor than a legitimate clinician.

 

Am I the only TCM practitioner who has and still experiences this doubt from our Western colleagues? Of course not. One result of this is that there has been tremendous research being conducted on how TCM achieves its results in Western concepts and terminology. Many papers have been written both in China and in the West concerning this topic—much more now than when I started my practice.

 

In fact, even the most ardent Chinese Medical authorities realize that in order for TCM to be accepted in the West they have to start adapting. The easiest way to do this is by discussing TCM healing mechanisms in Western clinical terms. The publishing of legitimate research article is the most effective way of ensuring that this is achieved.

 

To say that this transition into integrating into the Western healthcare system has been fantastic for our field is an understatement. In fact, many of my TCM professors and Clinical supervisors have told me that they now emphasize Western medical explanations much more now than when I was a student. In fact, they now expect their students to readily be able to discuss their treatment plans in a manner that satisfies the Western clinician. I just wished that they started doing this when I was a student. 

The effects of the COVID virus is being felt in the healthcare community, in a big way. I’m sure that this is not a revelation to most of you. However, I’m also confident that most of you are not appreciating just how the manner in treating patients is being affected.

 

As I have explained before, what makes TCM so unique is the natural manner that a practitioner uses to both diagnose and treat. What I mean by natural is how TCM practitioner uses his own senses, such as touch and feel, as instruments to treat a patient. With the advent of policies such as wearing masks/face shields or the need now to perform temperature checks on every patient has definitely altered the pristine nature of the treatment. Yes, I am speaking from personal experience of my current treatment of patients.

 

However, as with any factor that causes such a change to society, there are avenues by which members of society can help to curb the intensity of these effects. Most of you appreciate that COVID is a virus and thus there are symptoms that are associated with it, as with any other virus like the flu. The Western medical community naturally looks to treat such a virus, like COVID, by finding artificial means.

 

What do I mean by artificial means? If you are keeping up with the Western medical establishment’s response, you should be realizing that they feel that a vaccine is the surest way to combat the virus. They push this vaccine without listing the ingredients in the vaccine and publishing any trials that this vaccine is going through. However, what is most pertinent to this blog is their lack of acknowledging the natural means that are effective in treating, at the very least, the symptoms of the virus.

 

In the next blog, I will address how certain TCM protocols are very effective in treating COVID symptoms…

 
 
 

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