Ben Cao GanG Mu - NUSS
Ben Cao GanG Mu - NUSS
Ben Cao GanG Mu - NUSS
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Indeed, where herbal medication is concerned, there<br />
are numerous factors which affects the effectiveness<br />
of the medicine. For one, the authenticity of the herb’s<br />
signature impacts the effectiveness of the treatment. Other<br />
environmental factors that the herbs are subjected to during<br />
its growth might also potentially have negative or reinforcing<br />
impact on its overall effectiveness. Despite the criticism,<br />
research in the area is not advancing sufficiently to ward<br />
off detractors because of the high costs and specialised<br />
expertise required.<br />
Of course, herbal medicine is not totally without its<br />
contribution to the medical industry. For instance, the<br />
Chinese Wormwood is now used globally to treat malaria<br />
and Chinese Ephedra has been attributed to the discovery of<br />
treatments for asthma and Hay Fever.<br />
Contrary to herbal medicines, acupuncture drew much<br />
research interest. One area where acupuncture is deemed<br />
to be convincingly effective is in the treatment of nausea<br />
and seasickness. Increasingly, there are seasick armbands<br />
available in the market that works by essentially pressing<br />
on an acupuncture point on the wrist. Scientific and<br />
anecdotal evidence have shown that this is effective in<br />
preventing nausea.<br />
A 2008 study also suggested that combining<br />
acupuncture with conventional infertility treatments<br />
such as IVF greatly improves the success rates of<br />
such medical interventions. In a recent report, The<br />
World Health Organisation has also issued favourable<br />
observations on acupuncture in the areas of “adult<br />
postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting<br />
and in postoperative dental pain”.<br />
Beyond these, however, the rest of the research results<br />
are more often than not controversial. In Edzard Ernst’s<br />
words, Professor of Complementary Medicine in the<br />
United Kingdom, “research in the area is growing<br />
but emerging clinical evidence seems to imply that<br />
acupuncture is effective for some but not all conditions.”<br />
Most chronic ailments, for example, such as back-pain,<br />
neck-pain and headache, have conflicting anecdotal<br />
evidence with acupuncture.<br />
Given the ongoing debate surrounding TCM and its<br />
continued rise in popularity, medical practitioners are<br />
cautious in using TCM as the sole treatment method.<br />
Rather, TCM is often recommended as a means to<br />
strengthen health and as a complementary form of<br />
medicine to conventional treatment.<br />
TCM – Is it Safe?<br />
Even then, patients who are contemplating to seek TCM<br />
as a treatment to should be wary of some of the potential<br />
safety issues.<br />
inside<br />
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