The Relationship of Oriental Medicine to Western Medicine

Date:   11/15/2013 11:09:39 AM ( 11 y ago)

This is from an article on the website of Jake Fradkin, a doctor of Oriental Medicine. At the 2013, Pacific Symposium, I attended a panel discussion made up of cutting edge practitioners trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine and as well as those trained in Western Medicine with M.D. degrees. They were looking at the Biomedical Model and how Acupuncture and its work were gaining ground at fitting into the dominant system of Biomedicine.

I will follow up with some photos and comments. This morning, I spent time on the website of Jake Fradkin who is one of the elders of the TCM movement. This is from an article on his website.



4. The Relationship of Oriental Medicine to Western Medicine

Western medicine and Oriental medicine have entirely different orientations in treating illness and injury, and as such, need to be taught and maintained as separate medical arts. Western medicine in the main seeks to control uncomfortable or dangerous symptoms based on observation and manipulation of biochemical mechanisms, regardless of the harshness of the medicines. By focusing narrowly on disease manifestations, they have lost sight of a unified overview of health and vitality. Oriental medicine starts from the posture of what a healthy body should be, describing the free circulation of qi and blood through defined channels as well as organ function according to zang-fu energetic physiology. It manipulates natural mechanisms of regeneration and recuperation quickly, clearly and without side-effects when performed by a trained practitioner.

I am not opposed to science, and it is obvious that the effectiveness of Western medicine is dependent upon it. Nor am I opposed to Western medicine. It excels at crisis management for the injured, the hospitalized and the dying, and in the next 30 years it will provide the benefits of genetic manipulation for conditions like juvenile diabetes and cystic fibrosis. Oriental medicine, on the other hand, excels at treatment of non-crisis illness and injury by accelerating the healing process.

This difference between Western and Oriental medicine points out the need to keep the two arts separate, both in education and clinical autonomy. To merge them intellectually would only diminish the effectiveness of each separate art. Subjecting Oriental medicine to the rigors of modern science is excellent for validating its techniques and efficacy, but to accept Oriental medicine only from the viewpoint of modern science is to diminish an ancient and powerful medicine. Its efficacy is dependent on its application according to traditional methodology, language, and understanding of the body. Clinics and hospitals should offer both kinds of treatment, without one trying to control or dictate terms to the other. The future requires an informed public that has equal access to both kinds of treatment. This is the case today in China, where both types of medicine compete equally for over one billion patients.

Editor’s note: Dr. Fratkin’s article first appeared in the Winter 2000 issue (Vol. 2, No. 1) of the California Journal of Oriental Medicine. It is reprinted with permission, and slightly revised by Dr. Fratkin to reflect time changes.

Page printed from:

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com


JAKE PAUL FRATKIN, OMD is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine in practice since 1978. After seven years basic training in Japanese acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in this country, he went to Beijing for one year to do advanced hospital training in herbal internal medicine, pediatrics and medical qi gong. He is the author of CHINESE HERBAL PATENT MEDICINES, (2001), a respected reference work of 1200 Chinese herbal products available in this country. In 1999 he received the national award, Acupuncturist of the Year, from the American Association of Oriental Medicine, and 2006 he received the award as Acupuncture Teacher of the Year. He is a recognized expert in the treatment of leaky gut syndrome, chronic respiratory and digestive disorders. Jake lives and practices in Boulder, Colorado

© Copyright 2004 Jake Paul Fratkin. All Rights Reserved.


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