Treatments

What does treatment involve?

A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner will ask you questions about your emotional and mental life as well as your physical tr1 symptoms. Knowing whether you are indecisive or have an explosive temper may help him determine what type of gallbladder trouble you're having, for example. He or she may also take your pulse several times, once for each internal organ, andcheck the color and texture of your tongue, and then crafta customized treatment designed to enhance your overall health, rather than zeroing in on an infection or injury.

In most cases, your practitioner will use acupunctu tr3 re to stimulate certain points along your meridians in order to bring your qi back into balance. But he mightalso apply small mounds of burning herbs (a technique called moxibustion) or suction cups(cupping), or usedeep tissue massage. Then he may prescribe a combination of herbs and other ingredients designed tocorrect whatever imbalances he thinks are causing your troubles. Typically, you'll brew these herbs into a strong-tasting tea, or they may come in pill or extract form. Finally, your practitioner may recommend that you try practicing Qi Gong or Tai Chi(Tai Ji), slow, gentle martial arts that combine breathing, movement, and meditation to balance and strengthen your Qi.

How does it work?

The Chinese believe that acupuncture treatments redirect or unblock the flow of vital energy through your body and t tr2 hat certain herbs soothe over-active organs or strengthen weak ones. Western medicine has its own theories about how acupuncture works -- perhaps by triggering the release of endorphins, natural pain-killers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently approved the treatment as helpful for various kinds of pain, nausea, and addiction. Few studies in western journals have measured the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine, but you're likely to get better results by going to an experienced herbalist than by trying to self-medicate with the "one-size-fits-all" commercially prepared formulas in health food stores. The NIH is now sponsoring research on Chinese herbs and other TCM techniques for treating conditions ranging from depression to cancer.

How safe is it?

It depends on which treatments you use. Acupuncture is quite safe as long as tr4 your practitioner uses either properly sterilized or disposable needles to prevent the spread of infection. Let your acupuncturist know if you are taking aspirin or other painrelievers regularly, since they can exacerbate any minor bruising from the needles. Herbs are a little more worrisome. Many Chinese herbalists won't tell you exactly what's in their concoctions, some of which may contain trace amounts of dangerous substances such as mercury and arsenic. Also, it's a good ideato tell your practitioner about any drugs you're taking, and your doctor about any herbs you're taking, but be aware that no one knows how certain herbs or mixtures of herbs will interact with other drugs.

What is TCM good for?

Over the centuries, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat countless conditions. Western scientists are still studying its effectiveness for various diseases. Some of the conditions for which TCM is known to be particularly helpful include:

obesity
diabetes and its complications such as retinopathy (damage to the retina located in the back of the eye)
high cholesterol
male and female fertility disorders
Alzheimer's disease
digestive disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome)
recurrent cystitis (inflammation of the bladder)

TCM also be an effective treatment for the following ailments:

allergies
sinusitis
addictions
pain (including childbirth and abdominal)
menopausal symptoms
osteoporosis
arthritis
infections (respiratory, bladder, vaginal)
sleep disorders
stress
constipation