Question
The child has a fever, diagnosed by traditional Chinese medicine as food retention, requiring gastrointestinal cleansing. Last night, the body temperature reached 38.8 degrees Celsius, and after hospital examination, blood tests confirmed a viral infection. The child’s discomfort has persisted for about a month, and the parents are deeply worried. They began taking Chinese medicine at noon yesterday and now want to know if it can be taken at the same time as Western medicine (antiviral and antipyretic drugs)?
Answer
Chinese medicine should not be taken simultaneously with Western medicine. Although Chinese and Western medicines can complement each other in treating diseases, the timing of medication should be separated; it is not advisable to take Western medicine with Chinese medicine or to take both at the same time. It is recommended that there be at least a 30-minute interval between taking the two. Since the pharmacological effects of Chinese medicine, especially in compound formulas, are not entirely clear due to the chemical reactions produced during decoction, they are not as well-studied as the processes and principles of Western medicine, which have been tested through animal experiments or clinical trials. However, Chinese medicine does have therapeutic effects, so it is often used in combination with Western medicine in clinical practice.