Medicine - East Meets West

It has been said that you can expand your horizons when you travel the world. For me, this is true. One of my greatest "eye-opening" experiences happened years ago when I was invited to China as part of a U.S. delegation.

I was fortunate to have been part of a sports medicine exchange program in which I spent almost one month traveling throughout China giving lectures and demonstrations. Our task was to teach Chinese health practitioners about the latest and greatest techniques of Western medicine.

In exchange, they shared techniques and treatments of traditional Chinese medicine including acupuncture, moxibustion and QiGong, some of which, at that time, had not yet arrived in any significant amount in the U.S.A. We, as a delegation, spent time visiting all aspects of health care in China, from their hospitals and rural clinics, to the "barefoot doctors" out in the field. Their adoption of traditional medicine was fairly primitive it at that time, but their capabilities in terms of ancient Eastern practices, was remarkable.

There was no such thing in the U.S. (yet) as "alternative medicine."

It was a tremendous experience for me, and as I mentioned, and eye and mind opener. I came to realize that even though medical care in the U.S. is clearly the best in the world, with the best trained physicians, we still do not have all the answers that fit every patient's needs.

The Chinese continue to incorporate many of our techniques, and we, even more so, showcase theirs under the umbrella of "alternative medicine." More and more hospitals and physicians are providing these types of services and, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, we are flocking to them in droves.

In my next blog entry, I'll talk about some of the science behind certain alternative medicine practices especially those related to the musculoskeletal system.

In the meantime, what is your experience with alternative medicine? Has it helped you in times when traditional medicine has failed? Are you a believer?

Do you think alternative medicine should be held to the same scientific scrutiny and rigorous scientific studies (to show its merit) as traditional medicine? Please share your thoughts and stories.