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Chinese medicine More than acupuncture
Anyone who speaks of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) usually thinks only of acupuncture. The needling of certain points makes up only a small part of the Far East's teaching. Up to 80 percent of the alternative medicine is based on the Chinese drug therapy. In addition, Qi Gong, Tuina massages and nutritional science play a crucial role in the success of therapy.
Chinese remedies: No harmless teas
Herbal ingredients such as roots, barks or tubers have a high potential for action. They awaken and control self-healing powers. "Depending on the clinical picture, Chinese medicines support the elimination of inflammation or metabolic toxins, regulate the immune system or strengthen the body's natural clarifying functions," explains Dr. med. Christian Schmincke, general practitioner, TCM expert and head of the Clinic at the Steigerwald. Before taking it as a decoction, the therapist creates an individualized formula for the patient according to diagnostic criteria. Ideally, it controls the impact on the body on a daily basis. The remedies are not suitable for self-treatment. Used incorrectly, they can worsen symptoms or cause illness. This is made clear by the example of ginseng: in a long-term trial, patients consumed about five grams daily. Almost every third person developed hypertension over time. So the highly effective remedies always belong in the trained hands of a therapist.
Acupuncture: "Energy and blood flow again"
Acupuncture pursues the goal to re-harmonize the flow of energy in the body. The body surface of an adult human being is covered by hundreds of points, all of which are suitable for irritation treatment. The meridian doctrine brings some order to these well over 1000 researched points. By stimulating them, a sense of flow develops that can emanate from the needle and spread along the meridians - energy and blood flow again, say the Chinese. This in turn not only relieves pain and restlessness, but also gives practitioners the opportunity to interact with organs from the outside. Therapies based on the meridians usually develop their effects very quickly. For example, the acupuncture of a certain point on the wrist calms asthma attacks. Even headaches can be treated well if they have been diagnosed according to Chinese criteria. "For headaches alone, Chinese medicine knows more than 100 acupuncture points," explains Dr. med. Schmincke. "From the point of view of TCM, headache is not the same as headache, and two patients may have different causes despite the same symptoms."
Tuina - manual therapy in Chinese
The Tuina massage is the manual therapy of the Chinese. The massage technique uses certain hand techniques to make the meridians more permeable and regulate the flow of energy in the body. It is the basis for the coordination of the organ functional circuits on each other. During the tuina massage, the therapist rubs, pushes and pushes the corresponding parts of the body with his hands or elbows.
Qi Gong helps to feel your own body
The meditative movements of Qi Gong are not normal sports exercises. It is not about strengthening or stretching of muscles and tendons, but about slow movements that involve the whole body. The Qi, the life energy, follows the attention, say the Chinese. Through the gentle movements of the energy flow is stimulated and addressed body, soul and spirit. "Qigong requires concentration from the patient and, many sick people have often forgotten, the ability to feel their body closely, to pay attention to small signals," says Dr. Schmincke.
Nutrition: Fruit and vegetable-rich foods are not enough
Little meat and at least one apple a day - many Germans associate this with a healthy diet. However, from the point of view of Chinese medicine, healthy eating means much more than focusing on a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Foods can balance when illness causes an imbalance. Therefore, foods in TCM are considered mild therapeutics. It does not depend on the individual food components such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, but rather on the effect of food on the energy of humans. For example, the flavor decides from salty to sharp about the depth at which a dish develops its effect.
Incidentally, all five pillars have in common that patients in the West need a little less of everything than in China. Thus, in this country usually only lower dosages are used. The same applies to acupuncture. The Chinese patient calls for needle stimuli in which a European patient escapes. TCM experts therefore need to precisely modify the Chinese recommendations. (Pm)