In our normal life, we may feel worried sometimes about various kinds of problems. But the temporary anxiety does not belongs to anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders can continuously make a person fall into the mental status of anxiety, fear and panic. It may bring very negative influence to his daily life, studying and working. Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are common medications for relieving the symptoms of anxiety disorders, but the kinds of treatments may bring some big side effects, tolerance, dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, alternative medicine may provide better choices. This article introduces a Traditional Chinese Medical external therapy that is from Chen Yajie, who works in Shougang Hospital of Peking University.

Table of contents:

1) Theoretical basis of the combination therapy

2) Introduction of the combination therapy

3) How the channels and acupuncture points work

4) What we can do for you

Theoretical basis of the combination therapy

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, anxiety disorders may be recognised as multiple types according to  the difference of symptoms. The causes of anxiety disorders include the deficiency of internal organs, phlegm-heat and blood stasis disturbing the spirit of Heart, and the stagnation of Liver-Qi. In the combination therapy, cupping therapy makes channels unblocked and makes Qi and Blood run smoothly, while acupuncture therapy relieves the stagnation of Liver-Qi.

Introduction of the combination therapy

The patient lies flat in a prone position. Firstly the doctor takes the quick cupping method for activating the patient’s Yang-Qi.

Quick cupping is a method that a cup is put on a cupping point and then is removed instantly. The action should repeat until the skin becomes red. Please pay attention to the temperature of the cup mouth because repeated heating may make the cup mouth very hot.

After quick cupping, the doctor uses the method of moving cupping for stimulating the Du Channel and the Bladder Channel of Foot Taiyang on the back. Moving cupping is a very effective way to stimulate a channel.  For using the method, the doctor pushes a sucked cup to move along a channel until the skin becomes red.

The last step of the cupping therapy is to retain cups on the channels for ten minutes.

For the acupuncture therapy, major acupuncture points include Tai Chong, Bai Hui, Shen Ting and Zhong Wan. Moreover, the doctor may choose some associated acupuncture points on the Heart Channel, the Kidney Channel and the Spleen Channel for reinforcing efficacy.

The patient accepts the combination therapy once a day, and the treatment takes a month.

How the channels and acupuncture points work

The Du Channel and the Bladder Channel of Foot Taiyang are not only for treating the disorders of internal organs, but also for treating mental disorders.

Tai Chong is the source point of the Liver Channel of Foot-Jueyin. The acupuncture to the point is able to remove the stagnation of Liver-Qi. It is generally used for treating stroke, insanity, infantile convulsion, headache, dizziness, tinnitus,  reddened eyes with swelling and pain, deviated mouth, and sore throat. It is especially for treating syndromes caused by Liver-wind and Liver-heat.

Bai Hui and Shen Ting are acupuncture points of the Du Channel on the head.

Bai Hui is generally used for treating dementia, stroke, aphasia, clonic convulsion, sleeplessness, forgetfulness, insanity, epilepsy, and hysteria. And it is commonly used for treating headache, dizziness and tinnitus.

Shen Ting is used for treating mental disorders including insanity, epilepsy, sleeplessness and palpitation with fear. The acupuncture point is also used for treating headache, dizziness, reddened eyes, cloudy cornea, nasal sinusitis and nosebleed.

Zhong Wan is an acupuncture point of the Ren Channel, and it is an important point related to Stomach. It is called the gathering point of Stomach-Qi. It is used for treating stomachache, abdominal distension, lack of appetite, vomiting, acid reflux, hiccups, malnutrition and dyspepsia in children. It is also used for jaundice, insanity and capricious moods with depression and irritability.

The clinical research of Chen Yajie shows the combination therapy of cupping and acupuncture is effective for improving anxiety disorders.

What we can do for you

For effective therapies, you always need high-quality and economical tools.

As an e-commerce platform dedicated to Traditional Chinese Medicine and naturopathy, TCMstore.eu aoffer products with best quality and competitive prices. For cupping tools, we have our own brand TCM Goods, including glass cups for fire cupping and plastic cups for fireless cupping. The glass cups of TCM Goods are  firm, durable and comfortable for fire cupping therapy of TCM. Our economical cupping glass set is your best choice for your cupping practice.

We also provide more than thirty styles of tools for Gua Sha, made of jade, quartz, buffalo horn, brass or wood. We have our own brand Wschód for nebulizers, diffusers and the tools of Gua Sha. You may always find the tools you need for Gua Sha and massage.

References:

1. Anxiety Disorders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders. National Institute of Mental Health.

2. Chen Yajie. Applied Research about the Combination of Acupuncture and Cupping for Treating Patients of Anxiety Disorders. Healthmust-Readmagazine. No. 2, Jan 2021.

3. Science of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 2016.