The main difference between Eastern and Western medicine is the concept of qi (bio or life energy). It is at the center of Eastern teachings, yet is completely absent in Western practices.
However, the only way to really see all the differences between the two is to compare Eastern medicine vs. Western medicine side by side. The main differences between the two are:
Eastern Medicine
- Health is a balance between mind, body, and spirit.
- Being unhealthy is an imbalance or disharmony of the natural body energy (qi).
- Symptoms are the body's way of showing that it is healing.
- The cause of an illness is any action that will cause disharmony of the qi.
- The patient's responsibility is to prevent illness and live a healthy, harmonious lifestyle.
- The role of the doctor is as an assistant, to help people stay well instead of fixing them once they become ill.
- The goal of treatment is to restore balance through lifestyle changes and other natural means.
- The main strength of Eastern medicine is that it focuses on prevention and management of chronic illness, and the recognition of the importance of lifestyle and the mind/body connection.
Western Medicine
- Health is the absence of pain, symptoms, and physical or mental defects.
- Being unhealthy means there is a defect of the bodily structure with a cause and symptoms.
- Symptoms are a sign of illness and must be eliminated or suppressed.
- The cause of an illness is a foreign pathogen or force from outside the body.
- Personal lifestyle and living conditions don't play as much of a role, as more of an emphasis is put on healing vs. staying well.
- The role of the physician is that of a mechanic, to fix what is broken and find things that are wrong.
- The goal of treatment is to suppress symptoms, usually through drugs or surgery.
- The main strength of Western medicine is that it is able to treat structural trauma and defects, as well as address life-threatening illnesses that require medical or surgical intervention.
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