solitude

Listen to your body’s warning alarm

According to Eastern Medicine, nothing in the human body can function independently. Pain is the body’s warning alarm. It tells you something is wrong. If you ignore your body’s alarm, similarly to the fire alarm in your house, severe problems can form soon.

Human body functions are dependent on the life force energy-Qi. Qi and blood flow through the meridian system, nourishing and protecting body tissues and helping them maintain their functions. If, however, the body is beset with disease or injury, normal pathological symptoms will appear and affect the organs and meridian. Once the meridian is blocked, the Qi and blood are not able to move along smoothly. As a result, the affected area will not be able to get enough nutrition. In response, the patient feels pain, tingling, stiffness, bloating, or numbness. Hence the old Eastern medicine saying, “There is a blockage, there is pain. Otherwise, there is no pain.”

The meridian system is just like a network. Each meridian is connected with a specific organ. The organ damage may show up from the meridian, and the local blockage of the meridian can affect the internal organ as well. That is why in Eastern medicine, when treating a pain condition, the doctor will not usually only focus on just the local pain, but also (and sometimes more important) work to rebalance and harmonize the whole body.

Meridian blockage can be caused by external reasons such as excessive cold, wind, dampness, dryness, fire (heat) or injury. It also can be caused by emotional change such as anger, sadness, fear, stress, depression, as well as an internal organ deficiency or malfunction. Figuring out what exactly is the cause of the pain and which meridian is blocked is extremely important in treating pain. Generally speaking, relieving blood and Qi stagnancy, balancing the energy, nourishing the tissue, increasing circulation, and building up deficient organs are all ways that Eastern medicine treats pain. Acupuncture can be used to correct the flow of Qi; Herbal medicine can be used to reestablish and balance Qi, blood and moisture in organ networks, in order to avert pathological factors.

Selecting an effective measure for your pain treatment

Natural herbs for pain treatment are often used as formulas. According to the patient’s condition, many herbs are put together like a group to enhance the power of the treatment and reduce the side effects. Some herbs have analgesic properties, and many of them are extremely potent. Herbal medicine can be used internally as well as externally. They are typically taken in the form of tea, capsules or concentrated powder.

Tuina, a body work therapy, is a complete system of body alignment based on TCM. It utilizes acupressure, stretching and gentle manipulation to restore balance and harmony in the human body. As an additional therapy to acupuncture treatment, cupping, and moxibustion can also be used to treat certain types of pain such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Nutrition and exercise, such as Tai-ji and Qi-gong are also recommended in pain management.