Western Medicine and Eastern Medicine have very different approaches.

Western Medicine approach focuses on the symptoms in a particular area of your body. Pharmaceutical drugs are often prescribed to control the level of pain or certain values chemically quickly and drastically which can cause side effects. Surgery may be used to change the physical structure leaving scar tissues. It is more for quick fix for acute conditions.

Eastern Medicine approach looks at the whole picture based on the theories passed down for centuries. Actually, 4,000 years. Natural herbs may be used in the treatment and no pharmaceutical drugs are involved. Eastern Medicine is more for chronic and preventive measures to gradually build a foundation of your health or returning to the optimal health by promoting your own healing ability. It is a gentler approach without side effects but it will most likely take longer to achieve the desired results.

In Western medicine, stationary state is homeostasis but in Eastern medicine, constant movement to bring balance is the way to achieve homeostasis.

Using the Yin and Yang concept, we need both depending on the needs. Sometimes you need emergency treatment for acute conditions using Western Medicine. Other times Eastern Medicine approach is preferred. They can co-exist in such a way that you build a strong foundation with Eastern Medicine so when Western Medicine is needed for emergency, your body is ready to absorb the drugs better and there will be less considerations for possible complications.

As you equip yourself with knowedge of different approaches, you can make a better informed decision that's best for your body.

This concludes the chapter on Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang principle can be applied to anything that has two sides or that can be paired. You may start looking at things and people differently such as Excess Pattern and Deficiency Pattern but it's just a snapshot of the given moment. Everything is temporary and it can change any time.

6. Western Medicine and Eastern Medicine