Oriental Medicine Increasingly Popular
By Tania Campbell
Contributing Writer
In an age where Western medicine over prescribes for a wide range of conditions from depression to colds and flu, and where the often negative side effects of antibiotics, antidepressants, birth control bills and other potent medicine outweighs their benefits, there is a place for traditional Chinese medicine.
By focusing on the roots of the disease and healing the cause by restoring balance in the body, it can often be a more effective and certainly safer option than Western medicine.
Traditional Chinese medicine, which originated in China 5,000 years ago, 4,500 years before Western medicine, is becoming increasingly popular throughout the West.
Celebrities have caught onto it and recently Gwenyth Paltrow attributed her post-partum depression to cutting back on acupuncture during her pregnancy with her second child.
However, many people are put off by traditional Chinese medicine ― mostly, it seems, because it involves acupuncture, and acupuncture means needles!
However, as anyone who has ever been brave enough to try it can attest, it doesn't hurt at all. Even though you may look like a porcupine, the only sensation that can be felt is a tiny prick, nothing like the horror of getting a vale of blood taken through a syringe or having an immunization shot.
Due to Korea's proximity to China, traditional Chinese medicine has a long and proud history in this country and while some think of it is folk medicine, or that its efficacy is related to the placebo effect, others swear by it.
Indeed, it has an unmistakable presence in Seoul where the Gyeongdong Herbal Medicine Market, the largest in the country, is located.
There are also countless clinics and several large oriental hospitals dotted throughout the city. Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine and Kyunghee University Hospital of Oriental Medicine, which promotes the concept of a ``Third Medicine" by integrating Eastern and Western methods under one roof, are excellent examples. Both have experienced, English-speaking Oriental medicine doctors on their staff.
Depending on the problem, Oriental medicine doctors treat patients using a combination of acupuncture, herbs and Tui Na, a Chinese term that refers to a kind of massage. The purpose of Oriental medicine is to restore balance and harmony into our lives so that we can heal from within, naturally.
It is a holistic approach and the Oriental medicine's medical model understands disease as an expression of the whole person in relation to the environment. When yin and yang are in harmony, they work with the qi, or energy, within us to restore and maintain health.
It is widely believed that Oriental medicine works best for a plethora of chronic conditions, including arthritis, psoriasis, and menstrual disorders. It can also offer non-surgical cures for spine conditions.
Jason Green, a student of traditional Chinese medicine in Sydney, Australia, said that ``at first, I was skeptical, but I've seen with my own eyes the transformation it can bring. In our training clinic, we had a woman who was severely depressed because of her chronic eczema which was all over her body. She had been to all kinds of doctors for years.
``However, we were able to heal the skin condition completely within a few months. She was so grateful. Another memorable case was an elderly woman who has arthritis and could only shuffle a few steps at a time. We got her walking meters without any pain," Green said.
The first visit to an Oriental doctor can be somewhat unusual. Although methods differ, it is likely that the doctor will take your pulse, look at your tongue and take note of your complexion, posture and stature.
They will ask you questions about your illness and lifestyle, although it is likely that they already knew from their initial diagnosis. Usually, they spend a lot of time talking with you at the initial consultation to get an idea of all the factors influencing your condition.
Acupuncture can be very cheap, from just a few thousand won, while Tu Na and herbs can be somewhat more expensive. A session of acupuncture, Tu Na and a two-week supply of herbs can run up to 200,000 won.
It depends on the hospital or clinic you visit whether Korean health insurance will subsidize the cost or not. While many people remain skeptical as to the efficacy of Oriental medicine, try it before you dismiss it, and where better than Korea.
For more information, visit: Jaseng Oriental Hospital www.jaseng.net or Kyunghee University Hospital www.kyunghee.or.kr