How Does TCM Address Chronic Disease and Chronic Pain?
Date:2022-11-01 click:0
Chronic diseases are generally not specific to a particular condition but rather a general term for a group of disorders with insidious onset, long duration, complex etiology, and in some cases, not yet fully recognized. These diseases are painful for the patient and sometimes difficult for the physician who fears that long-term medication may cause hidden or potential damage to the patient's other organs.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has developed over time several systematic concepts and wisdom for the treatment of chronic diseases and chronic pain that can effectively relieve patients' pain and help them restore their body's vitality and health.
TCM believes that all diseases cannot be separated from cold. People with chronic diseases usually have internal colds and external heat. So the first step in treatment is to remove the cold. Cold is the body's enemy, the deficiency of righteousness, the evil must be coiled, and the yin is formed. The yin qi is usually manifested as tumors, cancer, swelling, and pain. TCM considers the patient's illness a complex process of fighting between positive and evil in the body.
TCM understands the pain in many different ways, including distension, scurrying pain, heavy pain, stabbing pain, restraining pain, colic, cold pain, burning pain, hidden pain, and deficient pain. With so many types of chronic pain, it is evident that TCM is a sophisticated medical science.
The commonly used treatment for chronic pain is numerous. TCM plays a huge role in the rehabilitation of chronic pain and is commonly used in the following ways:
1. Tui Na Massage. Tui Na Massage refers to the use of various techniques by the doctor to relieve pain caused by excessive garbage produced by muscle tissue in a spastic state. Tui Na Massage can make local blood vessels dilate, improving blood circulation, promoting the metabolism of stimulating substances, and relieving pain.
2. Traction therapy. In modern medicine, various traction therapies are used, such as the pelvic traction method, jaw occipital belt traction method, traction bed treatment method, and so on.
3. Acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is used to dispel wind and cold, warm the Yang qi to dispel dampness, purge heat and dredge collaterals, promote qi and activate blood circulation. Therefore, this treatment can achieve the purpose of dispelling disease and relieving pain.
4. Cupping therapy. Cupping can warm the meridians to disperse cold, circulate blood, soothe tendons and relieve pain.
5. Other treatment. The doctor may recommend using herbs or traditional Chinese medicine to treat pain, or patients can use hot compresses or moxibustion ports.
As the saying goes, "A disease should be treated in three parts and nourished in seven parts," indicating the importance of nourishment in treating diseases, especially chronic diseases. The treatment of chronic diseases in TCM is generally internal conditioning and external nutrition, and the right medicine is prescribed to relieve local symptoms and improve the immune function of the whole body.
1. Discriminatory treatment and flexible prescription. Chronic diseases have many difficult symptoms to identify and treat, but TCM has a greater advantage in treating chronic diseases. It is very convenient because the medicine can be adjusted at any time with the change of the condition. For example, in chronic hepatitis, there are different symptoms, such as liver and gallbladder dampness and heat, liver depression and spleen deficiency, and so on. TCM's evidence-based treatment will naturally receive good results.
2. A variety of simple means. Chronic diseases are complex and require various treatment measures, such as internal and external use of traditional Chinese medicine, moxibustion, massage, acupuncture, etc. People at home can operate these methods.
3. Prevent illness before it happens and focus on health preservation. People's poor lifestyle habits often cause chronic diseases. For example, the onset of fatty liver is closely related to long-term heavy drinking, excess nutrition, and inadequate exercise.
In addition to the above therapies, TCM treatment is also inseparable from habit changes in daily life. Patients should pay attention to rest and avoid excessive stress and fatigue. Diet should be light. A proper intake of grains, fresh vegetables, and fruits rich in trace elements and proteins and proper exercise are all beneficial to health and improvement of the disease. However, the main thing is to get rid of bad habits. For example, patients should try not to strain, stand or sit for a long time.
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