The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Gastrointestinal Problems
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The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Gastrointestinal Problems
Stephen Kelly is a entrepreneur and author. Be sure to check out http://www.jointventurespt.com/ for more great information like this.
Western medicine primarily sees gastrointestinal (GI) issues as disease. This is very telling. We mainly use medication to treat the symptoms because we Westerners believe that these symptoms, so commonly encountered in daily life, are somehow to be expected and are an inconvenience that can be treated by medicine. So we accept that we have excess acid or gas or that our bowels are sluggish and take the appropriate preparation. Moreover, we are willing to be scoped, x-rayed and prodded to confirm the medical diagnosis.
To be fair, in both Western and Chinese medicine there is an acknowledgment that diet and stress play a large part in the development of GI conditions. Also, nutrition and stress management can make a difference in the course of the symptoms. However, this approach has barely made a difference compared to the extent of using medication.
Even the Western alternative medical community often takes an aggressive approach to GI symptoms, recommending arduous fasts for cleansing the gut or colonics to “clean you out”.
Acupuncture, and Chinese medicine in general, is all about balance. The scope of Chinese medicine includes a sound diet, as well as a belief in the body’s ability to self-correct. How and what you eat make an enormous difference. If you are truly toxic in your gut, you will purge the contents by vomiting or through diarrhea.
In Chinese medicine, all of the internal organ systems are interrelated. The main organ system dealing with digestion is the spleen, not the actual organ of the spleen but rather a series of functions that includes this internal organ. It is important to remember that in Chinese medicine the organ itself is less important than the functions it is a part of.
The job of the spleen is to process. It processes food and separates out the water. In Chinese medicine it is also responsible for making blood. The blood producing aspect of its function makes it critically important in the health of menstruating women.
In Chinese medicine, there is no distinction between the emotional, physical and spiritual aspect of the body’s energy. All of the internal organ systems are associated with a particular emotion. And that emotion is interconnected with the physical and spiritual. The spleen, the organ of worry, is also responsible for processing thoughts and for reflection. Damage to an organ system can result in the imbalance of its associated emotion. Similarly, that emotion in excess can injure the associated internal organ system. Excessive worry can injure the splenetic organ system.
Acupuncture helps to strengthen and tone the internal organs, and balance and unblock stagnant or constrained chi. In many cases, Chinese herbal formulas can assist in these functions.
So, besides acupuncture for treating GI problems, herbal tea – especially green tea – and other hot herbs directly applied to the skin can help.
Also, remember that mind and body are not separate in Chinese medicine. Since the spleen is the organ of worry, it helps to be calm and optimistic.
So – don’t worry, be happy. Just like the song says.
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