Hi there, Its good that you wish to learn more about the TCM principles side of it. The practice of Chinese medicine today CAN be integrated with WM principles. The degree course that I studied sought to give students the equivalent of the training provided in China, with both western medicine and chinese medicine. With some diseases there are empirical treatments (herpes zoster and post herpetic neuralgia being one of them) but then there are illnesses that really do need to be differentiated according to TCM differential diagnosis. This becomes really important when designing effective clinical trials.
Many of my classmates were WM trained doctors, and once they managed to suspend those preconceptions they soon discovered that TCM principles are logically consistent and common ground could be found. I remember one discussion where my classmate (An MD) couldnt understand how the kidneys govern bone. It wasnt until I pointed out to her that at a certain stage of foetal development, the kidneys actually release a chemical that stimulates bone growth that she was able to accept it. Of course sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief, such as in the case of the heart being the location of the mind. In cases such as this the treatment for heart/shen problems works, so differentiating in this manner is still OK, even though in WM we know the brain is the seat of consciousness. (TCM does say however that the heart nourishes the marrow, and the brain is the sea of marrow, so you could just think like that.)
You are actually very lucky, as a WM diagnosis is very often needed in the practice of TCM these days, and you dont need to refer patients. I was taught that in diagnosis you should always have the disease (The name, generally a WM diagnosis such as "Migraine" or "Headache" etc) Then the differentiation, eg "Liver yin deficiency with liver yang upsurge" and based on the differentiation you can then provide the treatment principles eg "Alleviate pain, tonify liver yin, descend liver yang")
Because medical acupuncture is based on empirical treatments, you can have good efficacy in the symptomatic relief of ailments, such as your excellent treatment of the migraine patient , but its definitely helpful to then be able to diagnose the underlying pathology to aid in the prevention of future migraines. All that being said, you probably have great results with musculoskeletal problems with medical acupuncture. In fact, the TCM traumatology I was taught is more in line with medical acupuncture.
Oh, well, Ive probably dribbled on for long enough now. Hope you dont mind my digressions! I really think that you are in an excellent position with having a western medicine background. Ive considered going back to Uni to do medicine, but there are very few postgrad medicine programs available in Australia (and they are all very far away), and I dont know if I can be bothered (or afford) to be an undergrad again.
PS Nobody can really work out a perfect TCM differentiation of fibromyalgia or hayfever, so there are exceptions to every rule. |