You’re probably used to visiting your primary care doctor, but have you thought about getting acupuncture treatment? Traditional Chinese medicine is a part of Eastern medicine, and can be a great supplement, not replacement, to Western medicine. Many reputable hospitals like Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Mayo Clinic offer integrative healthcare. Eastern medicine is gentler than prescription drugs and surgery so there is little risk to trying eastern medicine as a first-line approach. Acupuncture is also covered by many insurance plans so it’s affordable.
The Western approach, originating from ancient Greece, divides health from the disease, but the Eastern approach, originating throughout China and India, considers health as a balanced state vs disease as an unbalanced state. For example, if you visit your general practitioner with complaints of sore back, they may prescribe you with pain medication, but if you see an acupuncturist, they may treat the pain with acupuncture needles inserted at Acupoints on meridians. Western medicine tends to bandage the systems but ignore the root cause of the issue, while eastern medicine treats the root cause. Western medicine, which are mostly pharmaceuticals, may have more side-effects than eastern medicine, which are mostly herbs, diet changes, and acupuncture.
Combining Eastern and Western medicine can make you healthier, and sustained usage of eastern medicine can provide preventive care that makes the body systems function at their best. Your acupuncturist can also offer diet and lifestyle recommendations. Make sure to let your primary care physician know about any herbs and other non-traditional treatments you are receiving. We look forward to seeing you at our acupuncture clinic in Vancouver, WA.