 |
 |
|
|
|
|
MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information
Medicinal Therapies: Chinese Herbalism
For information and research purposes only. Please contact your health care provider for specific information, diagnosis, and treatment of any health concerns. The information provided here is not meant to be used in place of any medical treatment or therapy.
INTRODUCTION
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient system of healing that bases diagnosis on an individual's pattern of symptoms rather than looking for a named disease - an approach very different from that of Western medicine. Chinese herbalism is one element of TCM, the predominant form of Asian medicine worldwide, which coversa vast range of therapies from acupuncture to herbal remedies. Acupuncture is better known in the West, but herbal medicine is much more important in China, and practitioners of Chinese herbalism can now be found all over the world.
The main well-known uses for TCM is for the treatment of:
- Eczema, psoriasis & other skin conditions.
- Migraines.
- Woman's health including PMS.
- Vague aches & pains.
- Fatigue, CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome).
- Digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
BRIEF HISTORY
The Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine), dating to c. 200 B.C. - 100 A.D., is the earliest known document to set out the principles that underlie Traditional Chinese Medicine to this day. This important text takes the form of dialogues between the Yellow Emperor, considered to be the father of Tracitional Chinese Medicine, and his follower, Ji Buo. It emphasizesthe ideals of moderation, balance, and harmony, which are central to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism.
Compendiums such as the 3rd-century Shen Nong Bencaojing (Classic of Roots and Herbs of Shen Nong) provided some of the earliest written descriptions of herbal remedies. The first comprehensive encyclopedia of Chinese herbs, the Bencao Gangmu (Outlines of Roots and Herbs Studies), was compiled by Li Shizhen in the 16th century. Around this time, less scholarly reference works for home use, less scholarly reference works for home use also began to be published.
Western medicine, introduced to China by 16th century missionaries, gradually threatened to overtake traditional healing. However, the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949 led to a revival of herbalism, acupuncture, and other ancient medicinal skills, known collectively as Traditional Chinese Medicine. In China, TCM is now taught at universities and practiced in all hospitals alongside Western methods. Its popularity is growing fast in countries with a large Chinese community, such as the U.S., the U.K., and Australia.
KEY PRINCIPLES
The concepts of holism, of yin and yang, and of the "five elements" are the three most important principles of TCM.
TCM views the body holistically, as an integrated whole, so prolems in one are affect other areas, jus as treating specific problems benefits the system as a whole. Running through the body are meridians, a network of channels carrying qi, or "life energy." The organs of the body are nourished by the so-called "vital substances": qi, blood, body fluids, and "Kidney essence"; all govern growth and sexuality, and determine the general constitution of each individual. Yin ("moon" or "overcast") and Yang ("sun" or "sunshine") symbolize opposing but complimentary forces in nature. Each continually changes into its converse, just as day turns into night, and one helps define the other; without day, we would not know what night was. When the dynamic of yin and yang in the body is disturbed and either one becomes excessive, disease or emotional problems follow. Factors that may provoke a disturbance include infection, accidents, emotional states, poor diet, pollution, even the time of year and weather conditions.
Yin and yang can be further divided into interior (yin) / exterior (yang), deficiency (yin) /excess (yang), and cold (yin) / hot (yang). Together, these categories form the eight principle patterns of potential disharmony, a diagnostic framework used to categorize symptoms. For example, a slow pulse is a "cold" symptom. The treatment principle is to "scatter the cold," bringing yin and yang into balance.
Another key concept in TCM is that of the five elements or five phases - fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. The qualities represented by the five elements can be ascribed to all things in the universe, including the body's internal organs. The Chinese concept of an organ is a broader and less literal than its Western equivalent. Just as one element will support or inhibit the function of another (water dowses fire; fire melts metal), so one organ affects another. The kidneys (water) control the heart (fire), the heart controls the lungs (metal).
Herbal remedies are used to rebalance these forces within the body. Herbs are classified under the five elements according to taste, each of which denotes a medicinal action: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. The opposing yin/yang qualities of hot and cold are also linked with the action of specific herbs. Baical skullcap (huang quin), for example, is a bitter, "cold" herb, used to lower fever. Each herb is said to work in specific organs and relatedf meridians, and with "tendencies of action": floating and sinking, ascending and descending. An herb with an "upward" action would be used to treat a "sinking" disorder, such as diarrhea.
THE THEORY OF
CHINESE MEDICINE
While Western medical practitioners start with a symptom, then look for a specific cause, Traditional Chinese Medicine regards the symptoms as part of a "pattern of disharmony." Yin/yang and the five elements theory are used both to classify the pattern and to determine an effective herbal cure.
YIN & YANG
Yang organs are thought to "channel" energy - acute pain, spasms, and headaches indicate excess yang. Yin organs "hold" energy - dull aches and pains, chilliness, and fatigue are signs of excess yin. Most people show a mixture of yin/yang symptoms; the skill of the practitioner lies in discerning the pattern and prescribing the correct remedy. Yin and yang are traditionally represented as broken and solid lines in symbols known as trigrams.
THE FIVE ELEMENTS
Each element has a yin organ and a yang organ, plus specific tastes, emotions, and seasons of the year. Qualities belonging to the same element are said to support one another. So, to treat a liver disorder, a yin organ with the element wood, a Chinese practitioner might use sour-tasting herbs, since sour is associated with wood.
CONSULTING A PRACTITIONER
The initial consultation may take as long as an hour. Your health is assessed by means of the "Four Examinations" of TCM:
LOOKING: The practitioner observes all the visible evidence of your state of health, particularly your tongue, the tone of your skin and hair, and the way you move.
LISTENING & SMELLING: The sound of your voice and breathing is noted, as is any distinctive body odor.
ASKING: The practitioner asks about your family history, habits, body functions, and any symptoms of poor health.
PULSE-TAKING & TOUCHING: The pulse is checked for quality, rhythm, and strength. TCM identifies three different pulse points on each wrist. The locations are related to meridian pathways, said to channel the life energy known as qi through the body. Areas of discomfort or pain are examined by touch.
The diagnosis hinges on your unique pattern of disharmony. While a Western practitioner might diagnose many people as suffering from high blood pressure, the TCM practitioner would take into account particular factors such as your pulse rate, the condition of your tongue, teeth, and urine, and how well you eat and sleep. On the basis of the diagnosis, she will prescribe an herbal remedy tailored to your individual pattern of disharmony, possibly supplemented with acupuncture.
USING CHINESE HERBS
In TCM, herbs are rarely prescribed singly, but are generally taken as a formula - a standard prescription may have 10 to 15 herbs with a history of treating a particular pattern of disharmony. Each herb in the formula has a different role, and each is classified according to its taste and temperature. Practitioners often adapt a basic formula, adding other herbs to suit the patient's age, constitution, and pattern of disharmony.
Remedies are usally taken as herbal teas, prepared in daily doses, but herbs may also be prescribed as pills, powders, pastes, ointments, creams, and lotions.
TREATING ECZEMA WITH TCM
In TCM, eczema is believed to indicate an imbalance resulting from excess "heat" (yang), In order to restore harmony, the practitioner would prescribe treatment with "cooling" (yin) herbs - such as dittany (bai xian pi), bamboo leaf, and white barley - in the form of pills, powders, and a decoction of dried plants.
Dry, flaky eczema is specifically categorized as an excess of "wind heat" (wind, cold, fire, dampness, dryness, and summer heat being the "six pernicious influences" - environmental factors play upon disease). Ointment for home treatment would also be prescribed. For weeping eczema (indicating "damp heat", an herbal compress would be applied.
With both manifestations of the condition, the practitioner would advise against spicy foods, alcohol, and "heating" foods, such as beef and lamb, and recommend "cooling" foods, such as melon, cucumber, and freshwater fish.
TREATMENT QUESTIONS
How long does a treatment session last? The initial consultation lasts about an hour and subsequent sessions about 30 minutes.
How many sessions will I need? Some conditions, especially chronic (long-standing) complaints, may require ' several months of treatment, with consultations every 4 to 6 weeks. Others may respond favorably after one session. Practitioners also recommend regular checkups.
Will remedies taste unpleasant? Chinese herbal teas can be notoriously unpalatable to Western tastes.
Will there be any after effects? Allergic reactions may occur in rare cases. If you have nausea, diarrhea, or flu-like symptoms after taking an herbal remedy, call your practitioner immediately.
A PATIENT'S EXPERIENCE
Anne, 48, suffered from migraines and had recently had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for breast cancer."The cancer had gone, and I wanted to clear my system of chemicals. Arthritis was a side effect of treatment that even physiotherapy didn't help. The Chinese practitioner worked bit by bit, adjusting the herbs each week. It's not instant relief - the first thing I noticed was that headaches were less frequent. Three months ago I felt 80% better. Now a year later, it's 99.9%. She gives me a week's supply of herbs - 20 or 30 ingredients - and she's very strict about how I should take them. The taste isn't too bad, a bit bitter or sour but no worse than some cough medicines. When I drink it I really feel something is happening. Now that the arthritis is relieved, she's working on my immune system so I can fight infection better."
SELF-HELP TCM
Herbal teas, pills, ointments, and tinctures that use Chinese "tonic" herbs, such as ginseng, for minor conditions like fatigue, can be purchased over the counter from reputable herbal suppliers, pharmacies, and health food stores. They may be less effective than those prescribed by a practitoner who will make an individualized diagnosis.
EVIDENCE & RESEARCH
Extensive clinical trials of various herbs and formulas have been carried out in China. Most persuasive for Westerners, however has been the recent success of Chinese herbs in treating eczema, described in the British Journal of Dermatology in 1992. Dr. David Atherton and Dr. Maryh Sheehan, consultants in dermatology at the Hospital for Sick Children, London, undertook a study of 47 children with severe atopic eczema. Dr. Ding Ho and and another Chinese herbalist, Dr. Guang Xu, devised the standardized herbal formulas prescribed. Most children's eczema showed a 60% improvement within four weeks, with no side effects (despite concern that certain herbs could cause liver damage). Interestingly, some children who did not respond to the standardized remedy proved to be responsive when their formulas were individually adjusted.
A further trial with adult atopic dermatitis at the Royal Free Hospital, London, published in The Lancet in 1992, supports these findings.
While interest has been sparked by studies such as those described above, the focus of conventional medicine on the physiological causes and symptoms of illness makes it difficult for conventional medical practitioners to understand concepts such as yin and yang and qi. Drug companies are seeking to exploit some Chinese herbs, but many medical practitioners are concerned about the possible side effects of certain remedies.
Always consult a licensed practitioner who is fully qualified to prescribe herbal remedies.
Seek medical advice before taking herbs if you are pregnant, or if you have ever had hepatitis or other liver diseases.
See Western Herbalism.
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS FOR ALL THERAPIES
Consult a health care provider before embarking on any non-conventional form of treatment if you have any medical condition or symptoms of illness.
Do not stop taking any prescribed medications without first consulting with your health care provider.
Tell your complementary practitioner about any prescribed medication you are taking, and any other complementary treatments you are receiving.
Tell your health care provider about any complementary treatments or remedies you are taking.
Do not embark on vigorous exercise without first consulting your health care provider if you have any serious medical conditions, such as back pain, high blood pressure, heart disease, or if you are pregnant.
Advise your practitioner if you have any sexually transmitted disease.
Do not begin a course of complementary therapy without first consulting your health care provider or midwife if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.
Consult your health care provider before allowing babies or infants to receive complementary treatments, since some treatments, such as enemas and certain herbal remedies, are unsuitable for small children.
See your health care provider if symptoms persist or worsen.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPY LINKS
Touch & Movement Therapy Index
Touch & Movement: Acupressure
Mountain Rose Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Aromatherapy Oils
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils A-B
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils C-E
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils F-L
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils M-P
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils Q-Z
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils: Oil Blends & Resins
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils: Diffusers, Nebulizers, & Burners
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils: Oil Kits
Click Here To Visit Herbal Remedies Product Page
A Source For Medicinal & Ritual Herbs & Supplies
