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Reviewed by Ward Gypson, M.D.
Why
do so many suffer from pain, specifically low back pain?
This is a question that patients and doctors ask with varying
degrees of frustration. I’d like to provide an alternative
angle of understanding low back pain through the model of
Chinese medicine.
Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of medicine that has
been practiced for several thousand years in the Orient
and has gathered more acclaim in the last decade here in
the West. TCM encompasses the modalities of acupuncture,
herbal medicine, moxabustion, Tui Na or medical massage
and often includes nutritional therapy and breathing therapy
or Qi Gong.
In
November of 1997 the National Institute of Health published
a consensus statement stating there is, in fact, sufficient
evidence to support the use of acupuncture (for some conditions).
Though, further study of its physiology and clinical value
was encouraged, promising results emerged regarding the
efficacy of acupuncture in low back pain. I’d like to also
note that the use of acupuncture does not preclude the concurrent
use of Western medical therapies and often, both are utilized
to successfully treat a patient.
The
Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine
When
an individual is diagnosed with a “back problem” in Western
medicine be it spondylosis, spinal osteoarthritis, prolapsed
lumbar disc or muscular/ligamentous lumbar strain the focus
is primarily on the lower back region and within the Western
medical model the options become therapies like spinal surgery,
physical therapy, pharmaceutical intervention and cortisone
or epidural type injections. These are perfectly acceptable
modalities but what if they don’t alleviate the pain? And,
what about the underlying cause for the back weakness in
the first place? Can that underlying weakness be strengthened?
Let us consider this possibility via Chinese medicine.
Though
the system of TCM is logical and scientific in it’s own
way, it is a separate system from modern Western medicine
and can’t always be explained via Western medical logic.
To include the successful system of TCM within our minds,
we need to expand the way we think and consider both systems
as valid while learning how to accept the similarities and
differences within the two systems.
One
could say that Chinese medicine was born out of the theory
of Yin and Yang. As well as describing that which exists
in nature, Yin and Yang perfectly describes all the parts
and functions of the body. Yin and Yang are in a constant
state of dynamic balance, when this balance is threatened
disease is possible. An example in nature of this dynamic
balance is the rhythm of the sun (yang) and moon (yin).
In a 24-hour period each is unique, change over to the other
and require each other for overall balance (from the perspective
of earth that is). Yin and Yang each have an individual
expression in the body and yet requires the other to exist,
for example Yin represents stillness, form and blood whereas,
Yang represents activity, function and Qi. Qi needs blood
to nourish it and blood needs Qi to move it.
Qi
can be described as energy, material force, electromagnetic
current, matter, ether, vital force, or life force. Qi travels
throughout our entire body in channels or meridians reaching
every aspect of our body. These channels are understood
to be separate from the pathways of the nervous, vascular
and lymph systems in Western medicine. Loosely, when we
are born we begin with a gas tank of Qi and when the tank
of Qi is empty our life force is gone or in other words,
we die. This tank of gas is rooted in the organ system of
the Kidneys according to Chinese medicine theory and is
distributed throughout our organs, glands and channels in
a very systematic way. Because of this intricate channel
system within our body when we refer to an organ such as
the Kidneys, that includes much more than the organ alone
according to anatomy. Each organ system has representations
of Yin and Yang, hormone balance as well as specific Qi
and blood functions which plays a vital role in connecting,
via the channels, with other organ systems and the entire
body to render the body a holistic system. In other words,
it isn’t possible, within TCM, to deem an organ or body
part as an isolated problem without considering the whole
body system. So, you say, what might this have to do with
low back pain?
The
Relation of the Kidney System in TCM and Low Back Pain
The
low back is the “mansion of the Kidneys” meaning that the
low back is most closely related, but not limited to, the
health of the Kidney system. It is without question, in
low back pain, that the Kidney system be treated in Chinese
medicine.
Back
on the subject of Qi, it is said in Chinese Medicine:
If
there is free flow, there is no pain;
If there is no free flow, there is pain.
Basically,
what this means is if the Qi and/or blood stagnate in the
channel(s), specifically through the region of the low back,
there will be pain. Imagine a river flowing unimpeded and
suddenly a tree falls across the river, we see in our imagination
the water no longer flowing freely, but getting blocked
by the log, pushing into the banks of the river. The basic
concept of acupuncture is to re-open the river, create a
circulation so that the log lifts and normal flow is restored.
How
does the free flow of Qi and blood in the body become impeded,
so as to cause pain?
1.
An external invasion of wind, cold, dampness, or heat may
invade the lower back region causing pain. If our defensive
Qi or immune system is weak we become more susceptible to
external invasions through the pores of our skin.
2.
The Qi and blood can stagnate due to trauma (i.e. lifting,
repetitive strain over time, an accident or similar sprain).
3.
There may be an insufficiency of Qi or blood creating a
sluggishness or stagnation of flow throughout the channel(s).
This is an internal cause or weakness with a number of possible
etiologies such as:
-
Poor diet, insufficient rest coupled with too much activity
or overwork (i.e. busy lives, excessive sex*), overuse
of drugs, chronic illness, heredity weakness, an excess
of the emotions fear and anxiety, and general aging as
our Qi is naturally declining.
- The
Chinese believe that a healthy, moderate amount of sex
supports a good flow of Qi and too much sex (specifically
ejaculation for men and childbirth for women), depletes
the Qi, blood and essence of the Kidneys.
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