China Health Guide: Can TCM Be Better Than Western Medicine?

Many Westerners think that Western medicine trumps Chinese medicine any day of the week. But sometimes, even practitioners of Western medicine, like Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) Family Medicine Physician Dr. Lijun Liang, will prescribe traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remedies instead of Western ones. 

While you're living in China and TCM is readily available to you, you may wish to give TCM remedies a go. “The TCM stuff we have can be pretty special,” says Dr. Liang. “For instance, there’s the treatment for hemorrhoids. In the States, people would use anti-inflammatory creams or suppositories but, in China, we have an herb-based hemorrhoid cream called Musk. It works so well that it’s becoming more popular worldwide. I’ve even seen articles about it in English because it works so well. It’s anti-inflammatory, but it’s all herb-based. There are no chemicals like there are in Western creams, but it can offer equal, or sometimes better, results,” she says. 

Musk certainly stands out in terms of herbal treatments that may surpass chemical-based ones but if you prefer to go down the herbal route, there are also other alternatives to the medicines you may be used to. “As far as other TCM medications go, we do have things like cold formulations and patches for joints,” says Dr. Liang. “So, if patients don’t have a specific brand they like at home, we can offer these TCM alternatives. Even for hormone replacement for women going through menopause – in the West, women usually take hormone replacements, which, of course, have a certain risk and certain side effects. So, if women are concerned about that, then we have an herb-based alternative. It’s actually made in Germany, but it’s all natural and herb-based. Patients tell us that it works pretty well to relieve symptoms like hot flashes,” she says.

Dr. Lijun Liang is an American Family Medicine physician at Beijing United Family Hospital. She speaks English and Mandarin. To make an appointment with her, please call the BJU Service Center at 4008-919191.

• Want to learn how TCM can help you through your pregnancy? Read Dr. Lang's tips about using traditional Chinese practices to ensure a smooth pregnancy.

• Think TCM is old news? Check out our article about some new medical technology: robotic surgery.

• Chinese medicine may be great, but Chinese pollution? Not so much. Learn what it might be doing to your body and what you can do about it here.