A new study which was recently reported about in the Wall Street Journal (Link Here) concludes that not all patients are being adequately informed about their options for surgery. The study looked at a large number of patients that were candidates for either prostate surgery or stents related to coronary artery disease. The difference in patient education between these two groups were staggering. Only 10% of the patients receiving stents could recall any discussion of alternatives to the surgical procedure, while 64% of the prostate surgery patients recalled being presented with options.

While this study only examined the rates regarding two specific procedures, I think it is reasonable to extrapolate the results to the majority of surgeries and ask whether or not patients are being fully informed as to their options.

So how does this relate to Chinese medicine? Well, Chinese medicine is capable of treating a wide variety of conditions quiet successfully, in some cases, it may even present a viable alternative to surgery.

One example of this that lies very close to home is the story of my dad. My dad has torn the meniscus of both of his knees. (Separately) One side was repaired surgically, while the other was treated with acupuncture. Both knees are functioning well today as a result of the treatments that he has received. While this story may not inspire the talk of miracles, I think it is an excellent example of how effective Chinese medicine can be.