Acupuncture in a time COVID
When it comes to how to treat, prevent, and recover from the Coronavirus, commonly referred to as COVID-19, the jury is still out. Yet, the one thing that all medical professionals can agree on is your immune system and your overall health can directly impact how your body responds to the virus.
Traditional Chinese Medicine also referred to as TCM, has thousands of years of experience dealing with infectious diseases that have swept through the region. Throughout the years, there have been a handful of studies that show the health benefits of Chinese herbs and acupuncture when it comes to combating infectious diseases such as SARS. Furthermore, research shows when combined with Western medicine the medical benefits can be extremely beneficial.
However, the approach to medicine in the West is much different than that in the East. Westernized medicine focuses on how to “cure” a virus through medication and vaccines, while Eastern medicine focuses on the patient and seeks to improve the individual’s overall wellbeing. The west focusing on a medicine driven approach while the east focuses on one’s immune system.
So, how do we move forward? It starts with awareness. We’ve seen through clinical studies that patients treated during the last pandemic (SARS) showed a significant reduction in the duration of symptoms when treated with both TCM and Western medicine. However, the lack of awareness is what hinders us from bridging the gap between the two practices. Americans traditionally rely on medication to manage and treat their chronic disease and pain rather than focusing on lifestyle habits that may put them more at risk. As a result, the American society has become comfortable with addressing symptoms rather than the root cause of an illness or ailment.
Incorporating TCM ideologies into Westernized medicine is easier than many may think. Much of Eastern medicine is focused on mind and body together – outlining how one can help improve someone’s overall wellbeing outside of prescription medicine. Some TCM suggested practices can be incorporated easily into one’s daily life. For example, addressing one’s state of mind is key to overall health and wellness. Many studies show the negative impact of fear and worry on the immune system. Those with a history of depression or anxiety are much more likely to get sick. For this reason, TCM focuses on a three-pillar system: mental, physical, and spiritual. It’s believed all of these contribute to one’s overall health.
Within the eastern practice, yoga, meditation, and Tai Chi are simple changes doctors suggest their patients make to help them achieve a more balanced self and stronger immunity. The same focus is on diet, hydration, and sleep. For example, within Eastern medicine, sugar is one of the main causes of inflammation, sluggishness, and immune system vulnerability. The knowledge and understanding of these immune compromising issues are the focus of the Eastern medicine approach, yet often overlooked within the Western practice. That is why it’s vital that Westernized medical professionals refer their patients to TCM focused practitioners. Seeing the body as a whole allows Eastern medical professionals to see the whole picture – treating the cause, not just the symptom.
As we continue to journey on the “fight against COVID-19” we as medical professionals must come together to help heal society. By referring each other and supporting different ideologies, we can create an overall healing system that will help society see it’s equally as important to treat the symptom as it is the root cause.
Dr Flora Luyando DACM, DiplOM, MSTOM, LAc, LMT Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner
Dr Darwin Deen, Board certified Family Physician, Nutritionist, faculty member at the City University School of Medicine
Dr. Flora Luyando DACM, DiplOM, LAc, LMT
903.213.5672