One of the most fascinating aspects of being a Chinese medicine practitioner is shedding light on the worldview of illness seen through the lens of Eastern medicine. Here, I will illustrate how treatment strategies differ ( Western medicine vs. Chinese medicine ) in regards to pneumonia. I want to preface this by acknowledging that as with most things in life, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. So even as I am contrasting the differences here to illustrate a point, there is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
A couple weeks ago was winter solstice. In the West, the solstice marks the onset of winter, the beginning of a period dominated by Yin Chi/cold, damp, dark, somber energy leading to a place of despair. In contrast, winter solstice seen through Eastern philosophical lens tells us that winter has already come and gone, and that a new day has dawned with fast-approaching Yang Chi/warmth, light, hope overcoming darkness. It marks the continual journey we travel from darkness to light. In parts of Europe, it was seen as the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun.
Borrowing this concept of SAME EVENT, DIFFERENT VIEW and applying it to a case of pneumonia, we can see how the different views play out in Western medicine vis-à-vis Chinese medicine treatment strategies. After a bout of pneumonia dating back three weeks, patient presents with residual lung infection symptoms including sinus and ear congestion, labored breathing, cough with very tight chest, and severe fatigue. At the initial acupuncture appointment, she was on her last day of antibiotic protocol. I explained to her how acupuncture will provide symptomatic relief while Chinese herbal medicine ( 5 bags of raw whole Chinese herbs brewed into a tea ) will help uproot the infection, bringing the latent pathogenic factor to the surface, thereby dispersing and resolving the problem. She listened intently, but there was something I said that really clicked: Chinese medicine is all about bringing the pathogen to the surface and dispersing it via plant medicine rather than attempting to push it down via synthetic drugs. It was an Aha Moment! When I saw her next time towards the end of the herbal protocol, her symptoms were markedly improved. Moreover, she reported that she could literally feel the congestion breaking up upon re-opening of her body. What I learned from this interaction is that by providing context, it helps the patient to gain a deeper understanding of the inner-workings of Chinese medicine.

These are two varying approaches based on philosophical differences in how we relate to illness. One is detached and non-participatory. The narrative goes something like: My body is failing me, I don’t want this sickness, just make it go away already! The other is paying attention and active engagement: I am sick because there’s a deeper imbalance happening here, I need to take heed and re-center. SAME EVENT, DIFFERENT VIEW. Thankfully, the two are not mutually exclusive; you can have both!