Yin, Yang and You

Chinese Medicine is based on the workings of nature. The Chinese studied the natural world around them and based their diagnostic system on patterns they noticed as the seasons changed and the cycle of life turned.

Acupuncture uses yin and yang, the Five Elements, and Qi (energy) to describe the functioning of the human body. Story has it that the sun was shining on a mountain. One side was dark and the other was lit. The dark side of the mountain is called yin and the lit side called yang. The yin and yang are classifications on a continuum as pairs of opposites. You can think of your own body pain as yin or yang. Is the area cold? A cold pain is yin. Is it a burning pain? A hot pain is yang. Is your pain cold on the outside skin but burning at the joint? The pain is yang within yin.

Continuing again with the nature metaphor, the Chinese classified the world around them into Five Elements. The Five Elements are fire, earth, metal, water and wood. When the yin and yang of the element is out of balance, each element evokes a corresponding pathogen, something that makes you ill. Out of balance, Fire brings on too much heat. Out of balance, Earth brings too much dampness. Metal, dryness. Water, cold. Wood, wind. So body pain can be described in these terms. For example, Arthritis is a wind illness and so the Acupuncturist treats the yin and yang of the Wood aspect of the body. There is an elegant simplicity to the differential diagnosis of Chinese Medicine.

With this kind of information the acupuncturist can diagnose and treat with needles but with so much more. Acupuncturists are trained to use

1) Chinese herbs,

2) Moxabustion (a warming herb),

3) Cupping or gua sha (suction cups and scraping applied on the skin to
release pathogens),

4) Tui na or shiatsu (manual massage techniques), and

5) Diet and Lifestyle

Since lifestyle plays such a large role in health, an acupuncturist will often consult about sleeping, eating, and other simple ways to balance life.

I am often asked if the acupuncture needles hurt and if there is any scientific proof for how acupuncture works. The needles are thin and solid like a thread or a strand of hair. The sensation of acupuncture is usually mild. Sometimes people don't notice anything or they feel a slightly "electric" sensation. The World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health have recognized the efficacy of acupuncture for many disorders. Millions of people have received acupuncture over the past three thousand years. There is no scientific proof for acupuncture other than, like anything else, it works sometimes! It is one of those therapies you try and see if it works for you. Within a few sessions you will have an idea if you are headed in the right direction for your healing.

Stress and pain are common symptoms that bring people to an acupuncturist. Stress is a mitigating factor in most illnesses. Stress can be viewed as an imbalance. An acupuncture treatment would be considered a restful (yin) remedy for a hectic (yang) day, helping to balance the yin and yang of your life. Balancing activity and rest, going out into the world and nurturing yourself, are critical areas to consider. As the seasons change, and as you age, it is important to work with yourself in maintaining balance. As Summer draws near, both the natural world and we as humans experience long days (yang). How do we make the most of this time? Summer is a time for enjoying the fullness of activity, working and playing through the extended daylight hours. If we have overworked (yang) during the Winter (yin) we may not be able to enjoy the Summer with the enthusiasm that characterizes the season. The acupuncturist works with harmonizing the body in its environment.

Pain in Chinese Medicine is considered a stagnation of Qi (energy). Treatments for pain in general move Qi, while the underlying yin-yang Five Element imbalance is diagnosed. A typical treatment for a sports injury, say IT Band Friction Syndrome, which involves lateral knee pain, would involve cupping the IT band, applying moxabustion, and receiving an acupuncture needle treatment. There may be herbs or lifestyle suggestions that may help. The acupuncturist and her patient would assess what pathogenic factors played a role in causing the pain and treat the underlying imbalances. For example, for Ilio-Tibial Band Friction Syndrome, tightness in the lateral thigh, we may treat the Wood element for heat and dryness. The Wood Element's Shaoyang acupuncture meridian lies along the Ilio-Tibial Band, the lateral thigh, and is responsible for nourishing it. A tight shoulder may involve a similar treatment with local cupping, moxabustion and de-stressing the muscle tension of the whole body.

At the heart of Chinese Medicine lies a diagnostic system based on thousands of years of practice. To listen, watch, feel, and smell, to take notice of one's natural environment is the basis of the medicine. Through lifestyle advice, Chinese massage, warming techniques, external skin treatments and using acupuncture needles, the acupuncturist has a variety of tools for achieving a healthy body. Balancing the yin and yang, the Five Elements and Qi all contribute to your health.