Chinese Patient Culture Towards Pain

Question: Discuss about the Chinese Patient Culture Towards Pain. Answer: Introduction: Pain, basically, involves an unpleasant condition occurred physically due to some injury or an illness. Currently, it is verified that social, cultural and psychological aspects not only influence pain but may also disturb the management of patient having pain.Studies suggest that societal and cultural influences manipulate the attitudes towards the medication of pain or expectations towards other treatment processes. At times, such behavioral aspects may cause hurdle in effective pain treatment. So, medical professionals always need to address cultural beliefs and values while treating health related problems like pain as perceptions related to illness and their management vary across societies and cultures (Ping Malcolm, 2013). In Chinese culture, illness is thought to be an outcome of internal imbalances and pathogenic factors. It is considered that health can be maintained and ensured if there would be an internal as well as external harmony. Internal harmony is influenced by psychological and pathological factors whereas ecological factors influence external harmony.Based on internal and external harmony, yin and yang is a key health paradigm that explains the Chinese patient psychological and cultural aspects towards pain (Ping Malcolm, 2013). According to this conceptual framework, there is a mutual connection between these contrasting experiences. A healthy individual experiences balance in yin- yang whereas an imbalance in yin- yang takes place when one event is lacking behind while affecting the other. This is how Chinese culture categorizes pain and illness. An attack like cold causes yin energy to exceed which will act as a hindrance in yang energy causing energy impasse which will further trigge r physical distress and pains. Nowadays, for the management of pain, Traditional Chinese Medicine more concentrates on acupuncture other than pain killers or analgesic.It is widely documented that the treatment process has eased the pains of pregnancy, post surgery pains and toothaches etc with minimum possible side effects when compared to medications (China Culture Tour, 2015). The effectiveness of the treatment is also proved and well documented through scientific evidences. Due to less possible side effects, patients prefer to go for such treatment option other than medicines. Moreover, Traditional Chinese Medicine also offers herbal treatments to relieve pains (China Culture Tour, 2015). However, whatever the condition of the patient is going on and treatment is being considered, doctors and nurses need to be patient at one end while bearing the pain of the patient at the other. References Ping, H., Malcolm, H. (2013). Behaviours and Beliefs about Pain and Treatment among Chinese Immigrants and New Zealand Europeans. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 126 (1370). https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/read-the-journal/all-issues/2010-2019/2013/vol-126-no-1370/article-ho China Culture Tour. (2015). Traditional Chinese Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.chinaculturetour.com/culture/traditional-medicines.htm