Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the world’s oldest medical systems, designed to restore equilibrium between opposing forces of yin and yang found within humans and throughout nature. TCM seeks to balance out these complementary energies in both environments by creating balance within each human being as they relate to one another.
Sun Simiao demonstrated an interest in philosophy through his interest in yin-yang theory and macrocosm-microcosm correspondences; Zhang Xichun states explicitly that philosophy forms the basis for medicine.
What is TCM?
Chinese medicine practitioners employ techniques like acupuncture, herbs, moxibustion, cupping (a suction technique used to promote blood flow) tui na massage and other bodywork therapies to address mind-body imbalances that lead to various ailments in people. For instance, conjunctivitis could be caused by inefficient liver storage of blood.
TCM asserts that everything in our universe is composed of qi (vital energy). For optimal health, people must maintain balanced qi. Qi can manifest physically through emotions, sensations and pain in our physical bodies as well as organ health; immunity; homeostasis or our natural intelligence which allows us to live in tune with nature’s natural cycles; homeostasis can keep our immune system working optimally while keeping us connected to its rhythms.
Acupuncture and herbal medicines are two of the most powerful forms of treatment within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Both can treat both the source of one’s distress as well as its symptoms, while also helping the body’s innate healing processes by supporting natural defense mechanisms.
TCM practitioners will assess patients by gathering an in-depth medical history and performing a physical exam, taking note of skin, eyes, hair and nail color as well as listening to voicemail recordings or feeling their pulses. Furthermore, Chinese medicine practitioners often examine tongues to ascertain whether there is harmony or disharmony in a patient’s life.
TCM practitioners hold that our bodies are microcosms of the universe and reflect its environment, including those surrounding us. Furthermore, they believe that human bodies possess natural self-healing properties; illness occurs only when balance in our systems has been upset.
Many TCM remedies have been demonstrated to have anti-fatigue effects; however, only a select few have been scientifically investigated and verified as such. This may be largely attributed to their complex chemical ingredients and action mechanisms as well as manufacturing/quality control challenges; as more research occurs and knowledge expands further within TCM, more anti-fatigue TCM treatments should become readily available.
Depletion
Energy is an integral component of Chinese Medicine and plays a central role in overall wellness, much like your car battery is essential to starting up. When your energy levels are balanced, you have strong resistance against disease and an enhanced quality of life; when imbalanced however, illness ensues as your body cuts back energy supplies to less important organs in order to safeguard more essential ones – this may result in poor circulation, cold hands/feet, bloating or irregular or difficult bowel movements as a result.
Acupuncture and herbs help restore balance to one’s energy system. An acupuncturist can reduce excess, strengthen deficient areas, or subdue rebellious energies as necessary. Furthermore, they will recommend diet and lifestyle modifications that will enhance energy flow within the body.
Acupuncturists possess an in-depth knowledge of TCM herbs and their clinical applications, making them experts at selecting herbal formulas based on symptoms, diagnosis and the affected meridians or channels; dose adjustments are tailored according to patient condition, age, gender etc. Additionally, advanced diagnostic techniques are often employed by acupuncturists in order to measure temperature change of herb’s metabolites using microcalorimetry or analyze network pharmacology consequences of different herbs.
Stagnation
Stagnation (shi zhi) in Chinese Medicine refers to a collection of symptoms found within the digestive system that are often related to diet or lifestyle choices, resulting in pain or distention within the abdomen, belching, hiccoughs, loss of appetite, loose or watery stools, frontal headaches and emotional restlessness.
stagnation tends to result from chronic issues rather than acute ones, such as diet or lifestyle habits, stress or trauma. Addressing such concerns immediately is necessary as they could potentially lead to serious physical ailments as well as emotional health concerns such as depression.
This study examined 117 participants diagnosed with stagnation syndrome using the Stagnation Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Major depression was often co-occurring with stagnation syndrome and associated with poorer physical and psychological functioning outcomes.
TCM recognizes the link between emotions and body qi (vital energy) flow and can negatively impact all organ systems. When liver qi becomes stagnant due to emotional trauma from childhood abuse or mistreatment, this blockage can either be conscious or subconscious and lead to more severe health issues down the road.
Lung-Qi stagnation may arise as a result of feelings such as sadness, grief, shame or guilt and can manifest as difficulty sleeping, coughing, breathlessness, an uncomfortable lump in your throat feeling, sighing, poor appetite and dry lungs or weak and cold complexion. It is typically accompanied by an indented pale purple tongue.
Anger Qi (ni wu) and Heart Qi-Stagnation (Ni Shen) can become stagnated emotions that need to be released through healthy outlets, like sleep or emotional support from family and friends. When your Heart becomes inactive it often results in difficulty sleeping or an oppressive sensation in your chest that makes breathing hard or tight shoulders that is caused by anxiety or emotional support shortage.
Treatment
TCM therapies focus on restoring balance to the entire body when treating health problems, instead of viewing each organ as separate entities that need treating by medication. This differs significantly from Western medicine which tends to view our bodies as machines with specific organs needing treating with medication.
Traditional Chinese Medicine views the human body as a dynamic, complex system interconnecting its parts and systems. Much like an automobile needs inputs and outputs in order to run optimally; when these systems become imbalanced they can manifest as physical or emotional symptoms.
When you wake up feeling fatigued no matter how long you slept, this indicates your body hasn’t fully recharged while asleep. This could be caused by an overactive mind that refuses to shut off at bedtime; or by poor appetite and skipping meals followed by overeating in the afternoons or evenings; which leaves your digestive system struggling to absorb essential nutrients properly, leaving you exhausted and unwell.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help address imbalances that rob energy from you, helping restore your energy levels. But first visit your physician so they can rule out any serious illnesses that might be contributing to fatigue, and work with healthcare provider to identify any underlying causes contributing to it – then treat them effectively.
