Herbal Medicine and AcupunctureIn western terms, many old Chinese medical practices are considered alternative forms medicine. This term means that it is alternative to the establishment of Western science, even though it might be a time-tested system of curing people. Many of the herbal medicines used by the Chinese have a very similar composition to the Western medicines used today, but many of the Chinese remedies were discovered for well over 1000 years ago.There are many similar examples of herbal medicines that contain chemicals that are known to modern science. The Chinese herbalists developed these medicines over years of trial and error. If someone was sick, they would try their hand at finding a cure. If that person survived, the medicine was deemed a success. By these means, a large base of knowledge has been built. In many parts of the world, the herbal medicine is used alongside the western-style treatments or are being used with the supervision of doctors. Another form of the Chinese medicine is acupuncture. Acupuncture is the treatment of illnesses by strategically placing neddles in a person's body. At first, western medicine was skeptical of acupuncture's benefits. Acupuncture is said to influence the way the body acts to internal forces. It is likened to a form of Feng Shui of the body. Acupuncture can be used in the place of anesthetics, but is not a common use in the West.
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