Patient's question:
My son has a fever. According to traditional Chinese medicine, it's due to food stagnation, and his intestines need to be cleaned. Last night, his fever reached 38.8°C. I took him to the hospital, where a blood test revealed a viral infection. He hasn't felt well for about a month, and I'm very worried. The traditional Chinese medicine was prescribed yesterday afternoon. I'm unsure if it can be taken together with Western medicine (antiviral and fever-reducing medication).Doctor's answer:
Traditional Chinese medicine should not be taken with Western medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine can complement each other to treat diseases, but the timing of medication should be noted. It is not advisable to use traditional Chinese medicine to administer Western medicine or to take them together. The medication time should be separated by about half an hour.Since traditional Chinese medicine, especially compound formulas, involves the interaction of various herbs after decoction, the chemical reactions that occur can lead to unclear pharmacological effects. Unlike Western medicine, whose mechanisms and principles are tested through animal or clinical experiments, traditional Chinese medicine is proven to be effective. Therefore, it is common to combine traditional Chinese medicine with oral Western medicine as a complementary treatment.
However, if traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine are taken together, their interactions and resulting chemical reactions may be unclear, affecting their efficacy. It is recommended to have a time interval of more than half an hour between taking traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine to ensure the desired therapeutic effect.