If a person doesn’t want to take medication forever, can Eastern medical treatments be an alternative?
Yes of course, and that's what common sense usually suggests, but there are few implications in your question.
The 1st : Does Eastern medicine create dependencies as Western medicine? Yes.
The 2nd : Does Eastern medicine work better that Western medicine? It depends.
I think it's pretty common for an individual to look for alternatives if the long-term medication has dependencies or side-effects that they are no longer able to accept, but that apply to any medication (East or West).
For example, so called dietary supplements often do more harm than good, though they may be labeled as natural supplements somehow implying they're safe. But they can still create a dependency which is not-natural. [1]
Another example: painkillers are available everywhere in most countries (eg. Paracetamol, and Ibuprofen) and they may provide some relief in the short term. However, this dependency may do more harm then good in the long-term, here is why. First because the underlying cause may get worse with time. That's because the medicine gives the individual a false sense of confidence that everything is under control so they don't change any variables in the equation (eg. diet, lifestyle) , and second because in the long-term their side effects may create even bigger problems.
Painkillers inhibit the pain, but they don't address the root cause of it. [2]
The main advantage of Eastern (Natural medicine) vs Western (Modern medicine) is that Natural medicine treat each individual holistically by trying to understand the root cause of the problem, not simply managing symptoms. And of course, nothing is bullet proof in this world either sides. So, you get fake medicines and diagnosis from Modern medicine, as well as fake treatments from Natural medicine. [4]
According to the World Health Organization, globally 40% of patients are harmed in primary health care, with most errors related to diagnosis, and wrong prescriptions. [3]
Professional and open mind medical researchers have recognized the ability of our body to self-heal, and the value of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) to fight Malaria. I think that is the way Modern medicine should get better and better in this journey, where healthcare works for the individual, not the other way round.
For example:
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015 was awarded to Tu Youyou (China) "for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria.".
James Allison and Tasuku Honjo pioneered treatments that unleash the body's own immune system to attack cancer cells. Two scientists who pioneered an entirely new way to treat cancer have won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Nobel prize Linus Pauling used to say: 'Optimum nutrition is the medicine of tomorrow'.
[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/dietary-supplements-dubious-value-hidden-dangers
[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/painkillers-fuel-growth-in-drug-addiction
[3] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/patient-safety
[4] https://www.mdlinx.com/article/10-dangerous-drugs-recalled-by-the-fda/lfc-4008
