Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) includes a range of acupuncture techniques and mind-body therapies. Although widely used as a primary or complementary health method in China and many other nations, its effectiveness has not been examined. Existing research does, however, indicate that many herbal treatments work well to treat ailments, including fever and constipation.
TCM strategies and their effectiveness
Even when treating the same ailment, TCM practitioners frequently prescribe patients different herbal remedies, directly comparing efficacy challenges. Meta-analyses of research contrasting the effectiveness of TCM with Western medical techniques, such as IVF, in the treatment of infertility, however, discovered that TCM was twice as successful.
Clinical pregnancy rates with Chinese herbal medication were 60% after more than 4 months, compared to 30% with IVF after 12 months. The distinction seems related to how TCM uses the menstrual cycle’s quality as a diagnostic tool. Additionally, TCM practices are frequently less intrusive than western medical practices, which might be significant when considering issues like infertility.
An antipyretic oral liquid is a patented Chinese traditional medication used to treat children for its antipyretic properties. This oral liquid and a typical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for kids were compared in a trial to see whether one had equivalent benefits in lowering a rat fever. Jinxin is composed of herbal and mineral ingredients instead of Ibuprofen’s active ingredient.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has frequently been used with other medical treatments as a complementary therapy. For instance, many patients who have access to it supplement their usage of surgery or chemotherapy for cancer with TCM. Recently, a specific herbal remedy historically recommended in TCM to address thirst and general weakness has also been utilized to alleviate the exhaustion from radiation and chemotherapy. According to randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled research, this medication helped lessen the weariness brought on by cancer therapy.
However, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has its share of detractors. According to studies, herbal treatments occasionally include extracts from threatened or endangered species of animals or poisonous plants instead of the components listed on the label. These unwanted components might be used by a large number of patients. They could significantly impact the ecosystems from which they are derived, given the scope of TCM usage and the reach of such commerce.
The difficulty of evaluating the effectiveness of TCM is another significant complaint. TCM is personalized to each individual and is therefore rarely the same between any two people, in contrast to the evidence gained from randomized clinical trials that generalize guidelines for treating patients with the same condition alike that is preferred by doctors and scientists trained in Western nations.
This objection relates more to the fundamental notion that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to illness cause and treatment. The validity of this idea about humans, whose genetic makeup, environments, and way of life exhibit enormous variance, has to be determined. Before endorsing or opposing the use of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), scientists could think about developing other ways to assess its effectiveness.