different schools of TCM

[Guest guest]

>

> This is an interesting article on (real)traditional chinese

> medicine vs. contemporary acupuncture:

>

> http://www.dragonrises.net/articles/7dueling.pdf

>

> cheers!

> Marcos

 

It is very important to understand that TCM is not a monolithic body

of knowledge - it is a collection of many schools of traditional and

modern thinking. In fact many important points of theory, diagnosis,

and treatment are controversial and are being constantly contended

in the literature. Many schools deny the validity of other schools.

 

This is why I advocate a true Five-Element system as such a system

can be validated across all intellectual assertions.

 

The modern Japanese system (similar systems are being practiced

acrosss Asia and Europe now and rapidly making in roads into US)is a

system that combines many traditional understandings with modern.

some of the most amazing results are achieved using as an example

modern Endocrinoligical research with Kampo. Many Japanese

physicians have success using chemotherapy, accupuncture, herbs,

body manipulation, biofeedback, and temporary hormonal support in

the treatment of cancer. Another approach that I have seen that

works effectively is the combination of TCM and brain chemical

therapies to cure the symptoms caused by brain chemical imbalances

and ANS disorders (Sympathetic over excitability and

hypersensativities). I have found that coursing the Liver and

supporting the brain chemicals is a very effective treatment in

depression (combined with dietary therapy that suppoerts Liver

function).

 

Such protocals are very powerful in the hands of a skilled

clinician. I have stated before here that this newly evolving model

of theraputics is an important intellectual development in modern

theraputics - and one that is developing a whole new model of how to

heal chronic disease in the modern context. Modern context means a

highly pressurized hectic lifestyle that means therapy must be

faster and more effective for the patient at an affordable cost in

the long run. those physicians (MDs) who practice in this way in the

US and Europe can often help the patient get their medical costs

covered by insurance. Otherwise in the US such therapies can be very

expensive (unnecessarily so in my opinion).

 

Leon Hammer was referenced - he is just one of many western

therapists who combine TCM understandings with his classical

psychiactric training and the modern body work system Bioenergetics.

i hear of such people frequently. I appreciate this new work and

encourage all who are trying to blend systems so as to attempt to

create something new and greater than its parts. All systems have

great knowledge in them so the more we understand of this (even

those who appear to be our opposition) the greater we will be in our

understanding of the human condition - human beings have been

studying health and disease for past thousands of years - let us

understand all of this and take what is useful and throw away the

rest.

 

It is a mistake to think that any of the systems are complete in

themselves. All systems (medical)have their stong and their weak

points.