Traditional Chinese medicine uses quite a few natural remedies to alleviate symptoms of several common ailments. It uses no synthetic products, so it fits in with modern culture's promotion of natural lifestyles, including the consumption of less processed food and the reduction of chemicals in the environment. By using natural Chinese remedies in conjunction with traditional medicine, a patient may help their doctor's efforts to heal them, but there is still insufficient evidence to promote these as standalone therapies for medical conditions.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves the shallow insertion of needles into certain spots of the body. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this complementary therapy can help a wide variety of ailments, such as lower back pain, bronchitis, headaches, sinus trouble and incontinence. The points where the needles are inserted lay on channels of energy called meridians, and each meridian is said to control one organ or group of organs on the body. The needles are kept in place while you rest for up to an hour, and are then removed without much discomfort. Energy is unblocked by this process, allowing its balance to be restored and health and vitality to return to the person being treated.
Acupressure
Similar to acupuncture, this natural remedy uses the fingers instead of needles to apply pressure to certain parts of the body. The goal is the same as acupuncture: to attempt to free the flow of energy along certain pathways. According to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center this process has been shown to help relieve pain, nausea and vomiting after surgery. The energy, known as "qi" is said to cause imbalances in the body if it is blocked, making it hard to deal with health problems.
Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine uses a wide variety of dried herbs along with roots, flowers, bone, shells and animal parts used to treat myriad illnesses. According to Tufts University, there are some 10,000 medicinal ingredients available in this treatment methodology, as compared with about 400 in traditional western medicine. In herbal medicine, a person with an ailment is examined by a practitioner and a specific formula of herbs and other substances is prepared specifically for his condition, similar to a doctor prescribing drugs from a pharmacy. Herbs can cause complications and side effects and should not be used without consulting a medical doctor to ensure it is appropriate for your current treatment.
Meditation or Massage
Tufts University suggests meditation as a Chinese natural remedy that can have therapeutic effects, relieving symptoms and discomfort related to various ills in practitioners. Conditions shown to be improved by meditative exercises include rheumatoid arthritis, immune dysfunction, dementia and stress. Chinese mediation techniques include the martial art of Tai Chi, as well as Qi Gong. Both, like the practices of acupressure and acupuncture, seek to restore a harmonious balance of the qi energy of the body.
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