Ancient Chinese Medicine Facts That Are Absolutely Astonishing!
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Traditional Chinese medicine has been practiced for ages and has somewhat changed over time.
Traditional Chinese medicine has progressed to become a mainstream alternative medicine or form of medical treatment used all over the world. Its core idea is that the life-giving or vital force known as qi flows through the body, and any disturbance in qi can cause sickness and disease.
Traditional Chinese medicine boosts the body's natural healing mechanisms.
Sickness is defined as changes in the normal flow of qi that result in an imbalance of yin and yang. It is thought to have three contributing factors which are external or ecological aspects, sentiments, and lifestyle choices such as eating habits.
Confucius, the wise sage, understood that traditional Chinese people intended to live a balanced lifestyle. Traditional Chinese medicine practices include needle treatment (acupuncture), pressure point massage (tai chi), and natural medicine sustenance.
Chinese back massages, such as judo and qi gong, combine development and meditation. A variety of analytical studies back up the medicinal and health benefits of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). For example medical authorities like the UK's National Health Service (NHS) claim that needle therapy can be used to cure specific types of discomfort.
The body's internal organs are seen as individual designs as well as mind-boggling networks in traditional Chinese medicine. TCM practitioners can change the formula of any medicine based on the patient's health status.
As a result, TCM homemade prescriptions and medications cannot be bought without professional consultation and guidance.
Because of risks such as respiratory distress and stroke, the FDA banned the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra and plants containing ephedra bunch alkaloids in 2004. Ephedra is a Chinese spice that is used in dietary supplements for weight loss and performance enhancement.
Regardless, the ban does not apply to certain homegrown goods prepared within TCM regulations that are intended for brief usage instead of long-term use. It also has no bearing on doctor-prescribed medications or homemade herbal teas. If you are thinking about using traditional Chinese medicine, consulting with a certified professional is the best option.
Are Chinese herbal medicines safe? What is Oriental medicine? Does an acupuncture treatment or tai chi treatment help with chronic pain? Read on to find all the answers!
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History Of Chinese Medicine
In the third century, Emperor Qin invested a considerable amount of time, energy, and resources in search of an elixir or medicine to give him immortality. It was accepted that he discovered every plant that was edible and beneficial to human health.
Many of the fundamental principles of Chinese medicine were put forth over 2,000 years ago in the 'Yellow Emperor's Classic Of Internal Medicine'. Sun Simiao, a seventh-century Chinese doctor, is regarded as China's Hippocrates. He stated that experts should treat poor and helpless people the same way they treat the wealthy.
The Ancient Chinese invented needle treatment that is now known as acupuncture, and monotheists from China were the ones who introduced the concept of yin and yang. Medicine in yin and yang was balanced in Ancient China brilliantly. Old Chinese medicine included remedies prepared from specific herbs.
Yoga, acupuncture, weighing, and a traditional Chinese back rub are examples of conventional remedies. Acupuncture treatment helps ease joint pain and back pain caused by clinical treatments for breast cancer.
Thin needles are inserted into very specific points along the meridians in acupuncture. The needles activate the meridians and correct out the flow of qi, balancing the body's yin and yang.
Instead of needles, an acupressure massage can be used to activate the acupuncture points. Tai chi is an ancient military technique that combines deep breathing exercises with fast movements. Practicing tai chi should improve your balance, temper, mood, and help to have better tolerance to chronic pain.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
The ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine are blended according to a recipe and are widely consumed by drinking the homemade mixture with some tea.
Roots, leaves, stalks, seeds, and flowers such as goji berries, ginger, and cinnamon are some of the spices used in this form of medicine. Some organic foods, such as loquats and pears, have healing powers as well.
Instructions or perhaps even recipes have been handed down from one generation to the next. To become a traditional Chinese medicine specialist in China, practitioners must first learn everything they can about spices as students.
Individuals who practice Chinese medicine believe that particular plants may be used to cure various medical problems, diseases, and illnesses, including clinical concerns like bronchitis, heart disease, psychological well-being issues like depression, and the effects of various chemotherapy treatments. However, some Chinese spices have been found to contain toxic heavy metals such as lead and mercury.
Recently, negative responses from Chinese herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine have increased. Intense liver damage caused by Chinese herbal medicine accounts for a considerable portion of all overall wounds.
A trained and certified traditional Chinese medicine practitioner can identify which spices are safe for human consumption. The consultant should also explain the intended outcome of the spices they prescribe.
Inform your regular doctor about any spices or supplements you are regularly using. Beware that Chinese homemade products sometimes include medicines that are not listed on their labels.For example, several Chinese herbal remedies and creams used to treat skin problems contain steroid tablets.
Also, keep an eye out for Chinese herbal medicines that contain heavy metals and aristolochic acid. This chemical is derived from a spice that has been associated with kidney failure and even cancer.
Evidence shows that sometimes these medicines may aid in the treatment of some medical conditions by decreasing their side effects. In any event, more testing is necessary before these medications may be prescribed to people.
The Philosophy Behind Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine is centered on the type of thinking which is in harmony with nature. The basic way of thinking behind Traditional Chinese medicine is that our bodies are an automated system.
The body regulates itself in order to achieve a balance between all of its parts. Two matching energies, yin and yang, infiltrate the human body as well as the world as a whole.
According to TCM, an individual is healthy when there is harmony between these two forces. Illness, on the other hand, is caused by the destruction in the balance of yin and yang.
When they are in harmony, you feel liberated and energized. However, if they are out of balance, it might have a negative impact on your health.
Practitioners also believe that everybody has an energy or life force called qi and that qi should be balanced and flow freely in order for yin and yang to be balanced and the body to be healthy.
Qi, according to TCM, flows through organ systems, including the kidneys, heart, brain, liver, lung, stomach, and via meridians.
Western Medicine In China
'The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon', published around 150 BC, is the main authentic record of TCM.
Traditional Chinese medicine has been used for over 2,000 years, and it involves more than just monitoring a patient's pulse and drinking herbal teas. It has various divisions, much like Western medicine.
In addition to providing a solution, traditional Chinese medicine includes numerous treatments to help people become strong and stay healthy, for example, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture treatment, cupping, and traditional Chinese massage.
Before the introduction of Western clinical treatment in China, traditional Chinese medication had been used as the standard kind of clinical treatment for more than 2,000 years, saving a large number of Chinese lives. Initially, rumors were circulated of Western doctors stealing organs from patients and storing them in chapels, as well as using children's hearts in evil rituals.
Western medicine gained popularity only in the 1890s with the rise of the black plague, an infection that Chinese herbal medicine was unable to cure. In the major hospitals, the extent to which traditional and Western treatment methods were merged and incorporated varied greatly.
A handful of emergency clinics and medical schools of purely traditional medicine were established. Depending on the illness, using both treatments is considered quite effective.
The World Health Organization is now investigating the clinical framework in Asia. Many doctors in Asia aim to use the 'three roads' model of practice. These are Western medicine, Chinese medicine, and a blend of the two.
If a Chinese person becomes unwell frequently, the individual in question will seek out a Western specialist pharmaceutical as well as one who practices Oriental medicine. TCM treatments like acupuncture, development, concentration, and fixation exercises such as tai chi, are now commonly found in Western medicine and have received the most research of the relative number of alternative therapies.
Some herbal treatments used in TCM can function like medicines and be quite beneficial, yet they may also have some side effects.
Modern science has discovered little proof for core concepts of traditional Chinese medicine, such as qi, and there is considerable dispute among TCM practitioners regarding the best treatment for some specific illnesses.
As per the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (RCOG), Chinese herbal medicines may play a role in the treatment of painful period cramps (dysmenorrhea). Since certain TCM herbal medicines might react with or be hazardous when combined with Western medicines, you should inform and consult your doctor if you use TCM.
Ancient Vs. Modern Chinese Medicine
Going to TCM clinics is a common choice for Chinese people. Analytical techniques, such as monitoring a patient's pulse, blood pressure, and circulatory strain, are now being performed by machine. TCM experts typically use Western stethoscopes or even a blood test to aid in deciding the outcome.
In the USA, there are more than 50 Oriental medicine training programs available. Ongoing research and clinical trials on traditional Chinese medicine are expected to uncover precisely how it works, as well as its practicality, safety, and expense.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a collection of mental and bodily exercises used to cure a range of problems, including heart disease, mental health issues, and chronic pain. It might very well be divided into three distinct classes.
The first is acupuncture, where fine needles are inserted into your body to stimulate nerves beneath your skin. This is considered to help your body release natural pain-relieving molecules known as endorphins.
Yoga, tai chi, and a similar discipline known as qi gong are all physical exercises.
While it is unlikely that tai chi may cause serious harm, it may cause minor aches. Pregnant women should always, as a precaution, consult with their doctors before beginning tai chi, qi gong, or any other physical activity.
According to study results, practicing tai chi may improve balance and steadiness in elderly adults and those with Parkinson's disease, reduce pain from osteoarthritis of the knee, help people adapt to chronic fatigue, back pain, and elevate the mood and wellbeing of people with heart problems.
A Chinese medicine expert examines a patient by looking at their face, eyes, tongue, ears, and nose and listening to their speech, and feeling the pulse and complexion. Acupuncture, qi gong, meditation, dietary changes, and herbal remedies are generally the only treatments they recommend.
A few experts also examine the face for discolorations in the teeth, hair, and ears. The nose is examined for lungs problems. The tongue is used to determine if a person has heart problems. The color of the skin is used to evaluate liver problems. They examine the iris of the eye with extra care.
Medicine for internal health issues such as allergies, digestive issues, respiratory difficulties, weariness, anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation, boost immunity and enhance muscle recovery. Pain management treatments aim to treat a variety of side effects, such as fibromyalgia, back pain, and migraines, to mention a few.
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.
Adekunle Olanrewaju JasonBachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.
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