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Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture Are Ideal Ways For Curing Endometriosis
For followers and practitioners of acupuncture, the condition of endometriosis is just another health issue to deal with and heal. Scientists, however, have a different way of looking at this treatment. They consider acupuncture as merely a pacifier or a way to trick the mind that a health condition is being cured. They explain that women suffering from endometriosis may see positive outcomes from the treatment because of the optimism that a possible cure can bring.
Can Acupuncture Really Treat Endometriosis?
To determine whether or not a link in the relief of endometriosis symptoms and acupuncture exists, we need to understand what the fundamental principles of acupuncture are.
Acupuncture is an important part of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine that works with a life force known as chi existing in each individual.
The normal unimpeded flow of chi in the body of a person means that the person enjoys good health and can put him/her in tune with his/her environment. A blockage or disruption in this flow in our body or in nature will lead to sickness and destruction.
TCM corrects this problem by using modalities such as acupuncture to restore the proper flow of chi which results in the bringing of pain relief and the reversal of sickness in the person. Acupuncture achieves this with the use of filiform needles that are stuck into specific points in the body known as acupoints where the flow of chi can travel undisturbed.
If the balance of chi is brought back, the process of self-healing can commence. This outcome is quite attractive to the Western World and because it really works, it can be used to help a person to think better, relax and lead a healthy happy life. Acupuncture is now a very popular form of alternative treatment in the United States and Europe.
It helps to know how endometriosis develops in order to better understand how acupuncture can cure this condition.
During the menstrual cycle of a female, her uterus develops an inner lining known as the endometrium. This lining is where the fetus attaches itself after successful conception. If the fertilization process does not occur, the endometrium lining will be eliminated from the body through menstruation.
However, there are instances when the endometrium goes to other parts of the body, resulting in the disruption of certain body functions, scarring, and internal bleeding. This condition is known as endometriosis and females who have this usually experience progressive and intense body pain.
The way physicians address this is by controlling the patient’s estrogen levels, or by prescription painkillers to help the patient deal with the pain caused by the disease. One other treatment alternative option for endometriosis is surgery. Surgery removes the misplaced endometrial tissue and adhesions and scarring.
A lot of times however, these Western conventional treatment provide inadequate symptomatic relief forcing a number of sufferers to turn to alternative therapies to either complement the conventional treatments or to use these alternative treatments as a standalone option for curing endometriosis.
When the patient first comes in for acupuncture treatment, the practitioner will ask the patient a number of questions regarding certain aspects about her life and her menstrual cycle. Each patient is treated in a different way and the acupoints selected for treatment will differ from person to person. However, the most common acupoints selected by acupuncturists are located on the legs, stomach, back, ears, and neck.
Chinese herbal medicine is also used alongside acupuncture in treating endometriosis. Herbal remedies are formulated based on the patient’s needs and act in conjunction with the acupoints chosen.
The inserted needles re-channel the flow of chi which helps the patient feel stronger and better giving her body the ability to overcome endometriosis. This means that acupuncture does not cure endometriosis per se but aids the body in curing the condition by itself.
Experts believe that acupuncture helps in a number of ways. It relieves the symptoms of discomfort and pain by releasing endorphins in the body and makes it easier for the female to relax. Acupuncture also boosts the circulation to the stomach thus helping promote healing.
If you have endometriosis and are interested in getting acupuncture for the relief of your symptoms, you need to talk to your doctor first and ask him/her about acupuncture and other available treatments that can be good for you. If your doctor gives you the go ahead for acupuncture, you need to look for a licensed acupuncturist in your area.
Galina Semyonova is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist in New York City. She has studied extensively in the fields of biofeedback therapy, SCENAR therapy, Chinese herbal treatments and Chinese and Western nutrition.
Breast Conditions and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Sadly, around 200,000 women living in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Despite the proliferation of information on how and what Western medical treatments are useful for treating breast cancer, therapies that can help prevent this deadly disease from occurring are quite unknown. Regardless if a woman is predisposed or not to breast cancer, there are certain ways one can follow that can help them prevent the rise of this greatly feared condition. Few people are aware that men can also develop breast cancer although cases for this are quite rare accounting for just a mere 2% of all breast cancer cases.
The causes of breast cancer are varied. They include prolonged estrogen exposure of the breast tissue brought about by external and endogenous factors such as an accumulation of pesticides, contaminated water, food additives and other environmental toxins, unresolved mental and physical stress, lack of exercise, and a poor diet.
Breast Cancer from the Viewpoint of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Based on the theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a lot of breast conditions have the same root problem processes and are also related. The ability of TCM to diagnose these processes before any symptoms appear makes it easy to diagnose and treat the diseases in their initial stages. And by identifying these conditions in their early or initial stages, preventing these diseases from advancing to a much more serious stage (like cancer) is very good.
TCM practitioners believe that all breast diseases have as their underlying cause stagnation of vital energy and blood. The body, according to TCM, has within itself a form of vital energy known as qi that circulates throughout the body through invisible routes known as meridians in the same way blood travels through blood vessels such as veins, capillaries, arteries, etc. Any blockage of disruption of this movement in the entire system or locally leads to an imbalance in the body.
TCM has this saying that “if there is free flow, there is no pain.” The question then is what is it that is not flowing freely that can lead to pain? There are three things in TCM that flow in the body. They are the Body Fluids, Blood, and Qi.
A blockage of Qi will also interrupt the flow of lymph material and blood since it is Qi the moves these two essential materials in the body, as well.
A blockage of Qi is called stagnation of Qi in TCM. This stagnation leads to lumps, pain, or distention. Blood Stasis is a condition in which the Blood is not flowing. This can result in clotting in the menstrual blood, or stabbing or intense pain. Lastly, if the fluids are not flowing, a condition known as phlegm nodulation or damp accumulation can causes that can lead to cysts, and sensations of heaviness or swollenness. Although they do not necessarily result in cancer, these underlying problems are the processes almost found in all types of breast diseases, including breast cancer.
More and more breast cancer patients consider acupuncture to have some of their symptoms observed and treated. In terms of breast conditions the most commonly complained are:
-Mastitis or breast abscesses
-Fluid filled sacs or cysts
-Benign masses or fibroadenomas
-Breast soreness and premenstrual breast pain
Treating Breast Diseases with Acupuncture Treatment in Vancouver
Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture are the two primary modes of treatment used for breast diseases. As a rule, herbal medicine is used over acupuncture if it is observed a lot of physical changes in the breast tissue have occurred. However, acupuncture is still a very important part of treatment because of its ability to produce immediate treatment and relief of anxiety, pain, and swelling.
The needling of the correct acupoints results in the removal of the blockages the caused Qi and fluid stagnation. This leads to the quick relief of the swelling and pain and are some of the reasons why acupuncture for breast disease treatment is growing in popularity.
Pain and breast soreness that presage menstruation are actually the two most commonly heard complaints involving breast diseases. These conditions are relatively harmless but still, correcting them should be a priority as they may lead to more serious and deadly conditions
The moment breast symptoms related to PMS start to appear, acupuncture treatment should be given and repeated as often as possible until the female reaches her first day of menstruation. This protocol can be done again the next month and if treatment is combined with a proper change in lifestyle and diet, the symptoms tend to become less prolonged or severe. The protocol should be continuous till the symptoms have completely vanished. Usually after three to six cycles of menstruation will premenstrual breast distention be resolved.
Besides preventing the rise of PMS breast soreness, maintaining the free flow of the qi of the breast can also help prevent any development of cysts, tumors, and even cancers in the breast.