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Chinese Culture >> Chinese Medicine and Health
Introduction to Chinese Medicine
Over 2000 years old, traditional Chinese
medicine focuses on balancing energy within the body and with the natural world.
Chinese medical treatments include, among others, acupuncture, diet, and herbal
remedies.
Acupuncture is one of the most well known methods of Chinese medicine. It
involves inserting very thin, sterile needles into specific points along
pathways of the body called meridians. Health problems arise when the flow of
energy is blocked; acupuncture aims to open up and balance that energy flow.
Although western science lacks proof that acupuncture is an effective therapy,
evidence shows that it relieves chemotherapy nausea, dental pain, soft tissue
problems, menstrual cramps, backache, asthma, and emotional disturbances.
Further research is likely to confirm what practitioners of traditional Chinese
medicine already know - that acupuncture is highly effective in treating a wide
array of disorders.
Acupuncture is successful in treating many types of non-surgical infertility.
Evidence shows it can improve the chances of conceiving if done right before or
after in-vitro fertilization and continued for about three months. Along with
herbs, acupuncture improves ovarian function and increases blood flow to the
endometrium. It addresses problems that impair fertility such as an under- or
over-functioning thyroid.
Cupping is a type of acupuncture treatment. The acupuncturist heats a glass cup
from inside to create a vacuum then places the cup on acupuncture points on the
body. Cupping improves circulation and relieves discomfort from congestion,
swelling, or pain. It is particularly effective for relieving low back aches,
reducing sprains and other soft tissue injuries, and relieving fluid in the
lungs. Cups are left on the body for five to fifteen minutes; a round bruise
results which lasts for a few days. While there are no inherent dangers to
cupping, it should not be done over cramps, convulsions, or ulcerated sores or
when the patient has a high fever. Cupping is not advisable over the low back or
abdomen of pregnant women.
In Chinese herbal medicine, herbs are combined in formulas of up to 25 herbs to
address the needs of the individual patient. As with all methods of Chinese
medicine, herbal treatment seeks to remedy imbalance in the body.
Like herbal treatment, dietary therapy is based on the condition of the patient.
A balanced diet leads to good health, so dietary recommendations aim at
re-balancing the body. Whether used by itself or as a complement to western or
other eastern therapies, traditional Chinese medicine has an important role in
modern medical treatment.
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