It’s easy to directly compare Eastern and Western medicine, but is it entirely accurate?
We spoke with Dr. Rey Ximenes, a consulting physician at APC, medical director of Driftwood Recovery and named a 2023 Best Doctor by Austin Monthly, about the differences between Eastern and Western medicine.
“It’s a little unfair to just narrow it down to Eastern medicine and Western medicine,” he explains. “Because it doesn’t really tell the whole story.”
Instead, he better refers to what we think of as Eastern medicine as traditional medicine and Western medicine as allopathic medicine, explaining that while we assume healing herbs like echinacea and mullein come from Eastern medicine, they actually is done in traditional medicine.
Of course it’s easier to compartmentalize to better understand the two modes, but if we’re going to do that it’s better to use the more precise terms he mentioned.
Learn about allopathic medicine
Western medicine, also known as allopathic medicine, represents the dominant medical approach in Western society and relies heavily on pharmaceutical intervention, surgery, and evidence-based practice.
While Western medicine has revolutionized health care with its technological advances, it is only one aspect of the broader traditional medicine.
Learn about traditional medicine
Traditional medicine, often called Eastern medicine and sometimes alternative medicine, covers a wide range of practices from different cultures.
For example, while traditional Chinese medicine is often associated with Eastern medicine, it’s worth noting that traditional Native American medicine also contributes to this rich tapestry—not particularly “Oriental,” but definitely a medical tapestry traditional components.
Traditional medicine utilizes different herbal therapies and wellness protocols that are rooted in different cultural practices, such as the use of plants, roots, dry needling, cupping, and other more holistic approaches to address pain or illness.
Related: How to use Eastern medicine to control pain?
Traditional Medicine and Pain Management at APC
In the field of pain management, traditional medical principles can complement traditional treatment methods. Western medicine offers interventions such as nerve blocks and medications, while traditional medicine emphasizes a holistic approach that considers the impact of diet, exercise and mental health on pain levels.
By combining traditional and Western methods, patients can experience better pain relief and improved overall health.
“It’s important to know that allopathic medicine has been around for hundreds of years and conventional medicine has been around for thousands of years,” Dr. Jimenez tells us. “There’s a lot of wisdom in it, and while some of it is common sense, your body evolved with a lot of different herbs and substances and nutrients; we really didn’t have a chance to evolve with drugs.
Examples of traditional medical treatments
One of the fundamental principles of traditional medicine and what he studies at APC is how individuals eat, move and think, and how these factors impact their health and pain care journey.
He finds it interesting to observe how our cultural norms often lead people to seek pharmaceutical solutions as the primary option, and how our society is so ingrained in the belief that medication is the only thing that holds the key to healing that the importance of addressing other aspects is often overlooked. happiness!
While allopathic medicine is incredibly necessary and necessary, the essence of holistic medicine is to address the root of the problem using the simplest of interventions first, incorporating nutrition, exercise, mindset, and overall lifestyle choices so that symptoms are not just Get relief temporarily, but forever.
But first, he found himself meeting with patients who had exhausted their Western medicine options, supporting them in integrating traditional medicine practices for a more holistic approach to managing their pain.
Related: Mental health, chronic pain, and the power of hope in pain management
Here are some examples of traditional medical tools mentioned by Dr. Ximenes…
Mullein: A plant that supports lung conditions such as asthma
turmeric: Plants that suppress inflammation
Ear acupuncture + dry needling/myofascial release: For overall pain management
Cupping: Used to relax muscles
“For the most part,[when patients come to see me]I just give them advice. Our culture is very interesting. A lot of times, people don’t think about what they’re eating, how they’re moving, or what they’re thinking What, then they wonder why the medication isn’t working.
If you are truly holistic, that includes the use of medications because medications are part of the whole.
Dr. Ximenes’ Career Path: Why Pain Management?
“When I went to medical school, I did a residency in internal medicine and anesthesiology and then worked in the operating room for a while. After a while, I got tired of hospital politics, so I moved to outpatient medicine.
When I was in the clinic, there were a lot of doctors, and they complained that there weren’t many pain management staff. I said, “Okay, I can do that,” and eventually, I became a pain manager.
I realized you can’t keep shooting people with steroids, so I started looking for more tools and learning more about acupuncture, nutrition, and herbal medicine.
Eventually, Dr. Ximenes became Board Certified in Acupuncture, served as President of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture for several years, and eventually became Board Certified in Addictionology and Naturopathic Medicine, which ultimately led him to work in Pain Relief Institute of America and Driftwood Rehabilitation.
Dr. Ximines’ work on driftwood recycling
“At Driftwood, we are taking people in and trying to keep them away from chemicals through additives. We look at what they eat and try to clean it up, get them into exercise programs and have a large cognitive behavioral therapy staff, and we will Observe what that person is thinking.
Our success rate in drug addiction recovery at Driftwood is extremely high because we realize that addiction has nothing to do with drugs. Addiction is about how you approach life. It might not even be a drug; it might be a behavior, like gambling or shopping.
At Driftwood, their main job is to get through life through coping skills. Ultimately, it has a lot to do with conventional versus allopathic medicine:
Show people how strong their body is and, with the right tools, it has the immense ability to heal itself by adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking into consideration the entire body.
— and know that at APC, the pain stops there.
