Column Differences Between Western and Eastern Medicine in Relation to Low Back Pain
September 13, 2024
Back pain is one of the most common subjective symptoms.
There are various ways of approaching and dealing with back pain. In this article, we will discuss the differences between Western and Oriental medicine.
Western Medicine vs. Oriental Medicine
What is Western medicine?
Western medicine is also known as modern medicine. It analyzes the patient’s condition scientifically, locally, and rationally, then treats it accordingly to eliminate the lesions or underlying causes that are at the origin of the symptoms. It reaches a diagnosis by conducting a medical interview and physical examination, and by also making full use of data from blood tests, X-rays, MRI scans, etc., before directly targeting the afflicted areas with medications or surgery.
Currently, Western medicine is the predominant medicine in many countries around the world.
Western medicine has a long history and has evolved over time. Until the Middle Ages, the main idea was that disease was a gift from God, so it was not proactively treated. After the Renaissance period (14th to 16th centuries), human anatomy began to be actively practiced, and Western medicine rapidly developed as a result. Today, state-of-the-art medical equipment is used to examine and treat patients.
What is Oriental medicine?
Oriental medicine is also known as Chinese medicine or herbal medicine. It uses the four examinations in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) (inspection, auscultation-olfaction, inquiry, and palpation (or pulse diagnosis)) to determine the patient’s condition and diagnose the current state of the patient. The state in which the patient’s self-healing powers are in balance with the seasons, stress, and living environment is considered “healthy,” while a state in which this balance has been disturbed is considered “sick”; therefore, the approach is to restore the balance that was originally achieved by using treatment methods that are tailored to the state of the body.
Oriental medicine originated in ancient China and has a history of approximately 2,000 years. It was introduced to Japan around the 7th century and was the prevalent medicine there for many years.
Differences between Western and Oriental Medicine
Western medicine and Oriental medicine differ significantly in their respective strengths.
Western medicine diagnoses diseases by checking a patient’s symptoms, clinical progress, and vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, etc.) during a medical examination, as well as by synthesizing the results of various tests. Once the causative agent of the condition has been identified, treatment is then tailored accordingly. Eliminating the cause of the ailment with scientific evidence is the strong point of Western medicine.
Oriental medicine, on the other hand, determines how the patient’s condition is out of balance from a healthy state and provides treatment to restore the body to its healthy state. Because it takes a holistic approach to the body, Oriental medicine may be effective in treating conditions that have no apparent cause.
How Western medicine and Oriental medicine view back pain
Western medicine categorizes back pain as “ disc herniation,” “spinal canal stenosis,” “spondylolisthesis,” or “intervertebral arthropathy,” and focuses its approach on the lower back. The treatment is designed to remove the pathology that is causing the back pain.
In Oriental medicine, the whole body, and not just the lower back, is examined to determine what condition is causing the lower back pain. This “whole body” approach includes not only muscles and joints, but also internal organs as well as the mental state of the patient. Back disorders are approached at a fundamental level from the inside out. Oriental medicine also has a preemptive aspect to back pain, so prevention after treatment is also a part of this approach.
Treatment at our clinic
Our clinic offers a treatment method that eliminates all causes of back pain by assessing back pain from various perspectives, and combining the most advanced treatment methods of Western medicine with Eastern medicine approaches.
Our advanced back pain treatments (Cellgel, Florence Methods, and Q-Florence Methods) are minimally invasive treatments that place minimal strain on the body, and are performed under local anesthesia. No hospitalization is required, and the procedure can be performed as an ambulatory treatment.
The Q-Florence Method (in Japanese)
ILC Clinic also offers “back pain-specific rehabilitation,” which incorporates Oriental and Ayurvedic medicine approaches at the OJ Wellness Center, and is affiliated with ILC Clinic, to treat various types of back pain and a wide age range of back pain.
ILC’s specialized back pain rehabilitation
If you are suffering from back pain, please consider a consultation at our clinics.
