Using the Branches to Treat Lower Jiao Pain of Different Types
Using the Branches to Treat Lower Jiao Pain of Different Types
Featured Speaker: Chad Bailey, AP
What are the classical branches of Chinese Medicine? Acupuncture, Tui Na Massage, Herbology, Diet Therapy, and Qi Gong.
Some modern references and websites offer more: Some split Qi Gong into Therapeutic Exercise and Meditation; Therapies which have become popular- moxibustion, cupping, gua sha, reflexology, ion pumping cords, electro- acupuncture,; Cosmology (I- Ching, 12 Animals), and Feng Shui.
What are the primary types of Lower Jiao pain? Lower Back Pain, Pelvic Floor Pain, and Menstrual Pain.
Are there other types of Lower Jiao pain? Many. Abdominal and inguinal hernias, bladder or kidney infections, athletic or traumatic injuries, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis, I.B.S., etc…. Too many to discuss them all but we can look at the energetics, learn to conceptually treat the primary types which leads to easily adjusting treatment for many different types of lower jiao pain.
The basic energetics of treating lower back pain is to open the patients individual blockages in the Urinary Bladder & Gall Bladder channels and strengthen the Kidney and Ming Men.
The energetics for treating pelvic floor pain, while similar, changes to open the patients individual blockages in the Liver, Urinary Bladder, Gall Bladder, and Conception Vessel (REN) and strengthen the Kidney, Spleen, and Governing Vessel (DU).
Finally, the energetics for Menstrual Pain changes to open the patients individual blockages in the Liver, Gall Bladder, Stomach, Urinary Bladder, Heart, Chong, and Dai and strengthen the Lung, Spleen, and Kidney. While many variations exist for each of these types of pain, the energetics can usually be traced back to these basics.
In treatment, Tui Na will be used to assess and manipulate the pelvis: Ilium, Pubis, Ischium and Sacrum as well as the Lumbar region. Full Body Tui Na is essential to keep the whole body pain free.
Acupuncture points will be selected from the Lower Back, Pelvic Floor, and Menstrual Pain energetics. The development of Ting, hearing without the ears, is an important skill to train. Sensitivity to internal energy is necessary to adjust points with each continuing treatment. Herbs are used with a Yin and Yang concept of Dispersing Herbs and Formulas or opposite, Strengthen Herbs and Formulas.
Diet is used in a similar way with a Yin and Yang concept of Dispersing Foods or opposite, Strengthen Foods.
Qi Gong is used for its Movement/ Mobility function and its Meditation side. Range of motion and the calming effects of meditation will both benefit pain syndromes.
Lastly, Emotions! No, emotions are not one of the classical branches but we can all see how dealing with our emotions in a positive way can have a major transformative effect on health. Call this new branch Taoist Emotional Transformation and help patients to become aware of their predominant emotion patterns and offer Seven Emotions coping methods to assist. In many cases, referral to a counseling professional is warranted.
I tell the story of a shoulder pain patient who I treated for many weeks. Eighteen weeks to be exact. Once a week I would treat her she would feel
better for 4-6 days but by the next week when she would arrive, the pain would have returned. On the 18th treatment, I asked, “Is there anything that has been going on during this time out of the ordinary?” She replied, “Well, my husband passed away 5 months ago.” I changed her treatment that day to focus on Grief and Sadness. Her shoulder pain dissolved and never came back.
Your viewpoint is the important aspect. Are you perceiving the pain at a protocol or technique level? Are you perceiving the pain at a conceptual level? Are you perceiving the pain at an innovative level where you create the treatment?
If Pain Syndromes are looked at from a conceptual standpoint, the use of the branches in treatment becomes easily variable and able to treat pain wherever it might manifest. Years of treating with concepts will lead to a deeper understanding of the concepts and therefore, innovation.
Chad Bailey, AP is an expert in Acupuncture, Oriental Medicine, Tui Na Massage, Qi Gong, Tai Chi Chuan, and Martial Arts. Chad teaches Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong, Filipino Self-Defense (Progressive Arnis & Cadena de Mano), Tui Na (Chinese Massage & Manipulation), and Oriental Medicine in Miami, FL. Chad is a state and nationally licensed acupuncturist (A.P., D.O.M.), as well as a National Diplomate of Chinese Herbology (D.C.H.)