Chinese medicine deeply considers emotions as an indicator of health, but understands that a person’s emotional state is not just a matter of emotions, it is also related to organ function. By adjusting the function of the organ (or organs) involved, there will be an accompanying adjustment in emotions.
In the traditional Chinese medicine paradigm, your body is a whole and your mind and emotions are completely connected. TCM understands that the body, mind, emotions and spirit are linked, and that an excess of any emotion can affect the function and balance of its corresponding organ. The reverse is also true: an imbalance in the function of an organ can cause emotional problems.
Traditional Chinese medicine encompasses many different practices, including acupuncture, moxibustion (burning an herb on the skin to apply heat to acupuncture points), Chinese medicinal herbs, tui na (Chinese therapeutic massage), diet therapy, and tai chi and qi gong (practices that combine specific movements or postures, coordinated breathing and mental concentration).
Acupuncture is a technique in which doctors stimulate specific points on the body, usually by inserting fine needles through the skin. Studies suggest that acupuncture stimulates the body’s release of natural pain relievers and affects areas of the brain involved in pain processing; however, some trials suggest that real acupuncture and sham acupuncture are equally effective, indicating a placebo effect. However, the results of several studies suggest that actual acupuncture can help relieve types of pain that are often chronic, such as low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis / knee pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. It can also help reduce the frequency of tension headaches and prevent migraines. Therefore, acupuncture appears to be a reasonable option for people with chronic pain to consider.