Western Medicine vs Traditional Chinese Medicine

[Ken]

During a casual chat with a dentist friend, we had a difference in opinion on the efficacies of Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (or “TCM” as it is popularly known).  Neither can she bring herself to concur on my suggestion that Chinese Astrology studies like Bazi (or 4 Pillars) and Zi Wei Dou Shu (ZWDS) are useful towards maintaining good health.

To most people, Western Medicine is scientific, more widely accepted and belongs to the main stream tools toward health and wellness.  Hence, it is the defacto choice for them.  While I have utmost respect for the advancement Western Medicine have made until today, I have come across enough cases that makes me convinced that TCM is the superior choice to Western Medicine when it comes to achieving good health.  I will say TCM is more effective at keeping people in the pink of health while Western Medicine is better in treating sick people.  When people are severely ill, naturally Western Medicine is the better choice of treatment.   

What is my basis for concluding so?  Western medicine treats symptoms but do not get to the root of the problem.  For someone suffering from headache they usually prescribe pain killers but falls short of addressing the real cause of the headaches.  When a patient has fever, sometimes they ask the patient to dip in cold water or stay in cold air-conditioned rooms to combat the rising temperature.  Proponent of Western Medicine may challenge me to say why make a fuss when the illness is “cured”.  I will say the symptoms may be cured but the root cause of the illness is merely subdued.  The result of which is a weaker health constitution in the long term.

TCM is very different as it seeks to identify the underlying health deficiencies.  TCM acknowledge that the body consists of organs that are all interlinked and their yin & yang composition determines how the energy flows within the organs of the body. 

TCM thus goes right to the root of the health problem instead of just treating the symptoms.  Rome is not built in a day, and neither should we expect our health problems to be fully cured by a TCM practitioner within a short period of time.  For those that have developed to a critically late stage of illnesses, I still advocate they rely on Western Medicine but use TCM as the longer term fallback solution.   

When do Bazi and ZWDS come into play?  They hold the key towards a comprehensive diagnosis of the health problem and medical prescription.  I am a firm believer of the adage that “prevention is better than cure”.  Bazi and ZWDS will be able to identify the inherent health deficiency and medical problem of a person even way before the symptoms or the illness sets in.  They can also help to identify the Fengshui aspects of the house or environment that the person lives in that will prevent such illnesses from setting in.  An understanding of Bazi and ZWDS also holds the key to prescription of a comprehensive cure.  This is because the patient may not articulate the medical problem clearly enough and an effective cure can only be achieved when the TCM practitioner understands how the energy flows within the organs and their yin & yang predisposition.

Opponents may still claim that I am bigoted against Western Medicine.  In my next article, I will share a few examples of how Western Medicine failed or how TCM + understanding of Bazi/ZWDS cured a problem that was not satisfactorily resolved by Western Medicine.

[Ken]

First case involves Lady T who had a severe shoulder strain and rushed to the hospital seeking treatment.  For some reason, the doctor prescribed strong antibiotics for her condition and instructed her to finish the course of the antibiotics.  The choice of antibiotics although seemed an incongruous prescription to me for a person suffering from shoulder strain but I will reserve my comments since it is not my field of expertise.  However, the manner of which this prescription was made appeared cavalier in that there was no consideration that this strong dosage of antibiotics would have a side effect on Lady T.  The fact is that Lady T has a history of gastrointestinal and depression problem.  The strong antibiotics upset her gastrointestinal system severely and her health weakened considerably as a consequence.  Worse to follow is the recurrence of depression, which came about as a consequence of her weakening health. 

This example shows the usefulness of knowing Ba Zi (4 Pillars) or Zi Wei Dou Shu (ZWDS) in the process of diagnosis of a medical problem and prescription of the cure.  The patient may, as a result of being in pain or anxiety, not being able to describe clearly their medical history.  But if there were some way to tap on someone with Ba Zi or Zi Wei Dou Shu knowledge, such a cop out of prescribing medicine that triggers a chain of undesirable medical side effects, will not be that common.

The next example I would like to bring into discussion is the inadequate areas of fertility methods of Western Medicine.  One of the common problems plaguing infertile couples could be the low percentage of high quality, high motility sperm of the male.  Gynaecologists and Urologists interviewed so far have indicated that there is no medicine nor surgical process that can treat this medical condition.   In this aspect, TCM is streets ahead in that they already have prescription of herbs that can increase the motility of the high quality sperms to the desired level. 

Even the much heralded medical process of enhancing fertility called IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) leaves much to be desired.  For a process with such prohibitive costs and only a documented average success rate of 33 percent, I do not see the logic in its highly revered status.  I have known quite many couples that went the IVF route and end up mentally exhausted, disappointed and much poorer.  While TCM practitioners generally do not keep statistics of their success rates in helping couples conceive,  it is a fact that many of these couples who lost their last glimmer of hope after the IVF process had their have their parenting wish fulfilled after consulting proficient TCM practitioners.  That too, achieved with a much lower level of stress and cost.  Coincidence or efficacy?  You be the judge.

Now, how does Zi Wei Dou Shu (ZWDS) come into the picture here?  Of all the couples that had difficulty conceiving, it is always reflected in their ZWDS charts.  It can help couples to identify they have such problems and seek help early and thus increase the probability of success.  Even in certain cases whereby both IVF and TCM failed to bring babies to these couples, Fengshui done using ZWDS concepts, administered in conjunction with TCM treatments, finally see to the emergence of the proverbial stork with the baby.

The last case on to be discussed here is to illustrate that the appropriate use of Chinese Medicine and Fengshui can cure an illness that even Western doctors are initially not confident of doing so.  We all know cancer is one illness that doctors are least confident in curing.  Guy A was diagnosed with cancer and was given a pessimistic outlook by his doctor.  He went to a Fengshui master and asked if the master knows what is wrong with him.  This Fengshui master is able to deduce that he had nose cancer simply by reading his ZWDS chart.  Truly impressed, Guy A adopted all the recommendations of this Fengshui master.  Today, Guy A is cured of cancer.

[firehorselord]

wah nice to know this is real! ZWDS & Bazi can be used in this area.
support! 

[TatYoong]

Thank you ken for your posts. It is indeed comforting somewhat as my husband and I have been trying to conceive for almost 3 years and are now seeking TCM instead of western medicine. Would appreciate if you could help with a bazi analysis for us. My date of birth is 21/09/75, time 1501 and place singapore. My husband's is 05/03/75, time 0050 and place singapore. We have been told that we do not have descendent luck and Im just wondering if this is accurate. Appreciate any help you can render.

[Ken]

Hi Tat Yoong

I read that Western Medicine has only a history of 200 years while Chinese Medicine has a history running into 1000 years or more.  Did the person advising you explain how he read that you have no descendants luck?

Did doctors give you any diagnosis of the medical problem within you and hubby that could be the cause of this current state of chidlessness?

[Willy]

Hi Tatyoong, I see the problem lies more with your husband. And it is during the luck cycle 25-34. You might have better chance soon. What you guys think...

[TatYoong]

Hi Ken, thank you for your reply. With regards to the comment on descendent luck, it was a fengshui master who asked for our dates and times of birth. I am just seeking a second opinion here. Preliminary tests have shown no obvious problems for the both of us and so we have decided to seek TCM treatment for now before embarking on any invasive procedures.

Hi Willy, appreciate your reply as well. When you refer to my husband's luck cycle 25-34, is that inclusive of age 34? And does it refer to the lunar age, which is 1 year older? And to add, my husband has also had very trying times with his business/career the past few years, would that hopefully change soon as well?

Looking forward to hearing from you both.

[Willy]

Hi Tatyoung, I would like to hear the responds from others like Xuan before answering you. Maybe we can discuss about this under astrological request http://fengshuiforward.com/forum/index.php/topic,574.msg4872.html#new

Hope you do not mind. Thanks!

[TatYoong]

No problem Willy. I look forward to hearing from the others as well.