Category Archives: Acupuncture
Neigong, A Holistic And Traditional Chinese Breathing Exercise Technique
Neigong, in English, means “internal work.” It is a holistic and traditional Chinese way of breathing to soothe and calm the spirit, body, and mind. Moreover, it is famous for its power to promote weight loss, tone the skin, and improve health. The energy it gives the immune system lead to a greater capability in resisting diseases and illnesses.
In Chinese culture, NieGong has traditional beginnings. At one point, it was learned from a master to a student in secret. The art of yoga, tai chi, and qigong are based on the healing exercises of Neigong which is and internal martial art that has everything to do with internal strength and teaches you to amplify your actions without expending additional effort.
When practicing Neigong, the person moves through a sequence of steps that foments the inner energy for revitalization to its state of original being. The inherent elements of Neigong work in combination with the external energy elements of Qigong, leading to a creation Chi or energy balance. Movements are concise and slow as well as continuous and fluid. Another internal form of Niegong is Neijia which involves the work of interior martial art that integrates slow movements with sporadic rapid outbursts of movements whilst bringing the body in a state of relaxation.
Neigong has many types some of which focus on harmonizing and coordinating the breathing and the body. Neigong entails how the body moves and not just its physical movements working in harmony with breathing exercises to bring about inner peace and deep relaxation.
It is also a traditional way of meditating that leads to a greater awareness of normal body processes, such as balance, musculoskeletal alignment and movement and the circulation of the blood. Non-combat Neigong is considered as an essential part of a program to maintain and sustain optimal health. It is the paragon of the Three Treasures of Shen, Chi, and Jing also known as spirit, vitality, and essence.
The Benefits of Neigong
Of all interior martial arts, Neigong is the primary activity that connects the body with the mind through physical movement and breathing. Through the continued practice of Neigong, the person is able to internally reflect via deep concentration resulting in an illumined self consciousness of the body. By changing what happens inside his body, the person’s health can be improved and his body starts to get stronger.
One can already experience increased energy after just a single session. You’ll be able to experience a new level of body consciousness that will directly affect your self confidence in a positive way. Aside from this, you’ll be able to experience less need for sleep and better sleep patterns. If you suffer from high blood pressure, because of the benefits of enhanced relaxation, you may also experience a significant lessening of your blood pressure. You’ll experience sensations of tranquility and peace and a general sense of well being.
The methods of Niegong can help you achieve a greater understanding of spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical states, give you the energy to exercise for improved physical fitness, and help cleanse the body of harmful substances.
All these things bring together the spirit, body, and mind in harmonious balance of the energy that is Chi helping to bring about a better quality of life, management of stress, and an improvement of your health.
BodaHealth
1245 West Broadway #302
Vancouver, BC V6H 1G7, Canada
(604) 733-2632
http://bodahealth.ca/
Tui Na Therapy, The Best Way To Break Down Muscular Tension And Knots
Anmo or Tui Na is a traditional type of Chinese Massage that is one of the primary branches of Chinese medicine: nutritional therapy, qigong, tai chi, herbal medicine, and acupuncture in Winter Park. While still not popular in the West, Tuina can be found in most Chinese hospitals and is an important form of treatment in China. It is more than 3000 years old, and most modern massage forms such as Shiatsu and Swedish massage came from it.
In both theory and practice, tui na is not like any other kind of massage. Therapists have to deal with both the energetic body and the physical body. They practice what one would consider as massage procedures designed to relieve tension and ease the knots in the muscles, while simultaneously working with the energy channels (meridians) and acupoints to balance and regulate the circulation of Chi, much the same way as acupuncture. This would mean that in Tui Na, there is a variety of ‘acupressure’ procedures, and sometimes it is called ‘acupressure massage.’ Despite the fact that the term is also used for less complicated sophisticated acupressure therapies that lack the understanding and the underlying concepts of Tui Na.
There are two styles of Tui Na: the Yin and Yang styles. An extremely mild healing practice utilizing touch, Yin style of tui na balances and regulates Chi or energy. Tui na can strengthen the organ function (Chi), eliminate stagnation from the energy channels, can be a relaxing treatment and a deeply calming therapy for everyone.
The Yang style, on the other hand, is a more physically strenuous type of therapy that makes use of deep penetrating methods to break down muscular tension and knots. It works very well on stiff and tight muscles, but without becoming painful as some deep massages can be.
A skilled practitioner will make use of both Yin and Yang procedures. The skilled practitioner will use both techniques of Yin and Yang as needed, and most therapies are like between the two extremes. There are no treatments and set routines that are often tailored to each person based on the needs of the individual.
Tui Na includes the same complex understanding of the mind and body and specific diagnostic techniques for the client. This is what makes it distinct from most other physiotherapies.
Tui na has benefits that go beyond the relief and treatment of people dealing with stress, hormonal disorders, phycho-emotional problems, digestive problems, respiratory problems, and circulatory problems to name a few. It is especially helpful in dealing with stress and in maintaining health.
A Tui Na Treament
Before the start of tuina therapy, the practitioner will give you a complete Chinese Diagnosis, which is the same as receiving acupuncture. The practitioner will question about your overall health and complaint, and will take your pulse and observe your tongue.
The treatment itself is normally performed over clothing and will be customized based on your specific needs. From time to time, if oil is to be used, you may be asked to remove some of your clothing.
The practitioner uses signs from your body to ascertain the proper strength of the techniques even when strong methods are used. The treatment should not be painful. In certain instances, only very gentle and light methods will be used, although they can be just as effective.
The Goal Of Chinese Medicine: The Harmony Of Yin And Yang
There is no such thing as an incurable disease in Chinese medicinal theory. While this theory believes that every sickness can be cured, it may probably be that any illness that has caused damage beyond a certain threshold may not be.
Our Amazing Body
When one considers the tens of millions of deadly microbes inside and around us, coupled with the constant stresses on your mind and wear and tear in your body, it is amazing that we’re not often adversely affected by these interminable “infiltrations”, a fact which if you ponder, will validate that it is nature’s way to be healthy indeed. Without requiring our conscious awareness, the various systems of our body will naturally encounter all these factors that can lead to disease, and do so surprisingly well.
Harmony of Yin and Yang
The natural workings of our mental and bodily functions, is as nature intended, which, in Chinese medicine, is metaphorically described as having “harmonious Flow of Chi “. The healthy and natural interaction between us and all the possible disease-generating factors is described by the Chinese as the “Harmony of Yin and Yang”.
When we enjoy the “Harmony of Yin and Yang,” it implies that our bodies are able to properly adjust and do just as nature intended – to stay healthy no matter what kind of conditions surround us. This implies that our bodily systems will generate the appropriate quantity of chemicals required at the right time and in the right amounts. It also implies that our bodies will eliminate all negative emotions and toxic waste that may harm us, repair worn out or damaged “parts,” provide the immunity we need, etc.
Illness only arises when the body longer functions in the manner it is designed to. All illness will vanish as a matter of course if we’re able to restore our bodies back to its natural state.
In all of Chinese medicine, this is the onus: To restore the body to its state of natural balance.
Ling’s Acupuncture, Inc.
120 Gatlin Ave
Orlando, FL 32806-6908
(407) 851-2533
http://www.lingsacupuncture.com
Chinese Medicine Cupping Therapy
Cupping therapy is one of the oldest and most used globally natural medical treatment in history. It has been used for thousands of years in China, but in ancient Greece, Egypt, the Middle East and Europe, as well. In ancient times, bamboo, clay cups or even animal horns were initially used. Nowadays, the most common types used in clinical practice are glass cups, which requires a flame to create a vacuum effect before the cup is placed on the skin.
Plastic cups require a gun to draw the skin into it, and silicon cups are easy to use by just squeezing them with the fingers. The functions and benefits of cupping therapy in Bellmore include moving blood and improving circulation, for muscle tension and stiffness, arthritis, sports injury, fibromyalgia and more. Cupping is also used for women’s issues, especially for menstruation pain.
It also helps expel external pathogens to relieve colds and flus. It also can help patients with asthma, bronchitis and allergies. Cupping is a great detoxifier and is used often for hangovers. It is also used for lymphatic drainage and for those have a lot of water retention, edema and toxicity. Finally, it is fantastic for releasing fascia for those with a lot of pain and stiffness.
The most common applications of cupping therapy are fixed cupping, whereby a single or multiple cups are placed on the painful area or on an acupuncture point, and are retained for 5 to 15 minutes. Quick cupping is a technique in which cups are placed on an acupuncture point and removed immediately, then repeated many times over.
This is often used on very weak and severely deficient people. Oiling a large area and moving the cup back and forth while the suction is in effect is often used for fascia release and lymphatic drainage. With little cupping, is placed over a needle, which has been inserted in an acupuncture point. That is used to enhance the action of the point.
Finally, wet cupping, where a cup is placed over an acupuncture point that has been pricked by a Lancet needle prior to cupping it, and then drawing blood from the body with a cup. This is used mostly to detoxify. Cupping therapy should be performed by a qualified practitioner and it is not recommended on sensitive or broken skin or also for people with excess hair, especially, moving cupping or firing cupping, as well as on the number or abdominal region of pregnant women.
And yes, cupping therapy may result in bruises, which generally dissipates within 3 to 10 days.
Chinese Herbs That Expel Cold And Warm The Interior
Theprimary function of these herbs is to deal with cold inside the body. Cold has a tendency to contract, congeal, slow things down and cause stagnation. We can even have certain pain conditions due to cold stagnation. The kind of signs and symptoms we’re going to see with coldness depends on where it is in the body.
When cold is in the lung, that cold is going to congeal the fluids and create phlegm. That phlegm is going to be copious, thin, clear white and even be foamy, bubbly or stringy. When cold enters the spleen, we’re going to see digestion problems, things like abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and that diarrhea is going to be thin, watery and without the foul smell.
Cold in the kidney is going to cause urination problems. When kidney yang fails in its function of transforming the fluids, we’re going to get frequent, profuse, clear urination. On the other hand, we can also have urine retention. What’s happening here is a cold pathogen is obstructing lower jiao and blocking the smooth flow of urine out of the body, so we end up with urinary retention.
Like we said, cold can also cause stagnation and pain. Cold in the liver is going to cause blood stagnation leading to things like painful menstruation, a fixed sharp stabbing pain that’s characteristic of blood stagnation. The liver channel runs up the leg and wraps around the external genitalia. So cold in the liver channel can also cause hernia pain or pain and contraction of the testicles, known as shan disorder (mounting disorder or bulging disorder).
A more serious condition of coldness is something Chinese medicine in Tarzana we call Tuo syndrome, Yang collapse or yang desertion. This is a condition of extreme coldness – cold limbs, fatigue, curling up into the fetal position or even certain Shen problems. Some of the herbs in this category are good for treating these conditions (i.e.,tuo syndrome). They warm the original yang or “rescue” devastated yang.
Herbs with the function of warming original yang and treating tuo syndrome will enter the heart channel. We can also have cold in the channels, with symptoms like cold extremities, cold hands and feet, pain or bi syndrome due to cold stagnation. The pulse, of course, is going to be slow or tight and the tongue is going to be pale or even blue.
Common features of the herbs in this category; The temperature is going to be warm or hot and taste is going to be acrid. remember the function of the acrid flavor is to disperse and so here we’re making use of the acrid flavor’s ability to disperse cold. The common function here is of course to warm the interior, but we want to pay attention here is, which herbs warm which systems as that’s going to determine what the entering channels are.
If an herb warms the spleen, it’s going to enter the spleen channel. If an herb warms the kidney, it’s going to enter the kidney channel. If an herb rescues devastated yang, then it’s going to enter the heart channel.
Cautions and Contraindications
Because these herbs are very warm or even hot, they may cause heat signs, and because the taste is acrid, they may also cause dryness, so use caution in cases of yin deficiency or blood deficiency.
Now onto the actual herbs themselves.
The three herbs are what we call the three hot herbs in Chinese medicine. These are some of the warmest herbs in our materiamedica. With each herb, what you want to pay attention to is:
- Within its category function, what this this herb’s specialty? All of these herbs warm the interior but what makes each one special? Is it particularly good at treating vomiting, does it rescue collapsed yang, etc.?
- Besides warming the interior, what else does it do? What other special functions make this herb useful?
ZhiFu Zi
The first of our three hot herbs is zhifuzi. The first thing to know about this herb is that it’s hot, acrid and toxic. This is aconite, which is toxic in its raw form. This herb is prepared by cooking it with ginger juice. But even in its prepared form, we still have to follow the special instruction of cooking it longer than the rest of the decoction in order to eliminate the rest of its toxicity.
The entering channels here pretty much line up with its functions. It enters the kidney channel because it warms the kidney, it enters the spleen channel because it warms the middle jiao and it enters the heart channel because it warms the original yang to treat that tuo syndrome. It also warms the channels for pain due to coldness and for bi syndrome due to coldness.
Gan Jiang
Gan Jiang is more commonly known as dried ginger. This is one of our best herbs for warming the middle jiao. In fact, our main formula for treating cold in the middle is cold li zhong wan (regulate the middle pill). Gan Jiang is the chief herb in this formula and it is very important for warming the spleen and stomach.
Combined with zhifuzi, this herb also warms the original yang to treat yang collapse. In fact, our formula for treating devastated yang is called sini tang (frigid extremities decoction). It only has three ingredients: zhifuzi, ganjiang and zhigancao. Both zhifuzi andganjiang appear here because they have this ability to rescue collapsed yang.
What sticks out here was ganjiang because this herb also warms the lung. We don’t have a lot of four herbs that have this function. They can help treat the profuse, copious, thin, white phlegm that’s bubbly, foamy or stringy. So again, not many herbs have this function so that makes ganjiang very special in this regard.
Rou Gui
The third of our hot herbs is rougui or cinnamon bark. Similar tozhifuzi, this herb warms the kidney, the middle jiao and the channels. Notice that this one does not have that function of rescuing collapsed yang but what is special about rougui is that it has this ability to guide heat to descend or “to anchor floating yang.
The idea here is when kidney yang is deficient, yang floats up and harasses the heart causing certain Shen problems like anxiety, restlessness and insomnia. Our diagnosis here is kidney and heart not communicating. In this situation, we can use rougui internally or apply it externally to the bottom of the foot at kidney 1 point.
Finally, rougui, by virtue of its yang properties, has something to do with aiding in the generation of qi and blood. So we can see that in addition to being acrid, this herb is also sweet and flavor, but we don’t really say that it has a direct action of tonification. Instead, we can combine it with tonifying herbs, and rougui’s warming yang nature will assist those herbs in tonifying qi and blood.
Chinese Medicine Treatment For Myofascial Pain Syndrome
A chronic condition marked by muscle pains, aches and spasms, MPS or Myofascial pain syndrome is brought about by “trigger points” in the body that manifest the symptoms associated with this condition.When a person suffers from myofascial pain syndrome,an aching and painful sensation that runs through the affected area is felt whenever a trigger point is pressed.
Myofascialpain syndrome produces varying degree of symptoms,which is based on the person’s bodily reactions. Some sufferers experience light minimal pain in the affected area, while others may experience debilitating and extremely severe pain.
What Causes MPS?
Myofascial pain syndrome is an idiopathic condition, which means this condition it has no known cause. However, health practitioners have been able to identify a number of risk factors, including lack of sleep, being one of them. For adult sufferers, doctors recommend 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night;although unfortunately, due to the painful symptoms of MPS, only a fraction of these people are really able to sleep this long. Prolonged lack of sleep can, in due time, increase the risk of MPS and affect the neurological system.
Emotionalinstability and depression have also been known to contribute significantly to MPS. Again, there is no known reason why this happens, butaccording to doctors, depressed people tend to be extremely susceptible to this condition.
Do You Have MPS?
When you experience muscle pain, it’s not always easy to differentiate whether it’s myofascial pain syndrome or the typical normal muscle pains and aches you’re suffering from.Almost all individuals have experienced muscle pain and tenderness some time or another. An overall aching feeling in your muscles after a hard day workis totally normal and should not give you any no reason for concern.
The main distinction between muscle soreness and myofascial pain syndrome is that the latter doesn’t disappear with rest. If a specific muscle group continues to experience muscle spasms and pain, it’s time to visit your primary health care provider.
Chinese medicine has an answer to MPS and it is the ancient treatment of acupuncture. This healing modality entails the placing of file for needles into certain points in the body to stimulate the self-healing processes of the body. In the veterans General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, researchers came to the conclusion that“acupuncture is avalid form of pain relief treatment for chronic MPS patients experiencing pain in the upper back and cervical regions.”
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is another alternative treatment to help relieve the symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome. It involves administering trigger point releasing techniques and light-tissue massages to help alleviate the painful symptoms. Massage therapy sessions done on a regular basis can help relieve muscle spasms whilst facilitating the flow of blood to the problem area. Eventually thiswill help assuagethe discomfort and pain related to MPS.
Chinese Herbal Therapy To Help Overcome Difficulties Caused By COPD
There are around 300 million alveoli in your lungs. These alveoli are small sacks that obtain oxygen from the air that is then infused into the blood. The cell releases carbon dioxide at the same time oxygen is pumped into a cell that then is distributed to the alveoli to be freed out of the body through the process of exhalation.
The alveoli can be damaged by tobacco smoking and when they’re damaged their ability to stretch open becomes limited. The body then will have difficulty to optimally take in oxygen leading to shortness of breath. Apart from the alveoli, smoking can also harm the tiny cells known as cilia. These are the cells that move phlegm up and out of our lungs. Cilia damage can cause toxins, dirt, and germs to accumulate and stagnate in the lungs, causing conditions such as COPD, lung cancer, chest infections, and chronic coughing.
Western Conventional Treatment for COPD
If you have been diagnosed with COPD, the most import thing to do is eliminate the factors that led to the rise of the condition. You need to therefore avoid being exposed to irritants and toxic substances such as fumes and dust,. You also need to stop smoking, and avoid second hand smoke.
Chinese Herbal Treatment for COPD
Having a highly successful history of treating COPD, Chinese herbal medicine can be used to treat shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and lessen phlegm congestion in the lungs. Some Chinese herbs can increase the lung’s ability to take in more oxygen, boost immunity, and treat inflammation.
Cordyceps sinensis
This herb is derived from a mushroom and has several applications that can improve lung function. Cordyceps traditionally comes in the form of a tonic meant to improve sleep quality, endurance, libido, stamina, appetite, and energy. This herb has attracted a lot of interest after the 1993 Beijing Summer games when marathon runners from China were suspected using drugs due to the incredible fast times they were registering in finishing this grueling race. The drug tests all turned out negative. The coach of the runners confessed that they had been using the Cordyceps Sinensis herb in preparation for the marathon.
Some effective Chinese herbs used by TCM practitioners for the treatment of COPD include:
Gan cao – an herb that lessens inflammation, halts cough, and moistens the lungs
Sang bai pi – relieves wheezing and halts cough
Wu wei zi – calms the body and stops cough
Zhe bei mu- lessens the production of phlegm in the body
Ju hong – clears phlegm
Jie geng – lessens phlegm and opens the airways in the lungs
Luo han guo- reduces inflammation and moistens the lungs
Zhi zi – reduces toxicity and strengthens the immune system
Huang qin – lessens phlegm and beefs up the immune system
Tian men dong – moistens the lungs and reduces lung inflammation
Fu ling – reduces the production of phlegm
Mai men dong – reduces inflammation and moistens the lungs
Dang gui – supplies more oxygen to the blood and minimizes swelling
Studies about Acupuncture Treatment in Bellingham for COPD
The results of a placebo-controlled, randomized study on COPD and acupuncture showed the treatment enhanced the range of motion of the rib cage, strengthened the respiratory muscle, as well as improved respiratory function and arterial blood gas, and treated shortness of breath. The ability to exercise was improved after the subjects were given acupuncture. Acupoints UB 13, 20 and 23, GB12, K3, ST36, CV 4 and 12, LI18, and LU 1 and 9 were treated with needles once a week for three months.
Another acupuncture treatment for COPD study done in 2012 discovered that acupuncture helped COPD patients by enhancing their oxygen saturation, reduced shortness of breath, and improved breathing difficulty during exercise. The subjects were given acupuncture ten weeks once each month.
Chinese Nutritional Techniques For Solving The Health Crisis In America
Learning Chinese Nutritional Techniques
Oneof the most puzzling dilemma the Western world faces today is how to eat healthy. Despite the fact that every few months we hear in the news the latest diet trend, a lot of people continue to gain weight.Moreand more health problems occur that are directly related to bad eating habits. This is quite possibly the reason some people are relying on Eastern holistic systems to curb their diet and weight.
The Main Concept of Chinese Nutrition
The principle of yin and yang is at the core of Chinese nutritional therapy in Fort Lauderdale. Yin and yang are two opposing complementary forces that are often depicted in Tai chi as a swirling black and white circle that are harmoniously combined while simultaneously exhibiting stark differences. In Taoist philosophy, the feminine principle is represented by yin while yang represents the masculine principle. Good health arises when these forces are in balance and harmony.
Theyin and yang is an indispensable aspect of Chinese nutrition.
Yin and Yang’s Role in Chinese Nutrition
In Chinese nutrition, balance between yin and yang is very much desired just as it is desired in other aspects of life. Because of this, Chinese food is categorized as one or the other of these dualities. For instance, yin is associated with fruits and vegetables while yang is affiliated with meat.
The best way to eat healthily is to consume a proper balance of both yin and yang dishes. You can go online and visit websites where there are articles written by some Chinese medicine practitioners listing all the foods that are classified either as yin or yang.
If you want to have proper harmony and balance in your diet, then learning these classifications is a must.
The Effects of an Imbalanced Diet
In China, people consider most health problems to be the result of a diet lacking in balance. For instance, if you’re tired too much and feeling weak, this may indicate that you’re consuming excess amounts of yin foods.
On the other hand, eating too much yin foods can lead to rheumatism and overconsumption of yang foods that can lead to ulcers. ‘Heatiness,’is the Chinese term for this.
InChina, this concept is taken very seriously, more so when a family member gets sick. Soups made from yin and yang ingredients are usually cooked and fed to a person who is suffering. The Chinese people are often concerned with what they’re eating even when they are healthy. This is why they maintain this healthy balance in their diet.
Chinese Medicine And Preventing Colon Cancer
I want to read to you a headline of an article I found this morning. It’s from the Science Daily from Penn State. It says, “Medical marijuana has gained attention in recent years for its potential to relieve pain and short-term anxiety and depression.” The researchers say, “Some cannabinoid compounds may actually inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells in the lab.”
That means the medical marijuana can slow down the growth of cancer cells. I don’t know way that would be, and I would advise you that if you’re going to smoke cannabis, don’t smoke it unless it’s rare, eat it, because if you’re getting high every weekend, you don’t want to be adding hot gases to your upper body because the hot gases 1could damage it.
But really, all we want to talk about in this article is colon cancer, which is a terrible problem. Just like everything else, this type of cancer is a combination of genes and lifestyle. If you have the gene that causes colon cancer and it gets switched on, then you need to be lean and clean on the inside since, more often than not, a lot of people tend to overeat. It’s not eating the wrong food that’s the problem, it’s eating too much. Eating too many calories will make you fat and along with that fat comes a cesspool of toxins in the colon.
In other words, half processed foods will cause what in Chinese medicine in Maitland, is called food stagnation. If you’re eating too much food, and you don’t exercise, food and other materials will stagnate in the body in the body, which will build the pressure in your body. By nature, the food should be trying to get out but it can’t because it’s not being processed and it’s overloaded.
The digestive apparatus is unable to process the food and so the food just sits there and becomes toxic. If those toxins stay there in the body or a while, the body could experience all kinds of problems. Issues such as sinus problems and skin problems would be the first indication. Over time, the toxins can cause the development of nasty little tumors and polyps, which thrive and grow because of the environment and eventually they become a big problem.
Hunger is your meter from being clean and lean, especially if you’re overweight or obese. So it’s worth it to back off food for a while. Whatever it takes, stay off the food. In Chinese medicine, prevention is the most important factor to good health. So, time and time again, Chinese medicine encourage you to eat the right foods, eat them in moderation, get a good night’s sleep and exercise every day.
This is one way to prevent colon cancer and any type of cancer from developing in your body, even if you have a predisposition to cancer.
Chinese Herbal Medicine Si Wu Tang, The Four Substance Decoction
Si Wu Tang is a basic formula that is often prescribed for women in China. By basic, I mean that the four herbs will be the principal herbs of the final prescription indicated for the patient together with other herbs specific for the patient’s condition. I think this formula is a good starting point for appreciating Chinese herbal medicine.
Students of Chinese medicine usually start by learning Ma Huang Tang and Wei Ju Tang, formulas, which are more difficult to understand and can easily be misunderstood. These formulas are commonly used to treat painful menstruation or dysmenorrhea. It is also used for amenorrhea or scanty menstruation. Chinese doctors have always paid attention to menstruation as an important indicator of women’s health and fertility.
Most texts state that Si Wu Tang was first noted in a 12th century Song Dynasty text in the pharmacopeia of the Taiping Welfare Dispensary Bureau.But it may well originally be derived from the third century formula, XiongGui Jiao Ai Tang, which appears from the Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet, written by Zhang Zhongjing.
This version of the formula has indications in line with currently accepted opinions on the actions of Si Wu Tang. Si Wu Tang has always been a popular formula and was very often prescribed by ancient Chinese doctors.
What category of formula is Si Wu Tang?
Chinese herbal medicine formulas are arranged in categories and Si Wu Tang is classified under the category of tonifying or nourishing formulas. Within the category of tonifying formulas, there are six subcategories, according to which aspect of the body will be nourished. Specifically, Si Wu Tang is a blood tonifying formula.
Si Wu Tang or the Four Substance Decoction is probably the most prosaic name of all Chinese formulas. Si means four. Wu just means a thing, substance or matter. Tang means decoction but it also means soup and indeed, a decoction is very much a soup made out of herbs that are boiled in water for a certain amount of time.
The actions of this formula are acknowledged:
1. To nourish and regulate the blood.
2. To regulate menstruation and remove stagnation.
Composition of Si Wu Tang
The formula consists of four herbs: dang gui or Chinese Angelica root, shu di huang or cooked rehmannia root, bai shao or white peony root and chuanxiong or cnidium rhizome. In China, prescriptions were written out using Chinese characters. Outside China, there is a strong movement to use the unique Latin name, which would avoid confusion, but the names tend to be very much longer.
As a matter of principle, when writing out a prescription, it is certainly better to avoid the common English name, as some common names can vary by region or apply to different plants. A typical dosage for Si Wu Tang’s 9 g each of dang gui and bai shao, 12 g of shu di huang and 6 g of chuanxiong. In general, the amount stated in formulas are indicative and it is the ratio of the ingredients that it is of the greatest importance.
Different people will respond to different decoction strengths, and experience and feedback are important in determining dosage appropriate for your patient. Once we learn the properties of the herbs, we can determine how to vary the dosages of each individual herb, depending on the patient’s condition. It is useful to note that we are using the roots and rhizomes of these plants.
This is indicative of herbs that nourish. For information, rhizome is actually an underground stem and not a root. Three herbs in this formula dang gui, bai shao and shu di huang are considered to be blood tonifying. It’s worth noting that the Chinese term buxue has been translated in a number of ways, that is to tonify, nourish, enrich, supplement, reinforce or strengthen.
It should be emphasized that we’re not talking about a direct chemical problem in the composition of the blood. Chinese medicine is not based on laboratory tests but on the sensations perceived by the doctors when they palpate the patient’s pulse. The pulse may indicate that something appears to be lacking in the blood and these herbs provide that something.
This notion of lacking is termed blood deficiency of blood vacuity and it can be determined from the pulse and the pallor of the patient’s features. This is not necessarily synonymous with anemia, as recognized in Western blood tests, although these two conditions may coincide.
Chuanxiong is considered to be a blood invigorating herb. Huoxue is often translated as invigorating, moving or quickening the blood or improving blood circulation. These herbs treats blood stagnation. This can mainly be seen from the patient’s tongue and pulse. On a cultural note, this is how Chinese students learn formulas and herbs.
There is a short poem associated with each formula. In this case, the poem is as follows:
siwushudigui shao xiong
buxuetioaxue ci fang zong
yingxuaxuzhizhuduozheng
jiajianyunyongguibiantong
Chinese education emphasizes learning texts by heart and poems such as this are a big help to Chinese students to master hundreds of formulas. This poem gives both the ingredients of the formula, its actions and under which conditions should be used. As you can see, the Chinese language is very terse, which facilitates abbreviations and enable students to learn these properties more easily.
Properties of Ingredients
So now for some more detail in the individual herbs.
Dang Gui
Dang gui is Chinese Angelica root and has been known for a while in the West under a number of spellings. It has an oily texture and tends to be cut into longer thin strips. Its properties are sweet, acrid and warm. It is associated with the heart, liver and spleen channels. From the five transformation diagram, the sweet property is associated with the spleen channel.
The characteristics of dang gui are that it both tonifies and invigorates the blood with more emphasis on tonification. And it also regulates menstruation and alleviates or stops pain. You should be careful about using dang gui if the patient suffers from diarrhea or abdominal fullness. The patient may show a tongue with a thick coating, which would imply dampness.
You’ll also need to be careful about using dang gui if the patient is taking certain Western medicines are supplements.
Shu Di Huang
Shu di huang is Chinese foxglove root that is prepared by mixing with the rice wine and screaming until the roots are black and moist. The herbs are then dried in the sun. The herb is sweet and moist, slightly warm in nature and very cloying. It has a characteristic overbaked look and is associated with the heart, kidney and liver channels.
The characteristics of shu di wang are that it tonifies blood, enriches yin, generates essence and augments the marrow. It should be underlined that shu di wang is a very cloying and rich substance and can on the body like a heavy dessert. It can aggravate dampness and impede digestion. It should be used carefully in case of Chi stagnation and excessive phlegm.
Bai Shao
Bai shao is white peony root. It is produced from the roots of cultivated paeonialactea flora with the skin removed. It’s properties are bitter, sour and mildly cold and it is associated with the liver and spleen channels. From the five transformations diagram, the sour flavor is associated with the liver. The actions of bai shao are that it tonifies blood and regulates menstruation.
It conserves Yin and and stops sweat. It alleviates pain, nourishes and softens the liver and stabilizes liver yang. Because bai shao is called inhibiting, you should be careful about prescribing it to a patient who has a weak stomach or who suffers from diarrhea. It should not be prescribed for very long periods.
ChuanXiong
Chuanxiong is cnidium root or lovage root. Each one in its name is associated with the province Szechuan. It has a characteristic irregular shape with a darker margin. Its properties are acrid and warm and it is associated with the liver, gallbladder and pericardium channels. Its key characteristics are that it invigorates the blood, promotes the movement of Chi and expels wind.
It is very often used to treat headaches. Chuanxiong should be used with great care during pregnancy or if the patient bleeds easily or has profuse menses. It should not be used in cases of Yin deficiency where there is general dryness and the patient has a red dry tongue.
If we look at a summary of the herbs in the formula, we see that the mixture of herbs is mildly warming and has two herbs that are sweet and two that are acrid contributing to its blood nourishing and blood moving characteristics. If we look at the organs and channels associated with the herbs, we see that all the herbs are associated with the liver.
We can look at dang gui and chuanxiong as paired herbs. Dang gui is mainly associated with blood tonification and nourishment and chuanxiong is mainly associated with blood movement or invigoration. Dang gui is somewhat oily in texture and tends to moisturize. The dryness of chuanxiong balances the somewhat greasy texture of dang gui.
Actions and use of Si Wu Tang
Si Wu Tangis said to nourish and regulate or harmonize the blood. It also regulates menstruation and moves or transforms stagnation. We can look at this through the metaphor of a boat on a river that is running dry. The shallow water represents blood deficiency in this will impede the boat’s movement. Also, if the water does not flow, will not move easily.This represents blood stagnation.
So it is important that there should be enough water or the patient’s case, blood in that it should be free to move. It’s interesting to compare the properties of Si Wu Tang as a formula with that of one of its constituent herbs, dang gui. Even though one of dang gui’s properties is to invigorate blood, this action is minor compared to its function of nourishment.
By looking at the functions of all the herbs in the formula, we can see that the other herbs help to modulate the nourishment and the integration of blood in this helps us to see that the formula is appropriate for a syndrome of blood deficiency and stagnation. The syndrome can be identified by the following signs and symptoms:
The patient complains of a feeling of weakness and fatigue and if the patient is a woman, she’ll be having menstrual problems.
Patient has pale features, which may include their face, eyes, lips, nails and especially their tongue.
Their pulse is thin and rough or thin and tight. Menstrual problems may include dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, irregular menstruation or spotting.
Other symptoms may include dizziness are blurred vision, heart palpitations and insomnia.
Western Evidence
One of the most respected forms of Western evidence are Cochrane reviews. Cochrane reviews are systematic of primary research in human health care and health policy and are internationally recognized as the highest standard of evidence-based health care resources. A 2008 Cochrane review supported the use of formulas based on Si Wu Tang on dysmenorrhea.
There are some circumstances when Si Wu Tang should not be used. This is especially the case when the patient has a body constitution that indicates dry heat or internal fire. This would be indicated by red eyes, dry mouth and tongue, swollen gums, a tendency to have acne and a feeling of being easily constipated.
To summarize, Si Wu Tang:
• Treats menstrual problems: dysmenorrhea
• Treats blood deficiency and stagnation syndrome
• Nourishes and regulates blood
• Regulates menstruation and moves stagnation
Blue Mountain Acupuncture
2200 Melrose St Suite 9
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: (509) 876-4597
https://www.bluemountainacupuncture.com