Does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Work?
While some practices from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have shown some benefit in symptom relief for a variety of conditions, much of the evidence for the popular practice’s effectiveness is inconclusive, the NIH says. Even studies that show concrete benefits describe improvements on the margins – a shorter-duration cough, a less-runny nose. And these improvements can’t be ascribed wholly to TCM practices; most studies show only a positive correlation.
TCM, in general, is certainly important for symptom relief in the patients who experience positive effects from Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and other practices. When it comes to attacking the organism that causes disease, however, no evidence exists that any combination of herbs will cure COVID-19, or even lessen symptoms.
One paper submitted to the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine this year was speculative about the ability of TCM to prevent or treat COVID-19. The paper was based on other TCM studies from the 2003 SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak and studies of its effectiveness against H1N1 influenza.
A different analysis – one not using so many Chinese government data sources – of 90 different studies of the SARS epidemic showed some symptom relief on the margins for SARS patients who used TCM as an add-on to evidence-based protocols. These results were inconclusive, however.
“Positive effects using … herbal therapy included better control of fever, quicker clearance of chest infection, lesser consumption of steroids and other symptom relief,” states the paper in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine. “In a few reports, some evidence of immunological (boosting) was also found. More caution is required on the allegation about the efficacy of herbal medicine for the treatment or prevention of viral infection affecting the respiratory tract.”
Read More: https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=228775
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