Pain, from mild aches to debilitating sensations, is something everyone experiences. Understanding its various forms and origins can lead to more effective pain management and relief. Let’s explore how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views and manages pain, with insights from Western Medicine (WM) for comparison.
CONTENT
Key Concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In TCM, pain is a sign that your body’s balance has been compromised. This imbalance disrupts the flow of Qi and Blood, leading to discomfort. Restoring that balance is the key to natural healing and pain relief. Here’s how TCM explains these concepts:
Qi (Vital Energy)
Qi (pronounced “chee”) is the life force flowing throughout your body, supporting all aspects of health.
Think of Qi as electricity powering the appliances in your home.
Meridians or Channels (Energy Pathways)
Qi travels throughout your body along pathways known as Meridians. Pain or dysfunction often occurs when these pathways are blocked or disrupted.
Meridians are like your home’s electrical wiring. If there’s a broken circuit or faulty wiring, nothing works properly.
Blood
In TCM, Blood nourishes your body and supports organ function. Poor circulation or insufficient Blood can lead to pain, weakness, or fatigue.
Think of Blood as the oil in your car’s engine, keeping the system running smoothly.
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang are opposites that keep your body balanced. Yin represents coolness and rest, while Yang represents warmth and activity. Imbalances can lead to various types of pain.
Too much Yang (warmth) may cause inflammation and burning pain, like an overheated engine. On the flip side, too much Yin (cool) could cause stiffness and sharp pain, like frozen pipes in winter.
External and Internal Influences on Pain
TCM identifies factors that can disrupt your body’s balance and worsen pain. These can come from your external environment or internal imbalances:
- Wind: Sudden, shifting pain
- Like an unpredictable gust, causing discomfort that comes and goes.
- Cold: Stiffness or sharp pain, often worse in cold weather
- Think of frozen pipes restricting flow in winter
- Heat: Burning sensations or inflammation
- Like an overheated engine, causing damage if unregulated.
- Dampness: A heavy, sluggish feeling or soreness, often arising from digestive issues or a humid environment.
- Like mud or waterlogged soil, making everything feel slow and weighed down.
Types of Pain: Understanding Their Pathologies
Acute Pain
What Is It?
Sudden onset pain that typically resolves within a short period.
Examples:
- Shoulder tension from prolonged sitting and poor posture
- Sports-related sprained ankle
- Sudden lower back pain after heavy lifting
- Neck discomfort from awkward sleeping positions
WM Perspective:
Often results from injury or a sedentary lifestyle, serving as the body’s warning signal.
TCM Perspective:
Obstruction of Qi and Blood flow due to injury or physical inactivity, which is often aggravated by factors like Wind, Cold, Heat or Dampness.
Imagine a river blocked by waste and pollution, leading to a buildup of pressure (and pain).
Chronic Pain
What Is It?
Persistent pain lasting weeks, months, or even years.
Examples:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Ongoing joint stiffness and swelling
- Menstrual pain: Severe cramping and lower abdominal pain
- Age-related chronic lower back pain
- Frozen Shoulder
- Tennis Elbow or golfer’s Elbow
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
- Fibromyalgia: Widespread muscle pain and tenderness
- Migraines and chronic headaches
WM Perspective:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune condition causing persistent joint inflammation and pain.
- Menstrual pain: Related to hormonal fluctuations, uterine contractions, or conditions like endometriosis.
TCM Perspective:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Commonly viewed as Dampness entering and obstructing the joints.
Imagine your joints as a frequently used path. When heavy rain turns the soil into mud, the path becomes harder to walk on. Similarly, Dampness in the body makes joints swollen, stiff, and painful to move.
- Menstrual pain: Often attributed to blockage of Qi and Blood flow in the lower abdomen.
Think of a knot in a garden hose, preventing smooth water flow, causing pressure (pain and discomfort).
Neuropathic Pain
What Is It?
Pain resulting from damage or disease affecting the nervous system.
Examples:
- Sciatica: Hip pain or Lower back pain radiating down one leg, worsened by prolonged sitting or standing.
- Diabetic neuropathy: Tingling and burning sensations in the feet, progressing to numbness and muscle weakness.
WM Perspective:
- Sciatica: Compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve causing pain that radiates from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg, potentially reaching the foot.
- Diabetic neuropathy: High blood sugar damaging the nerves causing pain, numbness, and tingling sensations.
TCM Perspective:
- Sciatica: Blockage of Qi and Blood flow in the Meridians of the lower back and leg.
Imagine Meridians as highways, where traffic jams (blockages) cause congestion of vehicles (Qi and Blood) along the route.
- Diabetic neuropathy: Insufficient Qi and Blood to properly nourish the nerves.
Picture a plant deprived of water and nutrients, resulting in wilting and weakness.
Holistic Pain Management Through Chinese Medicine
Lifestyle and Dietary Adjustments
- For health maintenance, engage in gentle, regular exercise such as 30-minute walks, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong to improve energy flow and reduce stiffness.
- Eat more Qi and Blood-supporting foods like warm, cooked meals (soups and stews), while limiting cold, raw foods such as salads and smoothies, as part of TCM food therapy.
Acupuncture
- Acupuncture involves inserting thin, sterile needles into specific points along Meridians to restore balance and alleviate pain. This improves circulation and supports the natural flow of Qi and Blood.
- Click here to find out more about the Balance Method, an advanced acupuncture technique used to manage a range of health conditions, including various types of pain.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
- Herbal formulas combining TCM herbs that work synergistically to improve Qi and Blood circulation, strengthen Qi and Blood, and nourish Yin and Yang.
Ancillary TCM Therapies
- Gua Sha
- Scraping therapy using a smooth-edged tool and massage oil to stimulate Qi and Blood circulation and relieve muscle tension. Popular for neck, shoulder, and back pain.
- Cupping
- Suction cups applied to the skin to release muscle tightness and promote relaxation. Commonly used for chronic pain and stiffness relief.
- Moxibustion
- Burning dried Mugwort (herb) near acupuncture points. This dispels Cold and enhances circulation to relieve chronic pain or menstrual cramps.
- Tui Na Massage
- Hands-on therapeutic massage that combines deep tissue techniques and acupressure for pain relief.
Conclusion
Pain and discomfort, whilst common, can manifest in various forms with different causes. By understanding different types of pain through both Western and Chinese Medicine perspectives, we can tailor our approach to managing and alleviating it effectively. Whether through lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, Chinese herbal medicine, or acupuncture, an integrated and holistic approach may help restore balance and provide relief.
Remember, pain is your body’s way of signalling that something needs attention – listening to it is the first step towards healing.
Take control of your health and well-being. We’re here to support you along your wellness journey.
If you’re keen to learn how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help with your pain, click here to book a complimentary discovery call today (Under Welcome Promotions). Our experienced practitioners are here to address any queries and help you find the right treatment plan for your unique needs.
Written by Gabriel Beh
A qualified Acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese Medicine, Gabriel left a decade-long career as a chartered accountant to follow his passion for natural health and holistic wellness. Having experienced the stresses of corporate life firsthand, he brings a compassionate and personalised approach to healthcare, helping patients manage pain, improve sleep, support digestive health, and more. Trained in advanced acupuncture techniques like Master Tung and Dr Tan’s Balance Method, his treatments are focused on restoring balance and supporting overall well-being.
Contact Us | Book online or call (03) 9807 3171