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Integrated Medicine/Partners
What do we mean by “integrated medicine?” Who do we work with?
At Chicken Soup Chinese Medicine, a large portion of our clientele are living with complex health conditions that often require careful monitoring, if not ongoing treatment, from a western perspective as well as Chinese medical diagnosis and treatment. We are profoundly aware of the power of Chinese traditional medicine and what it can offer to our clients; we are likewise aware of what western diagnostics and treatment can offer and are happy for our clients to benefit from both. At Chicken Soup, we believe in an integrated East/West medical approach: not only do we want to know how your western treatments are going, we want to make sure that our treatment plans support and facilitate the healthcare decisions you are making with other providers. Depending upon our relationship with your western medical providers, we may be in frequent contact with them to ensure that we are working together optimally for your best health outcomes. We also want to be sure to make appropriate referrals where needed.
What does this mean to you as our client? Mostly, it means you don’t have to constantly juggle approaches, educating yourself in two (or more) medical systems so that you can get what you need out of each kind of practitioner. We help you understand how our care will work in and around your western care, so that you can put these different puzzle pieces together for yourself to best effect. We are also well versed in such issues as drug-herb interaction, so that our clients can feel secure in their healthcare when they combine western and eastern remedies.
The level of co-management of different illnesses will vary for clients with different needs. Here are some examples of how Chicken Soup integrates its own approach with western care:
For clients who… |
Our focus is to… |
Co-management means we… |
Have Hepatitis C and are about to undergo Interferon therapy |
Prepare your body beforehand to support strong blood counts, minimize inflammation, and support liver function Work with you during Interferon to minimize adverse effects such as decreased blood counts, fatigue, body aches, etc. |
Ask questions to ensure you are getting optimal care from your western medical providers, and make referrals where appropriate Along with your western case managers, monitor changes to your baseline blood counts especially in the first 4-6 weeks of Interferon so that we can adapt your herbal formulas for optimal red and white blood cell and platelets counts Know which herbs and supplements not to use in conjunction with Interferon and ribavirin as well as those you should be using to optimize your quality of life while on treatment |
Have HCV and do not plan to undergo Interferon currently |
Support liver function Mitigate inflammatory processes associated with HCV Mitigate symptoms of the disease such as fatigue and body aches |
Work with your western providers to use western labwork to monitor the progress of the disease Make referrals when appropriate (e.g. progress of the disease indicates a need to re-consider Interferon, or to monitor for possible sequelae of the disease) |
Have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy or other western care options |
Minimize adverse effects of chemotherapy such as fatigue, nausea, aches and pains, low blood counts Prepare your body for surgery and manage pain, support proper recovery afterward |
Schedule acupuncture at optimal times around your western therapies for best impact on your symptoms Recommend herbal strategies that will be supportive and safe in conjunction with your western therapies |
Have cancer or had cancer and are not undergoing western care options |
Support the proper function of the body’s immune system from a Chinese medical perspective Maximize your overall physiological balance from a Chinese medical perspective Support your Spirit (called “Shen” in Chinese medicine) |
Work with your western providers to monitor your stage of health/disease Make referrals for second opinions or support resources where appropriate |
Reproductive Health |
Understand your goals and work to help you attain them Optimize your health from a Chinese medical perspective |
Work with your western providers to monitor your stage of health/disease Make referrals for second opinions or support resources where appropriate |
Fertility Support |
Understand your goals and work to help you attain them Optimize your health from a Chinese medical perspective Support natural fertility |
Recommend herbal strategies that will be supportive and safe in conjunction with your western therapies If you are using ART, schedule acupuncture around your ART procedure to facilitate optimal outcomes |
Who are our partners?
First of all, our partner is you – the client. We’re not here to “fix” you – we’re here to support you on your journey to better health. If you’re up for it, so are we.
Second, we also partner with your western providers where appropriate:
- For our clients living with Hepatitis C, we work especially closely with the Board-certified hepatologists at California Pacific Medical Center (link to their page). We have extensive experience collaborating with other hepatologists and gastroenterologists and primary care providers as well.
- For our clients with gynecological or reproductive health issues. We have worked with physicians at UCSF Women’s Health, Bayspring Women’s Health Group and a number of individual gynecologists.
- For all of our clients, we are more than happy to collaborate with their western and other healthcare providers. We stress the importance of sharing labwork and treatment plans with our partners so that everyone is on the same page, working for the best support of our clients.
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