Although, both have their aspects and levels of importance. The Chinese came up with such an intelligent system by way of knowing and understanding the body and its systems from a Holistic perspective, while Western Medicine is brilliant in determining specific factors that contribute to illness based on tests and diagnostics. The bridging of these two medicines would be ideal since Western medicine uses medical imagery and diagnostic tests to determine problematic issues. Western Medicine is also unsurpassed in emergency situations, trauma and necessary surgeries. If a trauma occurred, no one would think of going to see the Acupuncturist, and if they do, they are immediately sent to the emergency room.
On the other hand, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is the best medicine for chronic illness, and long-term, preventative care. Western medicine tends to over-prescribe medications that can be harmful for the body long-term. In addition, many of these medications only cover symptoms versus treating the root cause. Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture are highly effective for treating long term issues and for preventing future problems. Acupuncturists are trained to see the whole body versus just parts of the body.
As a rule, it is best to use Western Medicine:
-for Emergencies (broken bones, trauma, cuts, acute infections and any other type of emergency)
-necessary surgeries (this is important because many doctors recommend surgery when it is not actually needed and Acupuncture and natural medicine should be used first)
It is best to use Acupuncture:
-for chronic health ailments such as:
stress, headaches, anxiety, depression, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, pain, etc
Both Acupuncture and Modern medicine can certainly go hand in hand. There is a time and a place for both, but most chronic issues and symptomatic problems can be treated with Acupuncture first. A highly skilled Acupuncturist will be able to tell you when it is appropriate to use Acupuncture and when it is appropriate to see the MD.
Our Franklin Acupuncture clinic is happy to answer any further questions you may have about appropriate treatment options for your specific ailments.
