2. Combining Pathogen View with Body Response View

2. Combining Pathogen View with Body Response View

Western medicine focuses on the pathogenicity of pathogens and has achieved great success in this regard. Research on pathogenic microorganisms has led to the development of various antibiotics, which are highly effective against most infectious diseases. However, the sequelae caused by infection—such as deficiency of righteous qi, disharmony of qi and blood (including disorders of the autonomic nervous system, immune system, and metabolic system)—cannot be satisfactorily addressed by a purely pathogen-centered approach. Traditional Chinese medicine, on the other hand, emphasizes the body's responsiveness. The "Inner Canon" states, "When righteous qi resides within, evil cannot invade," and "Where evil gathers, qi must be deficient," laying the foundation for TCM's understanding of the body's response. Throughout history, TCM has used methods such as "supporting righteous qi and strengthening the root" and "activating blood circulation and removing stasis" to regulate the autonomic nervous system, metabolism, immune system, and other systems. Therefore, while antibiotics are more effective during the acute phase of infectious diseases, once the condition becomes chronic, TCM regulation is required. Let us take the treatment of osteomyelitis as an example to illustrate this point. During the acute phase of osteomyelitis, the pathogenic bacteria (and their toxins) directly affect the patient, resulting in local symptoms dominated by infection. In such cases, antibiotic treatment combined with TCM Qingre Jiedu and Huoxue Huayu therapies is appropriate. Once osteomyelitis transitions to the chronic phase, systemic infection symptoms subside, and the main clinical manifestations become local bone destruction, compensatory cortical hyperplasia, non-healing sinus tracts, and purulent discharge. At this stage, Western antibiotics are no longer necessary; instead, TCM Fuzheng Guben, Qutan Sanjie, and Huoxue Huayu therapies, adjusted as needed, can achieve excellent therapeutic results. Similarly, for acute pancreatitis, antibiotics combined with TCM Tongfu and Liqi therapies can be used; whereas for chronic pancreatitis, TCM Shugan Jianpi and Tongfu Liqi therapies alone are sufficient. Likewise, antibiotics work very well for acute bronchitis, while TCM regulation yields satisfactory results for chronic bronchitis. In clinical practice, there are still some diseases whose pathogens have not been identified by modern medicine, or whose pathogens have been identified but no effective drugs targeting them have yet been developed. For such diseases, TCM remains the most effective treatment, including viral hepatitis, nephritis, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, and connective tissue diseases. By regulating the body's response, TCM provides feedback on the true pathogen of these diseases, thereby achieving therapeutic goals to a certain extent.