“My Dream is to Bring Together Chinese and Western Medicine”: Why Chinese Medicine is Making its Way into Estonian Healthcare

Why Chinese Medicine is Making its Way into Estonian Healthcare

Abstract

In recent years, Chinese medicine has become a popular therapeutical practice in Estonia. This is not surprising from the perspective of users as different health-related, lifestyle and well-being teachings have found many adherents after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, what is intriguing is the fact that Chinese medicine is gaining increasing attention by healthcare professionals too. In the Estonian context, Chinese medicine is regarded as an alternative medicine from the point of view of biomedicine and the state. Due to historical reasons and the post Soviet context, alternative medicines are usually stigmatised by biomedical practitioners. Regardless of the explicit tensions between biomedicine and alternative medicines, Chinese medicine seems to enjoy higher acceptance than some other alternative medicines. Hence, the current situation, which can be described as a change of position regarding Chinese medicine in the Estonian health landscape, is relatively extraordinary. In this paper, I argue for three reasons why the position of Chinese medicine is currently changing. Firstly, the positive reception of Chinese medicine can be regarded as a favour from the state that has implemented regulations on acupuncture. Secondly, the reasons can be found in the current health policy and in the challenges that the Estonian healthcare system is facing. Thirdly, it is the mainstreaming process of New Age spirituality in Estonia and the way it changes the perception of the body that helps Chinese medicine to find its way into Estonian healthcare. The article is based on almost two years of ethnographic fieldwork in Estonia.