Homeopathic Cures and Chinese Medicine

Question

I had ACL surgery last year on my knee and I am currently suffering from great pain all over my body. I have done a lot of teshuvah and tefillah as a result, and have also pursued significant physical therapy and medical hishtadlus to get rid of these pains. At this point, I am thinking that maybe I should just accept this pain as a Divine decree and forget about doing more hishtadlus. Alternatively, I was thinking about doing a homeopathic treatment or trying Chinese medicine. Does the rov recommend this course of action?

Rav Dovid Cohen 

As far as your first shailah, there is no question that you should pursue teshuvah to correct any transgressions that could be associated with bringing these yissurim and daven to Hashem for them to go away. However, this does not preclude medical intervention, and you should definitely pursue other viable hishtadlus to help you get over this pain. I am sure that this pain interrupts many things that you do, and there is no mitzvah to suffer if you can relieve yourself of pain. Only after one has done all of the proper medical hishtadlus and has not seen results should he “give up” and accept these pains as yissurim shel ahavah.

However, as far as your question about whether homeopathic medicine is a viable hishtadlus, I believe that not only is it an ineffective hishtadlus, but it is a complete waste of time and money, and it may also involve other serious transgressions. This is not included in the realm of hishtadlus and I advise you to keep far away from it.

As far as Chinese medicine, I know nothing about it and therefore cannot advise you on this. May you have a speedy recovery besoch she’ar cholei Yisroel.