What is Chinese medicine?

What is Chinese medicine?
What is acupuncture?
Why is Chinese medicine important and why do people like it?
How does acupuncture work?
What is Chinese herbal medicine?
How does herbal medicine work?
Summary

What is Chinese medicine?

Chinese medicine is humankind's oldest and most complete medical system. It is comprised of meditation, diet & exercise, acupuncture & herbs. Chinese medicine also includes manipulation, massage, and gentle warming therapies.

Chinese medicine was born in China perhaps before the founding period of China around 3000 BCE. It's first and still most influential major medical work, "Huangdi Neijing" was written from 600-300 The earliest European exposure to Chinese medicine was recorded by Jesuit missionaries in the fifteenth century.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the gentle insertion of very fine, virtually painless needles at specific points on the body to restore proper functioning of the nervous, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, musculoskeletal and endocrine systems.

Acupuncture helps to treat and prevent illness by improving the overall functioning of the body's immune and organ systems. Acupuncture is helpful for:

Treating existing illnesses and injuries
Preventing both recurrence of illnesses and new illness
Improving overall health

Why is Chinese medicine important and why do people like it?

Chinese medicine is the most inspiring and life-affirming of the branches of world medicine because it recognizes that we are comprised of a physical body, a thinking mind and active emotions, all of which need to work together for health.

The exquisite ability of acupuncture and the other tools of Chinese Medicine to correct acute and chronic emotional and physiological problems without drugs or surgery is one of the marvels of the human experience.

Patient satisfaction with Chinese medicine is significantly higher than it is for western medicine. A landmark study by Claire M. Cassidy, Ph.D., in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Vol.4 , Number One, 1998 entitled "Chinese Medicine Users in United States: Utilization, Satisfaction and Medical Plurality" indicates that patients are extremely satisfied with the processes and the results of Chinese medicine.

A significant plurality of the subjects in this study, when asked to whom of their many medical providers they gave the most credit for their improvement, stated that their acupuncturist "was the one who made the difference." Fifty-seven percent said that their improvement was "definitely" due to acupuncture, 19.9% said it was "probably" due to acupuncture, and only 17.5% said was "due to a combination of factors."

For a complete explanation, please see in the "Wellness Programs section" Chinese Medicine: A Model for Wellness & Balance.

How does acupuncture work?

Although acupuncture is normally described in metaphorical and poetic terms, it is, like western biomedicine, "real" medicine. Acupuncture works through sound, scientifically explainable physiological processes. The insertion of a needle into the skin and underlying muscles causes minute local tissue trauma which activates tissue damage and repair mechanisms and begins a long chain of events within the body which result in the normalization of function and structure.

Acupuncture stimulates chemicals, hormones and neurotransmitters which are released by the brain and the organs to influence the self-regulating systems of the body. The ancient Chinese theorists and practitioners made the remarkable discovery that a tiny needle placed on the outside of the body can have extraordinary effects on the inside of the body.

The complex physiology of the mechanisms of action of acupuncture validates the fact that acupuncture is a valued component of world medicine based in the real world and not in the metaphysical world.

There are six phases of needling-induced tissue reaction. The first four phases predominate in the initial stages of the reaction and the last two predominate during the intermediate and later stages of the reaction. Tissue reaction takes place primarily through several steps in the blood coagulation system and tissue repair system. The immune response which is critical to acupuncture's ability to strengthen the body's defenses uses a process called the immune complement alternative pathway. The complement system is a biochemical cascade which helps clear pathogens from the body . It is part of the larger immune system and does not change over the course of an individual's lifetime; as such it belongs to the innate immune system. The genius of the ancient Chinese physicians was in manipulating this inborn defensive system into a major component of a complete healing system.

The strength of needle stimulation and retention time are important considerations in the treatment of specific problems. Strong needle stimulation with short duration of retention favors the initial phases of the needling response. This would be considered, for example, in cases of pathogenic attack such as the flu, to enhance the inflammatory component of the immune response. Milder stimulation with longer duration of retention favors the later phases of the needling response and would be used in such cases as muscle strain or backache to produce a strong anti-inflammatory reaction to reduce pain and swelling and increase mobility.

What has come to be seen as "Traditional Chinese medicine theory" explains acupuncture in terms of that energy or "qi" which flows in channels (or meridians) throughout the body and over its surfaces. These channels are seen as 'rivers of energy' flowing through the body. The channels are often compared to a series of interconnected highways. Each major organ is associated with its own meridian. Through the network of channels the internal organs are connected to certain areas and parts of the body including the muscles, bones, joints, and other organs.

Chinese doctors are said to believe that health is a manifestation of balance, both within the body itself and between the body and the external environment. When the body is internally balanced and in harmony with the external environment, Qi flows smoothly through the channels to nourish the organs and tissues. If an obstruction occurs in one of the channels, the Qi is disrupted and cannot flow properly. When the Qi cannot flow smoothly or is forced to flow in the opposite direction, the body's innate balance is disrupted and weakness or illness results.

The preceding description is valid and there is no harm in viewing acupuncture in this poetic and metaphysically oriented way, provided that one is aware that the processes and the effects of acupuncture, more accurately translated from the original Chinese as needling therapy, are fundamentally rooted in the real world of anatomy and physiology. Science and art intertwine and support each other, as in the metaphor of the black and white Tai Chi symbol.

What is Chinese herbal medicine?

Chinese herbal medicine is both a cultural and a scientific phenomena. Chinese herbs have been used in Asia as a first line defense against acute diseases and to cure chronic diseases for more than two millennia. A great deal of experience has been gained over that time and commentaries and clinical guides are continually being updated. Scientists in Asia and the West have shown that herbs contain active chemical constituents that explain many of the actions claimed for them. Extensive Chinese clinical studies and research done in the last several decades in the West demonstrates that Chinese herbs greatly increase the effectiveness of western medical treatments and reduce the toxic side-effects of pharmaceuticals.

Chinese herbs have traditionally been prepared by boiling roots, branches, leaves, fruits, berries and crushed shells for long periods of time and drinking the pungent tea created. Westerners generally prefer the powdered or dried extracts of these teas which are scientifically prepared for standardization of active ingredients and for their more pleasant taste. In addition, tablets and capsules made from these powders and extracts are used.

Illnesses that arise suddenly and need to be treated quickly are normally treated for a period of one to 30 days. ‘Flu and herpes are examples. Acute active hepatitis needs fifteen to 30 days of treatment. Chronic diseases like hypertension, type-two diabetes or morbid obesity may require taking herbs for three months to a year or more.

How does herbal medicine work?

Chinese medicine is based on a time-tested tradition of principles to treat complex conditions of imbalance. For each condition or illness, the imbalance in the body is evaluated by whether it is categorized as: interior or exterior, hot or cold, damp or dry, excess (strong) or deficiency (weak). Herbal formulas have been carefully developed to reach the location of the imbalance. They are general in their action, require longer treatment timeframes and must be taken in larger quanities than drugs, as they are not as potent or concentrated. Their effects are slower than drugs, but they are safer, in that they do not have the same potential for toxic side effects.

Chinese medicine practitioners must determine which aspects of a disorder are most significant to maximize the benefit of the treatment and minimize its side effects. In Chinese medicine this is known as distinguishing the manifestations of a disorder from its root cause. This is a very interesting and involved study. In general terms, Chinese medicine practitioners work on a continuum from strengthening the patient's defensive system to weakening the pathogenic factors which are attacking the patient.

Chinese herbs are in general significantly milder, less concentrated and less toxic than western drugs. However, their effects are mediated by the same kind of pharmacological action which applies to western drugs. Let's use garlic or Allium sativum as an example. Garlic is a kind of lily bulb in the same family as onions and chives, but it is a potent healing agent. Garlic's best documented effect in modern medicine is as a blood thinner. (Admittedly, garlic is generally used as an ingredient in cooking and in Chinese medicine herbal formulas as a an antiparasitic agent, but a discussion of western pharmaceutical analysis of this common but exceptionally useful bulb is instructive). Garlic has this effect because it prevents the release of a chemical compound called arachidonic acid from the cell membranes and by preventing this molecule from turning into clot forming agents. It may also work by altering the distribution of calcium in platelets, agents which are involved in blood clotting. Garlic also helps lower blood pressure by dilating or widening blood vessels. It seems to do this in part by increasing nitric oxide which widens blood vessels. Garlic is also an antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Lots of research shows that the sulfurous molecules from garlic are good at preventing oxidizing agents and free radicals (atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons which can come from cooking or other sources) which can destroy healthy cells. This is why herbal preparations which contain garlic are thought to prevent cancer and other diseases.

Summary

Chinese medicine has been around for thousands of years, and has provided us with a unique approach to help prevent and treat disease. Western medicine and Chinese medicine ultimately rely on the body's natural healing ability to maintain health and protect against disease. Both have the same goal of helping a person stay healthy. Western science tends to use drugs and surgery as needed. Chinese medicine practitioners use gentle needling and herbs. An appropriate combination of both systems offers the best opportunity for health and healing.

Steve Paine, OMD
Simsbury, CT 06070
T: 860 970 4232
steve@stevepaineomd.com