Managing Stress with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
Battling stress, and you’re just not sure how to handle it? In the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are several ways that stress is explained and treated. Chinese medicine practitioners see how stress affects someone’s holistic health and take steps to try and alleviate these issues within their lives. With many practitioners believing that stress can affect Qi stagnation, energy, digestive health and even mental health, examining this topic is of utmost importance to our health.
We’ll discuss why stress is associated with Qi stagnation, some of the mind-body practices that are used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with stress, and even some of the herbal adaptogens that are used to relieve moderate stress. We’ll even touch upon the use of acupuncture and how this can help with stress. Let’s first explore why stress can impact your Qi.
Stress Affects Your Qi and How Stagnate It Becomes
When you encounter emotional stress in your life, it may be draining for your mental health and overall energy. In traditional Chinese medicine, Liver Qi Stagnation is often caused by stress. Common symptoms such as hypochondriac discomfort, anger, depression and mood swings, all of which are signs that their Liver Qi might be stagnating due to stress. Women might experience gender-specific symptoms like breast tenderness, irregularities in period, or even no period, whereas men might experience testicular pain.
In addition, some people might experience similar symptoms, but also appetite loss, low energy and irregular bowel movement, if the Spleen is involved. Left unattended, more systemic complications such as insomnia, trouble with metabolisms, as well as hormone regulation might start to affect overall health. Therefore, the reason that stress is so significant within the field of traditional Chinese medicine is that we believes that mental health impacts physical health, and if you are stressed, you’ll begin to see it— even feel it—within your body.
Mind-Body Practices for De-Stressing in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Some of the best and most common ways for people to combat stress with traditional Chinese medicine is through mind-body practices such as qigong and tai chi. Both of these are rooted in movements that move energy throughout the body, encouraging less stress and a flow of energy throughout the body. In Australia, yoga and Pilates are generally the popular practices for maintaining mental wellbeing. Practices that promotes mindfulness might help you combat mental challenges and even alleviate tangible stress that makes daily life more difficult.
Common Herbal Remedies Used to Help with Stress
To further help your body with stress, traditional Chinese medicine has used herbal remedies for years to help support the body’s natural coping mechanisms. Practitioners often recommend specific herbal formulas that are designed to help balance the body and mind, promoting a state of calm and resilience. For instance, the popular formula Xiao Yao San, includes Chinese thorowax (Chai Hu) along with white peony root (Bai Shao) and liquorice root (Gan Cao) to support emotional well-being and stress management.
TCM also advocates using herbal teas for relaxation and self-care. Two popular options include rosebud tea and chamomile tea. Incorporating these herbal remedies into your daily routine provides a simple yet effective way to support your body’s ability to cope with stress.
Using Acupuncture to Help with Alleviating Stress
To manage stress beyond the use of herbal remedies, you can also try out acupuncture. Acupuncture is used within traditional Chinese medicine to address imbalances within the body and to help regulate the flow of Qi, which is noticeably affected by stress. While acupuncture might not alleviate your source of stress, it has been proven to help with making your common symptoms of stress less prevalent so you can improve your health and energy throughout the day.
Mitigate Stress with Traditional Chinese Medicine
It can be challenging to handle stress, but with the recommendations we have presented, you have a greater idea of how traditional Chinese medicine can support your body’s natural stress response. For more information about traditional Chinese medicine and how it can help common conditions you might experience, visit our website today to read more.
