Is Chinese Medicine Science or Spirituality?

I have always been sensitive to social labels, probably because I have often found myself on

the margins in many areas, such as choosing to practice Chinese medicine, a profession that, in many places, despite dozens of studies proving otherwise, is still considered spiritual. I still associate the word spiritual with something pejorative, as if it belongs only to naïve, stoned hippies.

But this is only a social label.

To me, spirit is synonymous with intellectuality, thought, and influence. As long as a spiritual person does not blindly follow their beliefs, preserves a sense of doubt, and never stops asking questions, they ensure themselves a life guided by thought and personal choice, with the fullest expression of the self. In other words, they move away from labels.

How Yin Yang Shaped My Career and Life Choices

My spiritual stages have changed throughout the years. The choice to study Chinese medicine was spiritual as it came from learning about the Yin Yang philosophy. This theory explains our universe in the simplest way. It filled in the western ideas I grew up on, that sometimes had too many empty spaces.

Later, TCM school was the thing that brought me closer to science and western ideas and took me away from the spirit. And spending months in the very medical approach of a Chinese hospital brought me closer to the philosophy and spirit again. Until reaching the point where I could merge both my love of Chinese medicine and science, they don't have to contradict each other, they can and should complete each other. I realized that sometimes we need labels to understand things and that some labels can make people understand me better. 

A philosophy determined my life and career. Maybe that's why my work is first a way of life, and only then a profession. What I love about the Chinese medicine philosophy is the simplicity and that it can almost always apply to any human social development. What it sometimes lacks is the microscopic precision of Western medicine.

I also love science and rely on that a lot, but the black and white approach maybe fit the majority but it cannot fit all, so what about the other people that doesn't fit the statistics? 

This is probably why we see more and more studies discussing multidisciplinary approaches, mainly for women's health. This is why complementary medicine fits more than alternative medicine.

Thousands of Years of Clinical Experience

The foundations of Chinese medicine were shaped by the philosophy of the Dao and the practical observation of nature. This foundation, written more than two thousand years ago in the Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), is the foundational text of Chinese medicine. Although its principles were written more than two thousand years ago, they have proven remarkably adaptable to a changing world. The text is written as a dialogue between the Yellow Emperor and his physician, Qibo: the emperor asks questions, and Qibo answers them.

Chinese medicine did not develop overnight. For more than two thousand years, physicians observed, recorded, questioned, and refined their understanding of the human body. Every herb described in the classical texts and every famous herbal formula is the product of generations of accumulated clinical experience. Chinese physicians also developed variolation against smallpox centuries before modern vaccination, making an important contribution to the history of immunization.

These observations were not conducted according to today's scientific standards, nor should we pretend they were. But thousands of years of documented clinical experience are difficult to dismiss. Rather than rejecting them because they come from a different medical tradition, I believe they deserve to be examined with the scientific tools we have today.

Acupuncture has followed a different path. It has become one of the most extensively researched therapies in complementary medicine. Modern research has consistently demonstrated meaningful clinical benefits, particularly for chronic pain, and continues to reveal its potential in many other areas of medicine.

Is It Really "Just Placebo"?

Yet despite this, acupuncture is still often dismissed as "just placebo”. The word placebo has almost become an insult, as if it means "it doesn't really work". But medicine no longer sees it that way. Placebo is one of the most fascinating phenomena in medicine. It describes the body's remarkable ability to regulate stress and influence physiological processes.

So if helping the body activate its natural ability to heal means being labeled "placebo," then I'll wear that label with pride! 

Question It, Don't Dismiss It

The evidence is easy to find, and the Evidence Based Acupuncture website is one good place to start. And although research is essential for gaining recognition in today's world, it also has its limitations. Most studies compare the same treatment across groups of people.

But the strength of Chinese medicine lies in its individuality. We do not treat the disease; we treat the person. The goal is to support the body's internal environment and restore balance.

There is a Chinese saying: "Same disease, different treatment. Different diseases, same treatment." Two people with headaches may receive completely different treatments, while a person with a headache and another with digestive problems may receive exactly the same treatment.

And yet acupuncture continues to show meaningful results even when studied through this standardized approach. So what would the results look like if Chinese medicine were studied according to its own principles of individualized treatment?

The basic principle of Chinese philosophy - and of Chinese medicine - is the pursuit of balance. It embraces both spirit and matter, without asking us to choose between them.

I have never accepted anything in the Chinese classics at face value, and I have never stopped asking questions. So yes, let's stay skeptical. But let's not dismiss something simply because it challenges what we think we already know.

There are too many worlds we might miss 💛

Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. If you are experiencing persistent or concerning symptoms, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.