Anxiety

The title of this condition covers a wide range of conditions, one of which would include PANIC ATTACKS.

This is seen in Chinese medicine as a combination of problems. The liver Qi does not flow smoothly, the spleen Qi is weak and the heart is undernourished. The Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment of this imbalance is aimed at moving liver Qi using the herb buplerum, the spleen Qi is strengthened using ginseng and Chinese angelica and longan fruit will nourish the heart.

Acupuncture is very useful in the immediate and prophylactic treatment of anxiety. The acupuncture point SHENMEN, which is located on the heart meridian, is very suited to treat this condition. The literal translation of SHENMEN is called the SPIRIT DOOR. As anxiety is perceived in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a disturbance of the spirit, needling this point has a soothing effect. There is also a SHENMEN point located in the ear, which comes under AURICULAR ACUPUNCTURE. People may have seen the Prime Minister's wife Cherie Blair walking around with a small seed stuck in her ear pressing at this point. Old ways of treating the modern day problems of anxiety and stress are to be found using CM.

Arthritis

Traditional Chinese Medicine divides this condition into 2 groups. Herbal medicine is useful in reducing the swelling in Arthritis; acupuncture often helps relieve the pain.

The way Traditional Chinese Medicine views Arthritis is that the body has a weakness that allows it to be invaded by the pathogens of cold wind damp or heat wind damp. The cold wind damp type of arthritis is where the joints are painful and stiff especially in the winter. The treatment is designed to use warming herbs to clear the wind and dampness. These herbs include cinnamon twigs and pubescent angelica root, which breaks up the congealed energy from the cold wind and damp. If the cause is from heat wind and damp, there is heat and swelling in the joints, cork tree bark and large leaved gentian are used.

In treating this condition it is important to realise that the earlier herbs and acupuncture are used the more effective the results. The more longstanding cases can be contained but if the joints are badly damaged, return to usual function cannot be restored.

Acupuncture is often used for pain relief and is in use in many hospitals and GP practices throughout the UK. I worked in a pain clinic at St Bartholomews Hospital for three years providing acupuncture in the treatment of pain associated with arthritis.

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