We had an ongoing joke during acupuncture college in our Pathology/etiology classes.  We took two classes of each, one set of classes for western medicine and another for Chinese medicine.  The differences between our understanding of what CAUSES disease is the core difference between these two VERY DIFFERENT forms of medicine.  It's the main reason integration of the two has been so difficult.

 

 

In our western medical Etiology class, the book we studied from was so thick and fancy with really thin pages, crammed full of big long, difficult to pronounce words.  It was quite intimidating.  However, we were struck by the overwhelming number of times we read "etiology unknown."   To be honest, I was shocked at how very little we know in western medicine about what causes us to be sick.  We can name the symptoms.  We can develop chemicals that cancel the mechanism of the symptom, but we have very little idea about the causation of disease.  Seriously, the overwhelming majority of the time, "etiology unknown" is the answer given in our fancy schmaney medical books.

 

On the opposite end of the scale, the number one cause of disease listed in Chinese medical etiology was "menal irritation."   Every disease we studied - mental irritation, mental irritation, mental irritation.  Those words struck me.  Not very fancy.  Or Latin mind you.   But it struck a deep cord of truth that has been proven over and over to me while working with thousands of patients over the last 17 years.   

The negative effects of stress on our bodies regulatory systems is just now being researched and "discovered" in the west.  When you stress out, whether it's because Jason is chasing you with an ax or your boss just gave you an unrealistic deadline or your 3 year has other plans for your morning, your body's main life promoting mechanisms are shut down.   It takes hours and sometimes even days, before your body recovers.  That's if you don't get stressed again by something else before that happens.  Recovery from stress is further hindered by poor sleep habits and poor nutrition.  (your body doesn't have what it needs to recover- and without adequate sleep - it doesn't have time to recover.)  The buzzer rings, you pop or crawl out of bed and it all starts over again.  It took me years to adopt the "it's just pre school" mentality to trying to get my kids to school on time.  I was wrecked every morning trying to get my 2 year old to pre school on time.  It just set the whole tone of the day wrong.  The stress hormones where pouring out and it never stopped.   Then I noticed all the grey hair and the sore low back.  My body was saying," Hey - I'm wearing out here.  Can we try a little opposite to stress monkey??"  Now I have no excuse.  I know the key to the universe.  But, it takes some skill at doing what you know.  

When you stress out, chemicals are released in your brain and adrenals.  They spill out into your body causing:

1.  Your digestive system to stop.  Sluggish digestion.  Poor nutrient absorption.  Interference in your menstrual cycle, endometriosis, PCOS, constipation, IBS  follow depending on your body type.

2.  Your breathing becomes rapid and shallow and your heart rate increases so you can run away from Jason.  Trouble is, your sitting in your car or at your desk.  The diaphragm does not squish your liver to release fresh purified blood into your cardiovascular system.  Your blood flow is directed to your arms and legs instead of staying in your torso to nourish your internal organs.  The blood stagnates around the liver causing chemical imbalances throughout the body.  This causes, PMS, Hyper-acidity, Gas, Bloating, Irritability, metabolism and immune sluggishness. No good.

That's where acupuncture, which stimulates your PARASYMPATHETIC nervous system, comes in super handy.   The relaxation response cancels all of the stress triggers and allows your body to recover, heal, nourish and regulate itself.   People are yabbering about the trouble with regulation.  If it was so bad, your body wouldn't have regulating capabilities.  All kinds of trouble comes when the regulators go on vacation.   

When I rest on the table with needles, stress relieving endorphins spill forth from my brain.  My breathing becomes normal.  My heart rate goes down.  I can even feel my intestines start to move and work again. My mind becomes clear.  The way opens up before me.  Afterwards, I find I have the energy and will power to do what I know I should do, but couldn't motivate myself to do before acupuncture.  It's amazing.   Additionally, through regular treatment, the relaxation brain response becomes stronger and I notice I can maintain patience and control.  Handy skill with kids.

While acupuncture can do much more than just counter act stress - considering how much stress we're all under, especially in this fast paced industrialized society - that alone is enough to make acupuncture a vital therapy for survival in the modern world.  No kidding.   Week after week, year after year, patient after patient tells me they look forward to their stress recovery naps every week.  They can't live without them.  None of us can.  None of us should.  Get your stress levels down with a relaxing acupuncture session and see what everyone is raving about.   It good stuff.

Besides, we're the only doctors who can tell you WHY you have your symptom.  More on in depth Chinese diagnosis later.