Tested by time

Ancient treatments can prove more beneficial than conventional medicine, says Chinese doctor

Like most of us, you probably reach for vitamins, over-the-counter drugs, or antibiotics when you are under the weather. But more and more Abu Dhabi residents are paying good money to be poked with sharp needles and forced to drink the bitterest concoctions.

Dr Cheng Xin of Al-Rahma Herbal Center on Hamdan Street, Abu Dhabi, says it's because he can cure some diseases conventional medicine cannot. "Chinese medicine is on the rise. We are seeing an increase in patients, especially UAE nationals, Europeans, and Americans. They come here for diseases they haven't been able to cure with Western treatments and they leave us very happy," Dr Cheng said.

He explained that Western medicine is highly effective for certain illnesses while Chinese medicine is better at others. "For immune diseases, viruses, blood problems, and internal diseases, our approach is better. But if you have a car accident, don't come to us."

Legendary

According to legend, Shen Nung, the father of Chinese agriculture, sampled countless plants and herbs to determine their effects on the body. In the 5,000 years since, Chinese medicine has steadily advanced, reaching impressive heights.

Chinese therapists kept clinical records and case histories as early as 200 BC and researched anatomy through dissection and exploratory surgery in the 1700s. The famed physician Hua Tou is said to have performed brain surgery over 800 years ago.

"The main difference is in the philosophy," says Dr Wu Dhua, head physician at the clinic. "In our view, health depends on the entire body. The body is a whole, not a collection of separate parts."

Wu explained that Chinese philosophers and physicians believe there is a harmonious balance in the universe as well as in the human body.

"By balancing life energies, called yin and yang, one can achieve the harmony in the body which we call health. But while the oriental approach is rooted in ancient philosophy, traditional Chinese medicine is keeping up with the times.

"Some Western doctors oppose us because they think we don't use advanced machines and modern facilities," Wu complained. He said these days Chinese physicians are taking on Western technology and terminology while adhering to time-tested remedies.

Sceptical

Dr Ziad Al-Awir, rheumatologist and physiotherapist at Al-Salama Hospital in Abu Dhabi, is sceptical. "Some patients may have tried normal medicine or physiotherapy with no results, so they try something different. It would be better for them to do a complete investigation to understand their problem 100 per cent."

He admits that acupuncture and other treatments may have some effect. "For migraines and other problems involving pain, acupuncture may give some relief, but this requires many, many sessions."

Al-Awir insists conventional treatments like arthroscopic surgery are better than acupuncture. Still, the traditional Chinese approach to health has won die-hard devotees.

Kaneez Jaffer, a human resources officer from London, UK, swears by the treatments. "I suffered with eczema for 12 years. It was behind all my joints, my arms, legs, and hands."

She said she tried all the conventional treatments for the skin ailment, including steroid creams and pills but to no avail.

"I tried the Chinese doctor. He gave me some skin cream and herbs, which I had to boil in water and drink thrice a day. It tasted awful."

She endured the treatment for the full eight-month course and says she's pleased with the results. "I felt like the eczema was taken off from the root, like the treatment got rid of the cause. It was a real success."

While proud of results like these, Cheng stressed that different approaches complement one another, saying. "No one person or group can understand everything. Western and Chinese doctors should work together. They should co-operate, not oppose one another."