Everybody gets the blues from time to time. However, 17 million Americans suffer from clinical depression each year. Two thirds of these are women. Clinical depression is a disease, which can have devastating effects on one's family, relationships, and career.
Chinese medical treatment for depression does not just alleviate the symptoms of depression but seeks to find and then eradicate the root cause of this disease.
What is Depression?
The term "depression" encompasses several different medical
diagnosis:
Although each of these conditions vary from person to person, they all include some of the following symptoms:
Although a whole family of new anti-depressant drugs, such as Prozac and Zoloft, have brought relief to millions of patients, these drugs do have unpleasant or unacceptable side effects in many patients. In addition, these drugs do not cure depression; they only manage its symptoms. Few patients relish the idea of staying on such medication their whole lives.
Chinese Medicine & Depression
Chinese Medicine has been treating depression successfully for more than
2000 years with various combinations of acupuncture, herbs, diet, and
other low or no cost home therapies. In Chinese Medicine, there are six
major patterns of depression. These patterns mostly have to do with the
Chinese idea of the liver, spleen, and kidneys. When a patient comes
to an acupuncturist or practitioner of Chinese Medicine complaining of
depression, the practitioner will first decide which of these six patterns
or what combinations of these patterns the patient exhibits. This pattern
diagnosis is made through four basic examinations:
Based on that individualized pattern diagnosis, the practitioner will then craft a personalized treatment plan encompassing all aspects of the patient's life.
Does it work?
Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a pilot study
on the effects of acupuncture on depression in women. The results of
this study showed that acupuncture was at least as effective as either
drugs or psychotherapy and there are no side effects!
When acupuncture is combined with Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese dietary therapy, and various other lifestyle modifications (all individually tailored to the person's own pattern of disharmony), the effects are even greater. In addition, Chinese medical treatment for depression does not just alleviate the symptoms of depression but seeks to find and then eradicate the root of this disease.
Can one combine Western & Chinese Medicine?
Absolutely. In many cases, a combination is the best and quickest way of
treating depression. Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, can be
used to lessen or eliminate the side effects of Western anti-depressants,
while a certain amount of psychotherapy can help the Chinese treatment
go faster. Anyone currently on anti-depressants who wants to get off
them by using Chinese Medicine should definitely discuss this with their
prescribing physician and work out a withdrawal schedule in concert with
their Chinese medical practitioner. Patients with bipolar disorder typically
need to stay on their Western medication.
Reference: Blue Poppy Press