Chinese Herbal Medicine Archives - Acupuncture in the Park

Treating Skin Conditions with Chinese Medicine

Most of the time, skin conditions aren’t life-threatening, but they can be hard to diagnose, challenging to treat, and frustrating overall. Enter acupuncture and Chinese medicine. When it comes to skin conditions, there are many instances when Chinese medicine can be an effective treatment. Here are some things you may not know:

1) When it comes to Chinese medicine, dermatology has been around a long time. Ancient texts suggest that practitioners have been treating skin conditions with acupuncture and herbs for about 3,000 years.

2) Chinese medicine involves understanding the underlying cause of your condition and treating it systemically—and dermatology is no exception. If you seek out an acupuncturist for a skin condition, they will likely ask you about your diet, digestion, sleep patterns, and emotional health in determining a diagnosis and how best to treat you.

3) The appearance of a rash or skin condition tells your practitioner a lot about the source of your overall health. When it comes to rashes, most will be diagnosed as either heat, dampness, or wind or a combination of those. Heat rashes are red, and may be the result of overactive hormones (think acne), strong emotions, or inflammation. Damp skin conditions tend to have blisters or look weepy and moist. They come from poor elimination of wastes and toxins from your body, water retention, and spending a lot of time in a humid or moist environment. Wind conditions tend to be dry, itchy, come and go, and move around from place to place on your body (like hives).

4) Very dry skin signals an overall dryness throughout your body, and isn’t necessarily related to how much water you drink. Dryness may result from not getting enough healthy fats in your diet, or something called blood depletion, in which the nourishing quality of your blood is poor and affecting your skin.

5) In Chinese medicine the health of your skin is most closely related to your Lung system, because your Lungs govern the exterior of your body. In fact, in Chinese medicine, eczema is called skin asthma because people with eczema, especially children, also tend to have or develop asthma. As a result, a treatment plan for a chronic skin condition usually means strengthening your Lungs as well.

6) Beyond acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine can also be very effective for skin conditions. While more research is needed, some studies have concluded that Chinese herbs can be a valuable treatment for conditions such as eczema and plaque psoriasis. In treating a skin condition, your acupuncturist will often combine acupuncture, oral or topical herbs, and dietary guidelines for the best results.

7) One explanation for the effectiveness of acupuncture for skin conditions is that acupuncture increases circulation and decreases inflammation in the areas where needles are placed. This decreases irritation and speeds up the healing process.

8) Acupuncture can also be used on your skin for its anti-aging effects. Cosmetic acupuncture involves specific protocols in which tiny needles are placed in your face for the purpose of increasing circulation and rebuilding collagen and elastin that decreases as you age. Collagen is the net-like structure that gives your skin its firmness, and elastin allows your skin to resume its shape after being stretched. The theory behind cosmetic acupuncture is that the needles create tiny wounds, or micro-traumas, which as they heal, bring collagen, elastin, and other nutrients to the area.

The bottom line is that skin conditions can be perplexing and hard to treat. When it comes to dermatology, it might be time to think about Chinese medicine for that stubborn rash or skin condition.

How Safe Are Chinese Herbs?

Near my house there’s an Asian grocery store. Occasionally I will drop in when I’m looking for ingredients for dishes that I can’t seem to find anywhere else. Walking through the store, I’m struck by how many foods are on the shelves that I’m totally unfamiliar with, and wonder how I might use them in a meal. I’m a label reader, and I can’t help but think about the ingredients and wonder about what kinds of additives, if any, are in these strange and different foods. Unfortunately in this store, most of the labels aren’t too helpful because most are written in Chinese.

It’s no secret that China has a history with issues regarding the quality and purity of some foods, drugs, and herbs being consumed there and imported to other countries. Recently, the Chinese government has been trying to remedy the situation through training, inspections, and the institution of good manufacturing practices, however there is still some mistrust and hesitation on the part of consumers.

As a result, when I prescribe Chinese herbs for my patients, some ask about the quality and ingredients in the herbs I’m using. Most people want to be reassured not only that they’re effective, but also that they’re safe. When it comes to Chinese herbs, there are a number of issues to take into consideration. Among them:

-Is what’s on the label actually what’s in the bottle? This is a valid concern, whether you are talking about supplements made in the United States or herbs that have been processed in China. How can you be sure of what you’re taking? The bottom line is that you can never be positive, but there are safeguards that you can take.

Most reputable herb companies will tell you in their catalogue or online about their manufacturing process. I only order herbs from companies that are willing to share that information. The herbs that I prescribe have been tested for composition, purity, and to screen for heavy metals and pesticides. In addition, the manufacturers can, if asked, provide proof of their procedures and controls for sanitation and hygiene. Also, reputable herb companies abide by current good manufacturing processes, which is indicated by cGMP on the label.

-What about toxicity? There are two issues with toxicity. The first is discussed above. It’s important to understand how the herbs you’re taking have been processed. Are they screened for heavy metals and pesticides? Are there any added preservatives? You can find this information out from any reputable manufacturer.

The second issue regarding toxicity is whether the herbs themselves are toxic when taken at a reasonable dosage or over time. The history of Chinese herbal medicine is over a thousand years old, and centuries ago toxic ingredients were used unknowingly. Over time, those substances have been completely removed from the Chinese formulary, or are used with extreme caution. It’s important to understand that Chinese herbs contain numerous compounds, and as with any medication or supplement, what is safe at the correct dose can be toxic at a high dose. For that reason, it’s imperative that you understand the credentials of the person who is prescribing your herbs. Acupuncturists who are adequately trained in Chinese herbal medicine must take years of coursework and pass a national exam. Don’t hesitate to ask your practitioner about their training in diagnosis and treatment with Chinese herbs.

-How about herb/drug interactions? In order to prescribe herbs safely, your practitioner needs to have a complete list of the medications—both prescription and over the counter—that you’re taking. A few notable examples of herb/drug interactions include the use of any herbs with anti-clotting Warfarin or Coumadin, as the herbs can decrease the effective of that medication. Taking an antacid medication can decrease the absorption of any herbs you’re taking, and licorice may affect your sodium/potassium balance, and shouldn’t be taken with diuretics. While I can decrease the herbal dosage, or prescribe a short course of herbs, in almost every case when a patient is taking several prescription medications, to be on the safe side, I won’t prescribe an herbal formula at all.

-Is Chinese herbal medicine effective? Treating patients with Chinese herbs for a wide variety of conditions has been a practice for over a thousand years. In fact, many modern hospitals in China today feature both a medical and herbal pharmacy. A great number of modern drugs—from aspirin to digitalis to malaria medications—have been developed from herbs, and research is ongoing to document the effectiveness of other herbs for a variety of illnesses. While many people think that because herbs are natural, they aren’t very strong. However, Chinese herbs can be a powerful and effective way to treat a great number of health conditions

The Healing Power of Smell

Have you ever caught a whiff of some smell that immediately brought you back to your childhood? It may be the smell of bread or cookies baking, the scent of a plant that grew near your childhood home, or the familiar smell of a building where you spent a lot of time as a kid. For me, the smell of fresh lavender immediately reminds me of my grandmother who treasured her tiny garden of this fragrant herb. The smell of balsam also evokes memories of my childhood in New England; the woods of New Hampshire, balsam scented incense, and eating maple sugar candy.

Your sense of smell is one of the most powerful triggers for memory that exists. This distinct connection between your sense of smell and memories makes it apparent that what you smell affects your brain. I have to admit that I used to be very skeptical of the ability of scented essential oils to have any effect on your health. However, I’m now convinced that there are a number of ways that your sense of smell can be used to heal. Here are a few examples:

-The smell of Eucalyptus may trigger memories of when you were sick as a kid–I know it does for me. It’s the smell of Vicks Vaporub and Mentholatum—stuff that was only used when I was sick. There’s a reason for this. The camphor, minty, and gum scents are stimulating and open up your respiratory tract and ease breathing. Whether it’s applied to your chest or in a steam mist, the scent of Eucalyptus is a non-toxic and non-irritating way to treat the common cold.

-In Chinese medicine, the use of heat has long been considered to be an important healing tool. Centuries before electricity was discovered, the Chinese used something called moxabustion to warm achy joints, sore muscles, and acupuncture points for the purpose of healing. Moxabustion (or moxa) involves the herb Artemesia Vulgarius, which is rolled into small cones, a long stick or even used loose. When lit, this herb burns very hot and can effectively warm areas on your body that have become cold, stiff, or need more circulation. The reason why Artemesia is used in this way is that while the heat is very penetrating, the smell of the burning herb is also incredibly dense and penetrating, which is an important part of its healing properties.

-Did you know that what you smell when you walk in the woods or other natural settings can actually be good for your well-being? The health benefits of walking in the woods was originally discovered by Japanese researchers, who called the activity Shinrin-Yoku, or Forest Bathing. They found that Forest Bathing can have positive benefits such as reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, decreasing depression, and improving immunity. What does this have to do with the healing power of smell? It seems that the healthy benefits of forest bathing comes from something called phytoncides, which are strong smelling chemicals that are given off by trees and other plants for the purpose of protection. So when you stand in a grove of pine trees and take a deep breath, not only does it smell good; it’s also good for your health.

-When I first discovered aromatherapy, I thought it was a lot of nonsense, relegated to the status of mood rings and Pyramid Power. Over time, however, I have come to realize that essential oils can be useful, but they have been used throughout history for religious practices, cultural traditions, and healing purposes. Aromatherapy is based on the fact that different scents have different energetics and affect your brain’s ability to heal based on the properties of the scent. For example, some of the floral scents like rose, ylang ylang, or jasmine are relaxing and can be used for calming or as a gentle sleep aid. In contrast, the scent of conifers, citrus, or eucalyptus can be invigorating and are best used to boost energy.

The potential of using scent shouldn’t be overlooked in the healing process. I work with a great number of patients who are using a combination of acupuncture, herbs, diet, work/rest balance, and visualization to heal. Some are looking for more ways to be healthy. So why not add the power of smell into the healing mix?

Nine Reasons to Take Chinese Herbs

I can remember the first time I ever walked into an herbal pharmacy. It was at the acupuncture school that I would later attend, and I was being given the twenty-five cent tour. When we walked into the pharmacy, I was awestruck to see that such a thing existed in the United States. Along the walls there were large jars of raw herbs, powdered concentrates, and bottles of pills. On the counter top was a scale, mortar and pestle, and ceramic pots for boiling the herbs. It all felt so…organic, and I wanted to know more!

So I went to school, studied acupuncture and Chinese herbs, and have been a practitioner since then. Today, so many years after that tour of the herbal pharmacy, I am still a huge fan of treating health conditions with Chinese herbal formulas. Here’s why:

1) They’re effective. There is much research on the effects of the herbs used in Chinese medicine. They have been prescribed in a clinical setting for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Basically, they work or they’d be gone.

2) Chinese herbs are safe. When formulated and processed by a reputable manufacturer and prescribed by an herbalist trained in Chinese medicine, herbal formulas are safe. There are few side-effects associated with Chinese herbs–certainly far fewer than those associated with prescription drugs.* In fact, if you are taking an herbal formula and have side effects, it is likely that you are taking the wrong herbs for your condition

3) Herbs are not one size fits all. Your herbal formula is individualized and formulated to fit your specific needs. Your herbalist is able to create a prescription for you, choosing from hundreds of herbs, minerals and other extracts.

4) They’re flexible. Your formula can be adjusted as your condition changes. In general, herbs are prescribed for a week or two, and that’s because things do change, and your practitioner is able to reformulate your herbal formula to reflect and treat those changes.

5) Chinese herbs are a way of extending your acupuncture treatment. They work on the same principles and patterns of imbalance as acupuncture. By taking herbs at home, you are able to continue the benefits of your acupuncture session.

6) Because of the flexibility of herbal formulas and the wide variety of herbal and mineral substances available, Chinese herbs can treat a wide variety of conditions. They can be used in treating everything from anxiety and depression to bladder infections and digestive problems.

7) Don’t like taking pills? Chinese herbs can be taken in a variety of ways. They are available in teas, tinctures diluted in water, and powders that can be dissolved in liquid. Of course, if you’re a pill-loving type, they come in tablets, capsules, and tiny little round things called tea pills.

8) Thing Chinese herbs are woo woo? Actually many Western medications are derived from herbs, many of which are Chinese in origin. Some examples include willow bark (aspirin), senna as a common laxative, and artemisia used as the basis for a modern anti-malarial drug.

9) Chinese herbs are slow medicine. That means that your practitioner spends the time to diagnose and treat your condition, and the herbs work effectively on the cause of your problem–not just the symptoms. But Chinese herbs can take time to work, which sounds like a negative thing, but the slow and gentle action of an herbal formula gets the job done without the side effects of a powerful prescription medication.

*Our role is not to prescribe or advise people about their medications. What we can do is support those people who are looking for an alternative (when appropriate), a way to complement the meds they’re taking, or for support as they wean off their Western drugs. All of this must be done under the supervision of the Western doctor who prescribed the medications in the first place.

Twelve Things You Need to Know About Ginger

Ginger is the chameleon of the food and herb world. In Chinese medicine it’s considered both an herb and a food. It’s used in candy, baked goods, curries, and stir fries because it flat out tastes good. In Chinese medicine, ginger is a common ingredient in many healing herbal formulas. Here are some things that you should know about ginger and ways you can use it at home:

1) Ginger is the rhizome (underground stem) of the ginger plant, which grows in tropical climates.

2) It can be ingested fresh, dried, powdered, chopped, grated, or as an oil or juice.

3) Ginger can easily be made into a tea or added to broth. Just grate some fresh ginger into boiling water or broth, and voila!

4) Whether taken as an herb or eaten in food, ginger is very warming to your body. If you’re feeling cold to the core, grab some ginger tea or broth to warm up.

5) If you’re coming down with a cold or the flu, ginger can help. Combine grated ginger root with scallions in a broth. Boil the broth until it’s hot and drink it down, bundle up and go to bed. The combination of ginger and scallions is hot and should make you sweat a little, just enough to head off the cold before it settles in.

6) Ginger is also what you need if you’re feeling nauseous. It’s known to help with everything from morning sickness and sea sickness, to nausea from chemotherapy. Just grate some ginger into water, heat it and drink.

7) No time to grate and heat ginger? Powdered ginger can be found in capsules at a health food store or Chinese herbal pharmacy.

8) The warming nature of ginger makes it a good digestive aid. You can drink grated ginger in hot water, eat candied ginger, ginger cookies, or pickled ginger after your meal.

9) Ever wonder why you get pickled ginger with your sushi? It’s there because ginger can offset the toxicity of a bad piece of fish. Furthermore, ginger is often used in some Chinese herbal formulas to balance out the effects of other mildly toxic herbs.

10) Ginger can relieve the symptoms of dysentery. It’s true, ginger increases the secretion of gastric juices, so your food is digested more quickly. This creates an unfriendly environment for any bacteria that might otherwise hang around and make you sick.

11) The skin of this fabulous root is useful, too. In Chinese medicine ginger peel acts as a diuretic, and promotes urination as a way of reducing edema (water swelling).

12) Ginger is as close as your nearest grocery store. Raw ginger root is found in the produce section. For ginger powder, look in the spice section of the same store, and look for pickled ginger in jars in the Asian foods aisle.

Ginger is a must-have in my kitchen. Fresh ginger root will last a long time in your refrigerator, and it freezes well, too. I use it chopped in stir fries, and grated in marinades and salad dressings. I keep a chunk stored in my freezer in a zip lock bag, and when I need some in a recipe, I take it out, run one end under some water to soften it, and grate or chop away. Not only does it taste great, it’s good for you, too!

Seven Ways to Take Chinese Herbs

Many practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese medicine incorporate herbs into their arsenal of healing tools. They do so because an herbal formula can enhance and prolong the effects of your acupuncture treatment. In addition, a practitioner can tailor a combination of herbs to suit your exact needs.

Chinese herbs almost always are a combination of herbs, called formulas, in order to more closely target your condition. However, many people don’t realize that the same herbal formula may come in a variety of forms. Here are some of your options:

Raw herbs. These are herbs that look like the twigs and leaves that they are. In fact, many of them may be growing in your garden. To take them, you need to boil the herbs and drink the water they were boiled in. For the purists in the world, this is usually the most effective way of taking Chinese herbs. The downside is that it’s a lot of work, and there is no guarantee that what you brewed up is going to taste good–most likely it won’t.

Powders. You can get most formulas in a powdered form, in which the herbs have been decocted (boiled in water), but then dried and formed into a powder. To take a powdered formula, you mix a measured amount into hot water and drink it. The formula can be as potent as raw herbs, it’s a lot easier to brew up, but again depending on the ingredients, the taste can be pretty funky.

Granules. While granules are a lot like a powdered formula, they are processed a little differently, and tend to be a little grainier and moister. Many common formulas for colds and flu that are sold over the counter as Asian grocery stores are in granule form, and frequently they have some kind of sugar added to make them a little easier to take.

Capsules. This is a good choice for people who can’t get over drinking foul-tasting herbal teas. The raw herbs are finely ground and placed into gelatin capsules. You generally have to take a few capsules to get enough of the herbs, but it’s convenient and there’s no bad taste.

Tablets. While a capsule and tablet may sound alike, a tablet format means that the herbs have been processed in some way and compressed into a tablet. Tablets have the same convenience and taste benefits as capsules, but an additional plus is that in the processing, herbs in tablet form can be more concentrated, so you take fewer to get the same potency.

Tea Pills. These are cute little pills that look a lot like bunny droppings. In this format, the herbs have been cooked, concentrated, and rolled into small pills. The benefit is that tea pills are small, so they are convenient and easy to take. However, they don’t tend to be as strong as herbs in other forms, so you need to take quite a few to get the desired result–as many as 10-15 three times a day. (It sounds like a lot, but it’s not really; it amounts to about a teaspoon of herbs.)

Tinctures. To make a tincture, herbs are cut up and soaked in alcohol, which extracts the active ingredients from the herbs. After removing the herbs, you are left with an alcohol-based liquid which can be taken a few drops at a time or by adding some of the tincture to water and drinking it. Because tinctures can be diluted quite easily, it’s often a good format for children.

Most practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese medicine won’t have every formula available in every form. However, most should be able to order them for you or tell you where you can get the formula you need. Regardless of the form you choose, Chinese herbs are a great way to supplement an acupuncture session!

Wine-Making and Chinese Medicine

As an acupuncturist, I find myself explaining the concepts of Chinese medicine through the use of metaphors. I often compare the health of our bodies to that a farmer’s field. To be in the best health possible, we need nourishment in the form of good food, hydration, adequate sleep, and clean air to breathe. Similarly, in order to be healthy and productive, the field needs sunshine, the right amount of moisture, nutrients, and rest. It seems that French winemakers are also embracing the concept of a healthy and well-cared for field.

A small group of French winemakers are engaging in what they call biodynamic agriculture, which is more than just growing organically. In addition to not using pesticides, fungicides, and chemical fertilizers, they take into account geomancy—the movement of the moon and stars—in timing their harvests, and apply preventive treatments to the land, much in the tradition of Chinese medicine.

My goal as a practitioner is to work with patients to nourish and heal, as well as to develop preventive strategies to keep them healthy. My tools are acupuncture, Chinese herbs, dietary therapy, and rest, to name a few. Similarly, the goal of these biodynamic farmers is to nourish their soil. Through the use of insects, microorganisms, constructive use of weeds, and worms to aerate the soil, these biodynamic growers have cultivated the optimal soil for growing fine grapes and making excellent wines.

In Chinese medicine, each person has their own individual health makeup, which is the result of a combination of genetics, body constitution, and lifestyle. In wine making, there is a similar concept, which is that of “terroir”, in which the character of the soil, the climate, and the region all play a role in the flavor of a particular wine. Like we humans, no two wines are alike, including wine grown at the same vineyard in a different year.

While I may prescribe a Chinese herbal formula for a patient, French winemaker Bernard Duseigneur does the same for his fields. He gathers the weeds from around his vines, boils them up like a tea, and sprays the mixture back on his vineyard. Maybe prescribing an herbal formula for your vines isn’t so crazy after all!

My Favorite Herbal Formulas for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

It seems that when the weather warms up, some women do too. More specifically, I tend to see more women seeking acupuncture treatment for menopausal symptoms during the warmer months. Don’t get me wrong–we see women struggling with hot flashes, night sweats, and menopause-related insomnia all year long; it just seems that we see more of them when the temperature rises in the spring.

For some women, a few sessions on the acupuncture table is enough to cool them off. For others, we need to enlist the help of a Chinese herbal formula.

In most cases, menopausal symptoms are related to a substance in your body called Yin, which acts a little like a moistening coolant. Heat symptoms associated with menopause tend to be caused by a reduction of Yin. This is relevant because the nature of estrogen and the other sex hormones are considered to be very Yin and cooling. When that Yin becomes depleted, it’s a little like being down a quart of coolant in your car–your engine boils over, causing your body to overheat in the form of hot flashes and night sweats.

As I mentioned earlier, in some cases acupuncture isn’t enough to cool the heat from Yin deficiency. In Chinese medicine, it may be necessary to supplement Yin with moistening, cooling herbal formulas. Here are a few of my favorites:

Six Flavors with Rehmania (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan) This formula is all about nourishing Yin and not so much about cooling you off. The idea with this gentle formula is that if you supplement with some Yin-nourishing herbs, the resulting symptoms will take care of themselves. This formula is especially good for night sweats accompanied by a sore low back, light-headedness, dizziness, and dryness symptoms, like a dry sore throat, dry skin, and night time thirst.

Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan This is the above formula with two additional herbs added that are very cooling. Like the Six Flavors formula, this one also nourishes Yin, but the added herbs also ramp things up a notch in clearing heat.

Great Tonify Yin Pill (Da Bu Yin Wan) This is a cold formula primarily aimed at clearing heat, especially in the form of night sweats. It supplements Yin somewhat, but I often prescribe it if one of the above formulas hasn’t worked well enough in cooling a patient off, . Once the heat symptoms have calmed, I may recommend a more Yin nourishing formula later.

Free and Easy Wanderer with Added Ingredients (Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan) In some cases, a woman’s symptoms are either caused or aggravated by stress. In that case, this is my go to formula for calming frayed emotions as well as calming heat. In fact, this is also a good formula for stressed out people in general who find themselves irritable, warm, thirsty and feeling like they’re at the end of their rope.

Two Immortals (Er Xian Wan) I have used this formula in cases where both Yin and Yang are depleted. If Yin is considered to be your body’s nourishing coolant, then Yang is more like your warming, active pilot light. It’s possible to be depleted in both. I find that those woman who have tended to run cold before menopause, but have heat symptoms during are good candidates for this formula. Beyond feeling cold much of the time, symptoms of Yang deficiency might also include fatigue, depression, and urinary frequency.

In addition to an herbal formula, it’s possible to build up your body’s Yin (and Yang) through diet. There are foods that are considered to be very cooling and nourishing. Your Chinese medical practitioner can be helpful in choosing a plan specific to your needs.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Eye Tics

I had a woman* in my clinic recently who had a bad case of chronic eye twitches. Not that anyone could see them, but they were driving her nuts. In most cases eye twitches, or tics, are fairly short lived, lasting less than a day (and often only for seconds), but this woman had been twitching in one eye or the other for over a month. She said that her face had become almost hyper sensitive, and any frown, sneeze, or nose-blowing set off a new round of tics.

In Chinese medicine, eye tics are considered to be a pathogen (something that makes you sick) called wind. Many of the concepts of Chinese medicine are based on the natural world, and what makes you sick is no exception. Pathogens are a little bit like bad weather in your body. When you have a fever or inflammation, you have heat; when your arthritis flares up during the cold weather, you have a cold pathogen; and when you retain lots of water, you have dampness. (This is a very simplified explanation.)

Wind is considered movement where there should be stillness, and as a pathogen, wind is dry, light and active. It tends to be Yang in nature in that it’s slightly warm, and it generally moves upward and outward. In most cases, the symptoms of wind affect the upper part of your body, such as the eye tics this woman was experiencing.

There are actually two kinds of wind—internal and external. External wind is the pathogen behind conditions such as colds, flu, allergies, and viral infections. However, it’s internal wind that’s the problem with tics and dizziness. Internal wind tends to affect your body on a deeper level. It’s frequently associated with a malfunction of your Liver system to control the smooth flow of energy in your body, and can cause symptoms associated with movement—vertigo, tremors, twitches, and seizures. Wind is usually the culprit behind illnesses such as Meniere’s and Parkinson’s.

While frequently related to a Liver system malfunction, internal wind can also be caused by systemic dryness or malnourishment. Much like a dry tree, the brittle leaves at the top rattle in the wind.

Internal wind conditions are most frequently caused by a depletion, or a weakness of some kind in your body. As a result, treating it entails building up the depleted substance(s), such as Yin, Blood, or Qi (energy), which would ideally relieve the symptoms of wind. In some cases, extreme emotions such as anger or severe stress can also bring on wind-type symptoms. Treating the symptoms associated with wind is done through the use of some combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, choosing the right foods, and getting adequate rest.

In the case of the woman in my clinic with the eye tics, she was definitely depleted and had some symptoms of dryness, including a dry itchy skin and dry pellety stools. This led me to believe that she was depleted in Yin, which is a nourishing, moistening, and cooling substance in the body. This dryness was the primary cause of her symptoms, so I added into her treatment plan an herbal formula for depleted Yin, and after a few days of taking the herbs, the tics were gone.

*Names and identifying details have been changed.

Western Medications and Chinese Herbs

At Acupuncture in the Park we see a number of patients who are taking prescription medications. We also see a lot who are trying to avoid having to take Western medications or who are trying to get off these drugs altogether. Sometimes these patients assume that because we practice Chinese medicine, we are completely opposed to any and all prescription drugs. This is not the case; in many instances, Western medications are appropriate and can be life-saving.

Our role is not to prescribe or advise people about their medications. What we can do is support those people who are looking for an alternative (when appropriate), a way to complement the meds they’re taking, or for support as they wean off their Western drugs. All of this must be done under the supervision of the Western doctor who prescribed the medications in the first place.

Our patients’ concerns about prescription meds are two-fold. First, they want to avoid taking them because of the side effects that frequently accompany these drugs. Second, if they are trying to wean off their medications, they may be faced with a rebound effect, in which the symptoms return more severely than before taking the medication.

So as Chinese herbalists, how is what we do any different from prescribing Western medications? Perhaps the biggest distinction is that in Chinese medicine we can’t prescribe an herbal formula until we have determined the underlying cause of the problem. This means that if someone is having trouble sleeping, we need to uncover why that’s happening–are they stressed out, depleted, not digesting well, or Yin deficient? In contrast, if you go to your Western doctor because you aren’t sleeping well, you’re likely to get the same medication as everyone else with insomnia.

A second difference between Chinese herbs and Western medications concerns side effects. A Chinese herbalist prescribes a formula, usually made from several herbs. The herbs have specific actions and are included in a formula because of those actions. For example, an herb can cool you off, calm you down, help your energy move, and even create a moistening effect in your body. These actions are very real, but can be subtle. Several herbs are included in a formula to promote and balance the effects of the other ingredients. Because the formulas are balanced in this way, side effects only occur if you are prescribed a formula that is not right for you. In addition, most Chinese formulas are not taken long term, which decreases the risk of a rebound effect.

Many Western medications are derived from herbs, many of which are Chinese in origin. These meds are made by distilling out the one or two ingredients from an herb with the strongest or desired effects. They are then concentrated into a medication with a very powerful action–so powerful that they can cause side-effects. These Western drugs work well and quickly, but can be accompanied by some funky side-effects.

Here’s the trade off: You can take a Western medication that works quickly and effectively, but may have unpleasant side-effects. Or you can take a Chinese herbal formula that is specific to your condition but takes some time to work. In many cases, the best option is the Western medication. However, there are many situations in which a Chinese herbal formula will get the job done in a kinder, gentler way.

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