integrativehealing
diagnosed with fibromyalgia are women. Most people are diagnosed during middle age, although the symptoms often become present earlier in life.
Treating Fibromyalgia Syndrome with Chinese Medicine
by Shaozi Li, Ph.D. F
ibromyalgia syndrome is a common and
chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, diffuse tenderness and a number of other symptoms. The root cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, and there is controversy in the medical field regarding this mysterious syndrome.
“The goal of
treatment is to eliminate the wind- cold-dampness, invigorate the blood, unblock the meridians, enhance the genuine-qi and stop the pain.”
The word
“fibromyalgia” comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek words for muscle (myo) and pain (algia). Fibromyalgia is seen in about 2 percent of the general population, and scientists estimate that it affects 5 million Americans age 18 and older. For unknown reasons, between 80 and 90 percent of those
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, fibromyalgia syndrome is most likely due to a wind-cold- dampness attack from outside the body. It is also due to a deficiency of the internal organs, weakness of the genuine-qi, and an internal imbalance between yin and yang, which blocks the meridians, leading to widespread pain and diffuse tenderness of the muscles. The goal of treatment is to eliminate the wind- cold-dampness, invigorate the blood, unblock the meridians, enhance the genuine-qi and stop the pain. Chinese herbs, acupuncture and cupping are often used to treat patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. A Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment plan for fibromyalgia syndrome is often based on the location of the pain. There are several specific acupuncture points for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, femur, knee, ankle and back/lumbar region. There are also specific herbal formulas for different fibromyalgia syndrome symptoms. After a consultation, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners are able to provide a customized treatment plan to target the patient’s unique issues. Cupping is a therapeutic method
in which a jar is attached to the skin surface to cause local congestion through the negative pressure created by introducing heat in the form of an ignited material or suction. It is
32 Natural Awakenings San Antonio
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