Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. Chinese medicine

CHINESE FOLK MEDICINE

No country is famous for such a number of wellness systems as China. Many of them are so ancient that they have come down to us only thanks to legends. Numerous teachings about the Universe and the place of Man in it were created and developed in ancient Chinese monasteries.

One of such systems, which have come down to us from the depths of centuries, originated in the bowels of a monastic monastery, is the system of "Chzhud-shih".

The followers of this ancient technique did not just know how to cure a disease, they knew how to offer a person to live without even knowing what a disease is. It is important to note that the language of the Tibetan monks did not contain such a thing as "disease".

The origins of Chinese medicine are lost in the mists of time. Written works, which for the first time summarized the experience of previous generations in the application of methods for diagnosing diseases and their treatment, date back to the 10th-3rd centuries. BC e.

The theory of Chinese medicine is most fully and clearly stated in the books "Hu-an Di Nei Zeng", "Nan Zen", "Shang Han Lun", "Zen Gui Yao Lue", "Wen Yi Lun".

The most ancient ideas and concepts were preserved, but at the same time, over the following centuries, Chinese medicine developed further, perceived new ideas.

Already in the II century. BC e., along with a collection of medicinal plants, ancient Chinese treatises on medicine highlight other treatment options: gymnastic exercises, baths, compresses, massages.

In the medical book of the 5th century. 360 substances of both plant and mineral and even animal origin are already described, which can be used to treat various diseases.

The medicine of Ancient China is, first of all, a philosophy, and not familiar to a European person, but much more ancient than European civilization, Eastern philosophy with concepts and metaphors inherent only in the Eastern way of thinking.

The exercises or health recipes of ancient China are quite varied. But they have a solid foundation under them - solid knowledge and ideas about the structure of the human body and the basic principles of its functioning.

The philosophy of Taoism laid down the basic principles of medicine in ancient China.

A feature of Chinese medicine was its approach to the human body as a part of the universe and even a model of the universe, and the complex physiological processes occurring in it were interpreted as natural phenomena in the surrounding world.

The human body is an integral part of the Cosmos. All processes, all human life are constantly under the influence of the forces of the surrounding nature.

The ancient Chinese sages believed that the world was originally a chaos, consisting of the smallest particles, which they called qi.

Initially, these particles existed in the form of a continuous shapeless mass, which then underwent a process of separation, demarcation.

Chi (or qi), according to the principles of Eastern, and in particular Chinese medicine, is a vital energy that is inherent in every living organism, and for each organism, for each person this energy potential is different. It is partly determined by genetic memory, heredity.

But at the same time, it largely depends on the way of life and thoughts of a person, on which path a person chooses, on the ability to harmoniously coexist, interact with the outside world, find one's place, navigate in space and time.

Nature is an indivisible single system, including at the same time polar, but complementary aspects of yin and yang. They are subject to constant transformations, being in constant motion.

If all components of nature are balanced, then life flows in harmony. If the balance of polar forces is disturbed, then a catastrophe inevitably ensues.

It is important to maintain this balance of forces in nature, therefore, for many centuries, philosophers have observed and studied nature, trying to comprehend its secret and the secrets of interaction with it.

So, according to the canons of traditional oriental medicine, a person can remain healthy.

Man is a small cosmos, and he obeys the same laws, and the forces to which he is subject are the same. Therefore, if a person does not master the art of maintaining balance and wholeness, if he is not able to adapt to any changed condition, then this general violation results in a disease.

In Eastern medicine, it is important to learn the laws of the functioning of the world, to find personal harmony is possible only in the context of the whole.

Of course, modern traditional oriental medicine does not correlate with the modern canons of scientific and evidence-based medicine, which makes modern people distrust it. It is surrounded by myths and legends, full of secrets and mysteries, and it is not surprising that many consider it an eccentric quackery.

But at the same time, it should be noted that Chinese medicine is an independent holistic system, which includes the theory of the occurrence and development of diseases, methods for diagnosing them, and, of course, methods of treatment.

The worldview inherent in ancient Chinese medicine is significantly different from the Western in general and from the modern Western in particular.

Ancient Chinese medicine has been helping people for thousands of years, and it has undoubtedly stood the test of time. Probably, one should treat it primarily as a philosophy, as a special worldview, covering all aspects of human existence.

What is important is the special approach of Chinese medicine to the human body as a single indivisible whole, where each individual organ is part of the system, and the vital activity of a single cell is a reflection of the vital activity of the whole organism.

Disease prevention has always been of the utmost importance to Chinese medicine. The idea of ​​disease prevention was at the very beginning of the medical art of Ancient China. Prevention of diseases in Chinese medicine plays a decisive role. The Chinese wise men spoke more than two thousand years ago about what scientific medicine began to talk about only in the middle of the 20th century.

Treatment in Chinese medicine is aimed at strengthening the body and preventing possible diseases.

For a Chinese doctor, it was important to suspect a person's predisposition to any disease, to identify the disease at the earliest stages of its development, when the use of the simplest methods of treatment (diet, development of certain rules of human behavior, massage, etc.) allowed a person to remain healthy.

The treatment approach of the ancient Chinese doctors was similar to the modern one. At first, the treatment was symptomatic - when starting to treat the patient, the doctors of Ancient China stopped first of all the main symptoms of the disease, those that bothered the patient the most, and tried to treat them. After alleviating the patient's condition, the doctor tried to treat the "root" of the disease. That was the purpose of the treatment. Therefore, sometimes the treatment continued for a long time, despite the fact that the patient already felt healthy.

The infinity of the Universe and its integrity are based on a continuous chain of transformations, mutual transitions of one substance into another. In the context of this provision, any living matter goes through certain stages of existence: birth, development, flourishing, aging, dying, transformation.

The ancients attribute the qualities of yin or yang to every thing, any process, any phenomenon, all the properties of a particular object or organism. At the heart of everything that exists is the ratio of these two principles. Yin cannot exist separately from yang: they form one dynamic unity. The unity and opposition of yin and yang determines a strong relationship between them. Every change and development of things occurs due to the eternal desire to oust each other. This is the fundamental driving force of nature. Light and darkness, pain and pleasure, physicality and intangibility, excitement and inhibition are just a few examples of such an interaction of yin and yang opposites.

Yin and yang have a broad, all-encompassing meaning. It is well known that yin is the dark feminine principle, while yang is the light, masculine principle. Yin is always weakness, instability. Yang is firmness and strength. Yin correlates with the northeast and northwest, winter cold, moon, right side, night, bottom, viscera, heaviness, peace and blood. Yang - with the southeast and southwest, summer, fire, sun, left side, day, riding, lightness, outer tissues, movement and energy. In yin and yang, these are hills or rivers, only yin is “shadow slope”, and yang is “bright, sunny slope”

Yin and yang are completely opposite to each other, but thanks to their close interaction, the whole world exists. They mutually displace each other, intertwine with each other, give birth to five primary elements, or elements: water, fire, metal, wood and earth.

Absolutely all things and phenomena have two opposite, complementary sides - yin and yang. In each phenomenon two characters are reflected. In traditional Chinese philosophy, sunlight, heat, and movement are yang, while night, rain, cold, and stillness are yin.

Yin and yang are an integral part of all phenomena in the world, they develop and are interconnected with each other in development, their balance - the basis of life - changes depending on certain conditions according to general laws.

Yin and yang are the essence of heaven and earth, the pattern of ten thousand things, they are the father and mother of every change, the beginning and end of life and death. It is also said that yin is inside and is the core of yang. Yang is outside and is the messenger of yin.

The basic rule of Chinese medicine says: "If yang recedes, yin increases, and if yin recedes, yang increases." The laws of yin - yang can also be applied to the structure and functions of the human body. Yin means the material components of the body, and yang means its functions. Yin and yang are not static, they are constantly changing, but at the same time they constantly complement each other. Physiological laws are also based on this, for example, the law of the emergence of organ functions (yang) due to the consumption of food (yin). Thus, the balance of yang and yin in the body as a result of metabolism is achieved in movement (nutrition), etc.

Yin and yang can transform into each other, turn into their own opposite. This process characterizes not only quantitative changes, but also qualitative ones. The rule of transformation of yin and yang according to ancient Chinese medicine explains the change in the symptoms of diseases. Yang signs can turn into yin signs.

The yang symptom turns into a yin symptom, when, for example, in acute infectious diseases, febrile states, if the body's resistance is completely exhausted, turn into a decrease in body temperature.

The unity of yin - yang connects various parts of the body and human organs both in a functional and morphological sense. But ancient Chinese sources also testify that the upper part of the human body is yang, and the lower part is yin. Also in topographical terms, the surface of the body is yang, the inside is yin.

By the same principle, each internal organ is considered, each organ has its own yin and yang.

Even the person himself, with the totality of his individual characteristics, can belong to the yin or yang type. True, the correspondence is not always complete. Most often, one or another, Yin or Yang, tendencies predominate in a person. The more yin, the less yang, and vice versa.

The whole set of physiological processes is interdependent. The basics of the physiological functions of the body are the basis of the interaction of yin and yang. Therefore, all human life is inextricably linked with yin and yang.

For example, the liquid in the human body is used up under the influence of external or internal factors, i.e., the liquid (yin) becomes less, and a state of emptiness and heat (yang) arises.

Chronic diseases from the position of Chinese medicine are explained by the general devastation of the body, the simultaneous weakening of both sides of life (yin and yang). Yin and yang in this case are in a state of emptiness.

The result of this approach is the division, classification of all diseases, pathological processes and disease states into two main large groups - yang symptoms and yin symptoms.

Yin-yang balance can be seen as a phenomenon of homeostasis. Ensuring harmony, restoring disturbed balance (homeostasis), maintaining the body's defenses and reactivity is the main goal of treatment in oriental medicine. And this, it should be noted, is quite consistent with the European theory of maintaining homeostasis and homeokinesis.

Modern medicine offers, as you know, an integrative approach to the human body, i.e., consideration of particular phenomena of the human body in the context of the whole organism. This is exactly the approach that the ancient Chinese concept of yin-yang suggests. The Chinese doctor does not consider the disease of a single organ or even an organ system - for him it is a problem in the whole body.

Chinese doctors distinguish four main types of such disorders:

1) an excess of yang with a shortage of yin;

2) lack of yang with excess yin;

3) an excess of yang and yin at the same time;

4) lack of yang and yin at the same time.

Moreover, one and the same person in some organs may have an excess of yin or yang, which entails the corresponding diseases, pathological processes, and in others - a deficiency, which also manifests itself in the form of diseases.

A person can be cured only by restoring the lost balance, and this can be done by adding or removing yang or yin.

In addition, it is important to note that there is no such thing as absolute yin or absolute yang. In every event, there must be both.

A person is a combination of two principles, their close interweaving and interaction, from which all the features of life, physiology, character, all talents and inclinations, strength and weakness flow.

All Chinese medicine, both scientific and practical, all the disciplines that it includes: pathology, anatomy, physiology, clinical diagnosis and treatment - everything is subject to this multifaceted model, which is also called the principle of harmony and balance. This principle is especially important in preventive medicine, as it allows predicting and preventing many diseases.

Diagnosis of diseases in Chinese traditional medicine is based on six guidelines that cover all typical pathological processes of the human body. These principles are: surface (biao) and inner part (yui), cold (han) and heat (zhe), emptiness (hu) and fullness (shi). The surface, heat and fullness are manifestations of yang, the inner part, cold and emptiness are yin.

Inspection, listening, interrogation and palpation are traditional techniques used in modern European medicine. At the same time, these are the four main methods of diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine. For a Chinese doctor, these techniques provide all the necessary information about the patient.

This information is further summarized based on the same eight guiding principles.

The basic rule of ancient Chinese therapy is “in diseases, yang should be used to treat yin, and in diseases, yin should be used to treat yang”, “it is necessary to strengthen the dominance of water in order to suppress the benefits of yang. It is necessary to improve the source of fire in order to eliminate its suppression by yin.

A Chinese doctor's diagnosis may sound strange enough: "kidney yin is empty" or "liver yang rises to the top." But this diagnosis contains the very essence of the treatment, it will accordingly be aimed at supplementing the yin of the kidneys or at reducing the yang of the liver, i.e. the meaning of the treatment is to balance the yin and yang, and the form of the therapeutic effect is already in the diagnosis itself.

An individual approach is an important feature of Chinese medicine, which has been preserved to this day, which is important.

If a weak person, feeling constantly tired, suddenly falls ill with a cold, then the treatment of the patient after the elimination of symptoms in Chinese medicine is aimed at eliminating the predisposition to colds.

In ancient Chinese medicine, there were a number of principles by which treatment was carried out.

In addition, the principle "treatment should come from the opposite" was of great importance. This principle was consistent with the concept of yin - yang. With yang disease (fullness) it was supposed to influence the body soothingly, with yin disease (emptiness) - exciting.

In addition to the concepts of yin - yang in ancient Chinese medicine, there was another principle of treatment of ancient oriental medicine - the rule of "bu-se". This can be translated into Russian as "add - take away." “Bu” means: replenish, excite, tone up, and “se” means to release, slow down, sedate, dissipate.

When a disease or a pathological process is associated with a decrease in function (lack of energy in the meridian), it is necessary to “boo”, which means to add energy, to have an exciting effect. When a pathology is accompanied by an increased function (an excess of energy in the meridian), the effect of “ce” is necessary, which means to take away energy, to have an inhibitory effect.

In scientific medicine, these processes are referred to as excitation and inhibition.

Whatever method of treatment is used, it always follows these basic principles.

Energy is at the core of all life. An organism is an energetically open system that constantly exchanges energy with the external environment. The functioning of the body is closely related to the energy coming from outside.

Energy can be represented as a stream of charged particles. There are constant interactions between the body and the external environment, between individual organs and systems of the body, there is a constant energy exchange. From the point of view of ancient Chinese medicine, this is possible due to the existence of energy channels in the body, through which the exchange is possible.

The whole organism can be divided into 12 successively arranged meridians, or channels (jingluo), united into a single structure. These meridians are paired, they are symmetrically oriented relative to the plane that divides the body into right and left halves. One of these branches is functionally more active. The meridians that run through the entire body include the posterior and anterior median meridians.

In addition, each channel-meridian corresponds to a specific organ or system of the body. There are meridians for all individual organs: lungs, stomach, heart, kidneys, etc.

Energy entering the body from the outside circulates in a large circle. Within 24 hours it passes through all organs. The sequence of this circulation is strictly defined: it starts from the meridian of the lungs, then passes to the meridian of the large intestine, stomach, spleen, pancreas, heart, small intestine, bladder, kidneys, pericardium, three parts of the body, gallbladder, liver. Having done a full circle in 24 hours, the energy returns to the meridian of the lungs.

The presence of biologically active points (BAP) in the human body is known. They are located on energy channels. These points run strictly along the lines that stretch from the head to the tips of the fingers and toes. Energy channels are laid from point to point. But the therapeutic effect does not affect any BAP, but only related ones. Related points respond to any impact on their energy channel in an organized manner.

Some BAPs are located not only on these clear lines. Some of them are scattered randomly throughout the body, but such BAPs are also important in treatment. These points refer to the smaller energy structures of the body.

It is these BAP lines that are the conductors of energies of different nature in the body. Therefore, it is they who control various life processes. Ultimately, they allow you to establish within the body the harmony of yin and yang and the five primary elements.

Of course, the meridians of different people are not devoid of individual characteristics, but the points of activity (xue) of the meridian are the same for everyone and are associated with certain objects. The number of xue points is canonical, it is precisely determined and verified by thousands of years of practice.

Xue is a point of meridian activity, that area, by influencing which you can influence the activity of the entire energy of the meridian, and therefore, affect specific functions that depend on the energy of this point. By acting on the points, doctors achieved a certain therapeutic effect.

For oriental medicine, health is, first of all, balance, balance, the ability to maintain and maintain it, despite the influence of the external environment, the action of stimuli. Any disease means the impossibility of such adaptation. If adaptation is disturbed, the body's defenses weaken, the reserves are depleted.

The human body system includes four levels: physical body, meridional system, emotions and psyche. The lower level is influenced by the higher.

Very often, the disease originates in the bowels of the mind, and then it is already realized on the material level. At the same time, any disease of the physical body causes certain disorders at the level of the psyche and emotions.

Everything is about harmony. If there is harmony of the higher levels, then it will also be at the lower levels.

The integrity of the whole organism is the most important principle of Chinese medicine.

There are a number of basic approaches to the treatment of diseases in Chinese medicine.

1. Treat the main that is, to find the root of the disease, to identify the causes and pathogenesis. Chinese medicine distinguishes between conventional and reverse treatment, primary and secondary, fast and slow. These approaches allow you to find the essence of the disease and cure it.

2. Strengthen the body's resistance in order to increase resistance to pathogenic factors: boosting immunity.

3. restore balance, i.e. balance between yin and yang, excess and depletion, streamlining the flow of qi during its reverse movement.

4. Be flexible in your treatment one cannot judge the disease without knowing the patient; you cannot treat only the disease, but you need to treat the patient himself, taking into account many different factors in the treatment (a person’s constitution, his age, gender, as well as time, climate, geographical conditions and other specific circumstances). To achieve the best result, the treatment must be suitable for a particular person.

The main methods of treatment used in traditional Chinese medicine:

1) phytotherapy, treatment with medicinal herbs, preparations from environmentally friendly plant materials;

2) acupuncture;

3) cauterization with wormwood cigars;

4) bloodletting in biologically active points;

5) Tibetan baths, consisting of five types of herbs, highly effective in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, skin, nervous system, etc. They are also used to prolong the youth of the body;

6) health-improving gymnastics wu-shu, qi-gong;

7) unloading and dietary therapy;

8) Chinese tuina therapeutic massage. It differs in strength and depth of impact and goes well with acupuncture;

9) gua sha (exposure to certain areas of the skin with a special scraper);

10) foot massage;

11) medical banks;

12) biologically active additives (BAA).

A well-known scientist, a Chinese doctor of the Qing Dynasty, Chen Zhongling, proposed eight methods of treatment that are used to this day: diaphoretic, emetic, laxative, conciliatory, warming, cleansing, and tonic.

1. Sweatshop method: it is the use of pungent and bitter medicines to facilitate the secretion of perspiration through the pores of the skin; this removes the surface pathogenic factor, the so-called internal. The method is effective for colds.

2. Cleaning method: the use of cold and cooling medicines to treat fever and hyperthermia, a treatment that preserves body fluids but removes poisonous substances and "pathogenic fire", helps with depletion of yin. The method has an antibacterial, antiviral, anti-leptospirosis effect; it enhances the phagocytic activity of leukocytes, improves immunity; some drugs also strengthen the heart, lower blood pressure, act as a diuretic.

This method should be used with caution in people with poor health, with insufficiency in non-hollow and hollow organs, loss of appetite and loose stools.

3. Dissolving method: the use of medicines to remove accumulation of food, remove stagnation and eliminate various formations in the abdomen. The method is aimed at improving the digestive system. Effective for bloating, congestion, and hardening caused by qi (blood, phlegm, and food).

The following treatments are commonly used:

1) elimination of undigested food by gastric means. It is used for bloating, vomiting, belching, sour belching caused by damage due to overeating;

2) resorption of hard seals and accumulations. It is used to remove dense formations of any origin in the abdomen, various edema, hepatosplenomegaly, as well as seals in the pelvic region;

3) improve the movement of qi and blood circulation: used for pain, swelling due to stagnation of blood, chest pain, algo-menorrhea and amenorrhea caused by stagnation of qi and blood;

4) resorption of edema: used for edema caused by dysfunction of qi and lack of diuresis, as well as weakness of the lower extremities;

5) elimination of inflammation: used for fluid retention, goiter, tuberculosis of bones and joints, epilepsy;

6) resorption of carbuncles.

4. Firming method (toning): used to treat deficiency. Tonization, depending on the type of insufficiency, is divided into several types:

1) strengthening qi: used for insufficiency of the spleen and lungs, shortness of breath and weakness, poor appetite and loose stools, or prolapse of the uterus and rectum caused by qi deficiency;

2) strengthening of the blood: used for symptoms associated with blood deficiency, such as dull yellow complexion, pale lips and tongue, dizziness and palpitations, poor menstruation in women;

3) strengthening yin: used for yin deficiency, weight loss from heat deficiency type, dry mouth and throat, feeling of heat in the palms and soles, irritability and insomnia, night sweats, wet dreams;

4) Strengthening yang: used for yang deficiency, coldness of the lower body, starting from the waist, weakness in the lower limbs, stiffness below the navel, frequent urination, loose stools, aversion to cold and cold extremities, or impotence and early ejaculation.

Currently, Chinese medicine is of great interest to doctors of various specialties. It is again gaining great importance in the medical world, in modern medical science, which makes it possible to explain many phenomena.

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Medicine in China is significantly different from European medicine. While in Europe the disease and its manifestations are being treated, Eastern healers for thousands of years have considered the human body as a single system in which everything is interconnected. For this reason, Chinese doctors believe that the state of the whole organism should be examined, and not a separate organ. Such an unusual approach gives its results - according to the World Health Organization, the methods of Chinese medicine are recognized as effective and are being actively introduced into the practice of Western doctors.

Secrets of traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest systems of treatment in the world, with a history of more than three thousand years. For many centuries, the Chinese sages kept the teachings about the healing of a person. There are several books that outline the basic principles of this teaching and the oldest methods of treatment:

• "Nan Zen"
• "Shang Han Long"
• "Wen Yi Lun"

Without exception, all methods of Chinese medicine are aimed at helping a person without harming him in any way.

Treatment is based on three "pillars": herbal medicine, acupuncture and gymnastics. In addition, Chinese healers actively use baths, compresses, massage.

The most important advantage of Chinese medicine is its preventive focus. The advantages of this approach are obvious: if the disease is detected at an early stage, the patient will be helped to maintain health by simple methods, such as diet, adherence to certain rules of behavior, massage, etc.

It should be noted that the healing process in ancient China could take a very long time. This was explained by the fact that at first the doctor sought to eliminate the main symptoms of the disease, and then, after the person felt much better, he began to eliminate the cause of the disease in order to prevent possible complications in the future. Therefore, a doctor in China is not a specialist in diseases, but a specialist in health.

The Heihe Traditional Medicine Hospital of China is the center of ancient methods of treatment. Here they provide high-quality dental services, conduct effective physiotherapy procedures and massage.

Principles of traditional medicine

Chinese medicine originates from the early teachings of the Taoist monks, and all its methods are to improve the spirit and body and establish a balance between them. According to Chinese doctors, our well-being depends on the circulation of the vital energy Qi, as well as on the balance of the female Yin energy and the male Yang. And if the energy exchange is disturbed, it will certainly result in diseases and ailments. Therefore, it is necessary to treat not the symptom, but the cause, restoring the harmony of the body.

The fundamental principle of Chinese medicine is the treatment of natural remedies. Doctors with special knowledge can return energy to the human body with the help of herbs, acupuncture, massages. One of the most famous Chinese scientists, Gao Zong, described in his treatises a myriad of plants, methods of treatment with the help of stones, minerals, vegetables and fruits.

Key Treatments in Chinese Medicine

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Traditional Chinese medicine has dozens of techniques. The most common of these include:

Fundamentals of disease prevention

Chinese medicine considers massage and diet to be the basis of prevention. Chinese healers are confident that these methods can stop the disease at the very beginning and prevent it from becoming chronic.

In addition, in their opinion, it is necessary to improve the state of the human immune system and eliminate pathogenic factors - the causes that provoke diseases.

Of great importance for the Chinese is a healthy lifestyle: giving up bad habits and following certain rules. For example, many city dwellers go to parks in the morning and evening and do qigong exercises. This gymnastics has a lot in common with yoga - it also involves slow, smooth movements and breath control. Qigong helps to harmonize the state of the body and spirit and allows the Qi energy to flow freely. As a result, it significantly improves the supply of oxygen to the brain and all systems and organs of the human body, increases concentration and performance, relieves muscle tension and normalizes blood pressure.

Prices for medical services in China

China is famous for its high level of medical care. In China, there are dozens of world-famous clinics that offer high-quality examination and treatment by highly qualified narrow-profile specialists.

Paid or free medicine in China - this question is asked by everyone who thinks about treatment in this country. Answering this question, it should be noted that free treatment is possible only for Chinese citizens, for all foreigners, medical care is paid. However, despite the fact that local doctors know their business perfectly, the cost of treatment in Chinese clinics and medical centers is 40% or even 50% less than in Europe or America.

The amount that will be needed to pay for the services, the patient will know immediately after the examination. The very same consultation with a specialist will cost 20-75 US dollars. In this case, the cost of the chamber can reach up to $ 200 per day.

Nevertheless, Chinese medical centers that combine ancient traditions with modern scientific achievements in their work are becoming more and more in demand, and the popularity of Chinese medicine among patients is growing due to the relatively low cost of services and the high level of service and treatment.

How was I treated in China? Chinese Medicine: Video

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Ever since mankind appeared, it has become necessary to fight against various diseases. Therefore, there have always been people involved in healing. They were called differently, but the essence of this did not change.

In the practice of healers, numerous herbs, infusions, extracts from plants, conspiracies, etc. were used. Over time, medicine appeared as a science, and, accordingly, chemicals that are now used to treat diseases.

But, despite the extensive range of the pharmacological industry, more and more people began to trust and turn to oriental medicine as an unconventional way to get rid of diseases and restore health.

Simply put, modern medicine treats a diseased organ, while Eastern medicine takes care of the patient's health in a complex. Perhaps this explains the presence of a large number of centenarians in Asia.

The basis of Oriental medicine is the fight against the cause of the ailment, and not its consequences, and the restoration of the disturbed inner harmony of the patient. The list of constituent components of the recommended drug acts not only on the physical, but also on the energy level in the body.

The postulates of Chinese medicine say that a person must be in balance with the outside world, because this is impossible with an unhealthy lifestyle. To comprehend the secrets of oriental medicine and live long without knowing diseases is the dream of any person.

To return the lost harmony to a person is the goal of this method of treatment. Each case is treated individually. Doctors practicing oriental medicine use a variety of:

• - impact with special needles on special points;
• - a set of therapeutic and diagnostic methods of influencing certain points of the patient's body;
• - the impact of the therapist's hands on the patient's body;
• yoga - various spiritual, mental and physical practices;
• Ayurveda - a system of protection and adjustment of the human condition; and etc.

For example, negative emotions affect the muscles, and their defeat leads to diseases of the musculoskeletal system. According to statistics, people most often resort to oriental medicine in the following cases:

• Insomnia;
• Hypertension;
• Various neuroses;
• Pathology of the gastrointestinal tract;
• osteochondrosis;
• chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.

At present, with the increasing speed of technological progress, the majority of the population does not pay any attention to the deterioration of health. Therefore, medicine is turned to at the highest stage of the development of the disease. Therefore, oriental medicine pays attention to prevention. A positive outlook on life, peace of mind is the main condition for a healthy person.

According to Eastern teachings, there are four levels in the human body:

• physical body;
• system of energy channels;
• emotions;
• psyche.

According to Eastern doctors, the disease originates in the depths of the mind, and then manifests itself on the physical level with certain symptoms. As a result, damage to the emotional and mental sphere of a person occurs.

Those. the psycho-emotional state of a person determines the health of his physical body.

The main objectives of this direction in treatment are:

• health promotion (prevention);
• increase in people's health reserves (correction of minor discomfort);
• treatment.

Oriental medicine is based on the philosophical canons of being, on the unity of all things. The harmony of the soul, observance of the laws of existence, the balance of external and internal forces is the main factor of health in general. Each person is free to decide what methods to use to make his life full.

Traditional Chinese medicine has existed for 5 (five) thousand years, and interest in it in the world began to appear only from the second half of the 20th century. This is one of the oldest and, perhaps, the wisest systems of healing, based on the principles of Taoist philosophy, considering a person as a microcosm - a set of interconnected systems, each of which is powered by the vital energy Qi.

When the flow of Qi is disturbed, a person becomes ill, but the doctor is able to restore harmony to his body by applying herbs, massage, and acupuncture. Only traditional Chinese medicine has remained virtually untouched by civilization and technological progress.

History of the Development of Chinese Traditional Medicine

First entries about methods of treatment belong to about 1000g. BC. They are were made on tortoise shells and animal bones.

In the 1st century BC. a treatise on Chinese medicine was written, which was a collection of fictional dialogues between Emperor Huangdi (2697-2596 BC) and his ministers on the subject of how nature and the cosmos affect human health. Huangdi in literature, especially in traditional Chinese medicine, is better known as the Yellow Emperor.

Other historians believe that this treatise was probably composed by different authors during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220). The Inner Canon was often mentioned by Zhang Zhongjing (150-219) during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). Zhang Zhongjing (150 - 219) is considered one of the fathers of traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine in the era of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) was further developed. In 657, a well-known medical work was published on the production and formulation of medicines. Its author was one of the scientists at the court of Emperor Gao Zong (650 - 683).

This scientist was able to describe more than 800 different substances, including the extent of their therapeutic effects. These were substances such as derivatives of metals, minerals, stones, animal body parts, herbs, cereals, vegetables, fruits and other plants. Information has come down to us that later, in the era of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220) there were cases of the use of marijuana (cannabis herb) for medical purposes.

A physician named Hua Tuo (140-208) used cannabis as one of the ingredients in a wine-based potion. This drug was used as an anesthetic during surgery.

Then, over the centuries, several more books were written on the theory of Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Methods

In Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, therapeutic massage, hot cupping, auriculotherapy, acupressure, acupuncture, and heat puncture are widely used.

Phytotherapy (herbal treatment) very popular in medicine and one of the most difficult in the world. Formulas of preparations include up to two dozen ingredients, among which there can be both plant and animal and mineral components. Doctors collect them in a preparation so that they mutually complement and enhance each other's action. Various plants are used to treat and prevent many ailments. Ginseng, ginger, smooth licorice, lemongrass, licorice root, motherwort, lingzhi mushroom, cordyceps and many others are widely used. There are about 200 types of herbal mixtures, but only 30 of them can be freely bought.

Traditional Chinese medicine is the oldest system of healing, known and actively used for more than three thousand years. But only in the second half of the 20th century did Western doctors pay attention to its effectiveness, simplicity, but by no means primitiveness in use. A large number of techniques used by Chinese doctors are recognized as effective in Western clinics and are actively used in practice. In this article, we will try to figure out what the essence of Chinese methods of treatment is, and how they differ from European ones.

Alternative approach in medicine

The methods of traditional Chinese medicine are focused on improving the whole body, improving overall well-being and psycho-emotional state.

The approach of Chinese healers has global differences from Western methods. Doctors in Europe try to save the patient from the disease and its manifestations, while Eastern doctors consider the human body as an integral system and believe that the body as a whole should be treated, and not its individual parts.

Traditional Chinese medicine is based on several postulates. Firstly, our well-being is directly dependent on how freely the vital energy - Qi circulates, and secondly, the balance of female (Yin) and male (Yang) energies plays an important role. According to Chinese doctors, if the balance of energies is disturbed, then diseases and ailments appear. Therefore, it is not the symptoms that should be treated, but the cause should be eliminated, that is, the harmony of energies in the body should be restored.

Such an unusual philosophy for Europeans gives very impressive results: Chinese methods help in the treatment of more than 40 diseases. These are not unfounded statements, but statistics from the World Health Organization.

The study of oriental methods of treatment began not so long ago, and perhaps the list of such diseases will be replenished very quickly.

Diagnostic methods

In our usual medical practice, diagnosis is based on a physical examination of the patient and research data: laboratory or hardware.

But traditional Chinese medicine uses other methods. When examining a patient, a Chinese doctor pays attention not so much to the manifestations of diseases as to his appearance: the color of the skin, the condition of the nails, tongue and whites of the eyes.

It is believed that an ailment is a manifestation of a violation of energy metabolism, and it necessarily finds expression in external signs that the patient does not even associate with his illness. Often, Chinese healers are able to identify the disease, just by carefully listening to the patient. In doing so, they evaluate breath sounds, tempo, and how speech sounds.

The Chinese doctor devotes a lot of time to communicating with the patient. He will definitely ask you about your well-being, and about mental disorders, about your desires and aspirations, relationships with loved ones.

All this allows the doctor to draw conclusions about the temperament and character of the patient, which is of great importance for treatment using oriental techniques. Part of the examination is always to check the rhythm of the pulse. According to this indicator, the doctor evaluates the general condition of the patient.

In traditional Chinese medicine, physicians can distinguish up to 30 pulse scenarios, each corresponding to a specific disorder. With the help of palpation, a Chinese doctor checks the condition of the muscles, joints, skin, etc. Evaluates the presence of edema and muscle blocks. As a result of the inspection, the specialist understands where the system failed and how to fix it.

Treatment Methods

I must say that, unlike our polyclinics, in the hospital of traditional Chinese medicine, the selection of therapy is always carried out individually, since the Chinese say that there are no two identical people in the world, which means that there cannot be identical methods of treatment. Individualization of the therapeutic approach is the cornerstone of Chinese medicine.

The doctor selects a set of techniques that treat not the disease, but the patient himself. Even sets of herbs for brewing are compiled individually, taking into account the characteristics of a particular person.

Types of massage

There are dozens of effective techniques in the arsenal of Chinese doctors. Perhaps the most popular of these is massage. Chinese massage techniques are known all over the world and include such exotics as, for example, gua sha - a massage done with a special scraper made of jade, as well as tuina - a massage using acupressure techniques.

With Chinese massage, the doctor focuses on the meridians, it is believed that it is along these lines that Qi energy moves through the body. Such a massage has an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect, allows you to have a deep effect on tissues, improves blood circulation and metabolism.

In addition, there is a removal of muscle tension, which often leads to problems with the joints, spine, respiratory system and digestive organs.

vacuum massage

Also in China, traditional Chinese medicine makes extensive use of vacuum massage. Today, this method is actively used in Western clinics, but its basic principles were formed in ancient China. Massage is carried out using cans of various diameters. The doctor actively moves the cans around the patient's body and thereby affects the active points.

From the point of view of a Chinese doctor, such a massage harmonizes energy flows, and a Western therapist will say that such a procedure strengthens capillaries, improves microcirculation and helps the body get rid of toxins.

In addition, vacuum therapy improves cellular respiration, which allows faster recovery of damage. Such a massage restores the body's defenses and is often used by doctors for preventive purposes in case of the danger of infectious diseases.

Acupuncture

It is impossible not to mention such a well-known method, which is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine, like acupuncture, or acupuncture. This is a method in which, with the help of very thin needles, various active points located throughout the human body are affected.

According to Chinese experts, there are about 300 such points on our body, and each of them has a connection with any organ. The needles used in this case are so thin and inserted to such an insignificant depth that the patient experiences practically no discomfort. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is used as a pain reliever.

Also indications for use in this case are: metabolic disorders, reduced immunity, insomnia and some diseases of the nervous system.

China even opened several international centers for the training of specialists in acupuncture techniques.

Chinese doctors also use a technique with an unusual name for the Russian ear moxibustion. This method of treatment is quite exotic: a smoldering wormwood cigar is used, with the help of which active points are warmed up. The doctor does not touch the surface of the skin with a cigar, the patient feels only comfortable warmth. Reviews of traditional Chinese medicine clinics are magical, almost mystical.

Phytotherapy

There are in the arsenal of Chinese doctors and methods of treatment more familiar to us. For example, phytotherapy. Herbal preparations are actively used by Eastern healers in the treatment of various diseases.

Most of the herbs used by Chinese doctors are so-called adaptogens, that is, they help the body cope with environmental influences: they help strengthen immunity, help regulate blood pressure and sugar levels, and also restore the body's defenses and normalize metabolism.

In China, herbalists treat many pathological conditions with traditional Chinese medicine preparations made from well-known plants, such as ginseng, lemongrass, motherwort, ginger, goji berries.

Chinese qigong gymnastics

If we are talking about Chinese traditional medicine, then we simply cannot but say about Chinese qigong gymnastics. This is national gymnastics. In the parks and squares of Chinese cities in the morning and evening you can see how the residents do this gymnastics.

It has a lot in common with yoga: the same slow and smooth movements and breath control. Qigong promotes the harmonization of all energies in the body. Speaking in the language of a modern Western doctor, this gymnastics (like many other ancient arts, by the way) improves the blood supply to the brain and all other systems and organs of the body, increases concentration, helps relieve muscle tension and normalize blood pressure.

Balanced Diet

The Chinese consider proper nutrition to be one of the conditions for recovery. Therefore, a Chinese doctor will devote a lot of time to your diet and give a lot of advice on organizing nutrition. We are used to counting fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals. In the East, a different approach is used. The main thing is to keep the balance of tastes. Collectively, salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes should form a harmonious symphony. When compiling a menu, a Chinese doctor necessarily takes into account not only the patient's disease, but also his gender, age and the lifestyle that he leads.

Traditional Chinese medicine is becoming increasingly popular not only in its homeland, but also in the Western world. According to reviews, traditional Chinese medicine is distinguished by low trauma, the absence of contraindications and adverse reactions of treatment methods. But the most important thing is that they are effective, and this is a scientifically proven fact. For example, Australian scientists conducted a study on fertility treatments. And it turned out that herbal Chinese infusions help to cope with this disease twice as effectively as the usual medications.