10 Studies That Prove Chinese Medicine Actually Works

Don’t you just love it when you talk to people about Chinese Medicine and then they say something like “oh, that’s all good, but when it comes down to it, I want to be treated by something that really works. No offence but CM was never proved”?
Don’t you fall in-love with those articles on the Internet that tell you you’re a quack because you practice CM? And then they explain how you wasted money for 4 years on studying something that doesn’t work, isn’t correct, never was proved scientifically, and they go on telling the whole world to be careful from people like you, your friends, your teachers…

Research in Chinese Medicine is not a new thing. I personally think it’s a bit of a problem to force the research models that apply to Western Medicine on CM mainly because CM includes to much more. How do you research the pulse? How do you research the TMM channels? How do you research the treatment of Shen in Shen?
And if you can’t do it according to the rules of research by Western Medicine, does this mean it’s all lies?
Of course not. Not everything in this world is research-able.
But they are important because this is just another way for CM to develop a serious dialogue with WM.

That being said, I give you 10 studies that prove Chinese Medicine actually works.
And all those who need proof- here you have it. All good websites, note that they need registration- it’s free.

A pilot study on using Acupucnture and TENS to treat knee osteoarthritis- taken from the CMJournal. Note it.

Effects of Acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing IVF- taken from BMJ. Note it. A personal favorite of mine, because it can help those women who have so much going on due to huge amounts of hormones in them. Western Medicine hardly acknowledge the psychological and emotional impact those treatments have on women and don’t offer anything to help the women cope with it.

Effects of Yinchenhao Tang and related decoction on DMN induced cirrhosis/fibrosis in rats- taken from the CMJournal. Note it.

Blood Pressure changes with Acupuncture comparable to ACE-inhibitor monotherapy- taken from Medscape. Note it.

Randomised controlled study on ginger-salt-partitioned moxibustion at shenque (CV8) on urination disorder poststroke- taken from PubMed. Note it.

Randomised trial of long term effect on acupuncture for shoulder pain- taken from PubMed. Note it.

Acupuncture: a promising treatment for depression during pregnancy- taken from PubMed. Note it. Another personal favorite, an answer to a popular problem all around the world, yet not enough women talk about it (for example the brave Brooke Shields).

Acupuncture may be helpful for pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy- taken from Medscape. Note it. Did someone say Dai Mai?

Acupuncture ‘more than a placebo’- taken from BBC news. Note it.

Tai Chi may reduce falls in the elderly- taken from Medscape. Note it. Another personal favorite, the need to think about the elderly and the art of Tai Chi steps in to help is beautiful.

You can find lots more in those websites mentioned.
Please leave your notes, I will be happy to read and respond.

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7 Responses to “10 Studies That Prove Chinese Medicine Actually Works”

Joe
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:41 am

Another great post. thank you.
Yael
March 6th, 2008 at 6:50 am

Thanks Joe.
Debra "Xianjun"
March 10th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

Wonderful post. Thanks so much!

I like the way you highlight the difficulties in doing the research! The most fascinating point I’ve reas, as illuminated in the 1980s by Dr. Robert Benton was that many treatments in Western medicine couldn’t be explained either.

As I read your post, I was thinking about electricity and how it was harnessed, etc. Many people couldn’t explain it then or express it, control it. Nevertheless, it was eventually understood.

What bothers me today, however, is the insistence upon testing Chinese medicine from a Western perspective including their idea of standardized and thereby compromised herbs or strictly active compounds minus the whole plant and the complimentary counterparts it contains.

So, too, the diagnostics of CCM are more complex than the ICD and are Molecular in nature. They may well someday be highlighted as molecular if some persons in medical institutions might listen to some comparative epidemiology.

The point is that CCM works. I, like Billions of people wouldn’t be alive without its intervention. Namaste
Yael
March 10th, 2008 at 11:30 pm

Hey Debra,
Saw your comment first thing this morning and was very happy to read it.
You mentioned interesting points and I think that it’s just a matter of time really until CM- either CCM, TCM or 5 Elements- will not be “complimentary medicine”, it will be Chinese Medicine, a good choice to go just as Western Medicine.

Still, research is important for the sake of dialogue, and somettimes that’s all we need for people to start taking this thing seriously.

Anyway, thanks for your comment- hope to see you here again!
Debra "Xianjun"
March 13th, 2008 at 12:45 pm

Actually, Chinese Medicine is the largest in the world, according the head of a Public Health Dept at a University here. Most people don’t realize that it also serves a foundational element in Tibetan Medicine and Unani. Kampo is an extension of it, etc.

Given the limits of Western medicine and the rise of Chronic and difficult conditions that could have been prevented through Chinese medicine and are effectively managed through it, experience and shared experiences have been the most important among the people. This is where legitimacy is most important. Think about it!

I am always amazed when western medicine sees a connection between organs and systems as we do in Chinese Medicine and has difficulty explaining it. For example, Skin cancer tends to metastasize to the small intestine. You know where I’m going with this because of the Zang/Fu organs and the 5 element theory. Every time they can’t explain something that materializes, we can.

The longer I study, I realize the wisdom of the 5 element theory and how it explains the relationships between the patient and the disease, its course, etc. In actuality, the Yin/Yang theory and the 5 Elements/Phases are like having two lenses of a microscope viewing the patient and condition past and present. Don’t you think?

Everyday, however, news merely confirmms what we know. In the end our patients are always most important. It would be nice to gain more authoritative standing and perhaps equal recognition. After all, different medicines have limits and strengths. However, it is very difficult to be engaged with those who need Chinese Medicine to survive, to be recognized by the WHO and diminished by the Western medicine doctors.

Life is NOT a contest. Quality is most important, after all, we have only now. Namaste
Daniel Schulman
March 16th, 2008 at 11:44 am

just be careful
you always
you ALWAYS
in the end
have to dance with the one who brought you to the dance
most of these studies have almost nothing to do with chinese medicine.
auriculotherapy
March 27th, 2008 at 4:52 am

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