Chinese Medicine has a 3,000 year history of treating trauma. Many stories about this ancient medicine are from the battlefield. China for much of its long history was a warring culture. One tale relates how soldiers just off the battlefield would be cured of chronic ailments after receiving strategically placed arrow and or spear wounds. This story dates from 503-902-4269 BCE with the origins of Chinese Medicine dating from Neolithic times, thus making Chinese medicine one of the oldest contiguous medical methods known.
Chinese Medicine, of which Acupuncture is a part, arose from three major aspects of ancient society.
- Indigenous spiritual practices plus Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism
- Royal Family Doctors and Scholar Warriors
- Kitchen Doctors and Folk Medicine
With such a long history and with so many influences it would be laborious and lengthy to be specific about Chinese history as it relates to its indigenous medicine.
“Hit” Medicine or Trauma Medicine
Chinese warrior-ship and martial arts are beyond this article but it is needless to say whether on the battlefield or during personal combat and survival a war culture would need effective healthcare methods to survive the slings and arrows of not only martial and warrior training but the actual life and death struggles of combat.
Natural Chinese Trauma medicine is one result of this long history of war and physical combat.
Because of spiritual and social constructs in ancient China surgery and visible amputation where not acceptable. Therefore methods had to be devised which would cure the body while leaving the body intact. This is one of the reasons Chinese Medicine evolved into a mostly non surgical medical model.
Surgery was preformed in ancient China but was abandoned because surgery is “to much trouble”.
Modern day Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and you!
Today most of us do not go onto the battlefield or engage in hand to hand contests of martial ability both of which were common in per modern China.It is important to note that not only men but women as well were known to posses martial prowess and Kung Fu. Pre Modern China is before 1911.
In our modern times we can be blind sided by a two ton motorized vehicle in the blink of an eye. We get no training or even a heads up and this is on top of our harried and pensive lifestyle.
This kind of instant trauma is a gut wrenching and powerfully traumatic experience to say the least.
If we are lucky enough to escape with our life and have all our limbs intact we are so pummeled by the various vector forces that person can end up emotionally, energetically and physically scared for life.
Chinese medical theory in English.
When we receive trauma to our bodies the air, blood , nutrients, water , lymph, interstitial fluids and energetic potential can be completely knocked out of balance and get stuck in the injured area of our bodies. Not to forget the joints, sinews, tendons, ligaments and bones. Fortunately we have a natural homeostatic mechanisms which restore our bodies back to function. Given we rest properly and stop re injuring the affected area. However when we get so out of balance by the work a day world or get T-boned, blind sided, rear ended by a work or sports injury or SUV we need help. Chinese Medicine will move the air, blood, fluids and energy into a more homeostatic and balanced state.
Chinese Medicine has a saying: “Attack a Tiger from all angles.” Chinese medicine methods such as acupuncture, cupping, joint manipulations, tui na (massage), herbal medicine, tinctures, lineaments, salves, poultices and many other techniques greatly assist the bodies natural healing mechanisms. Include Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in your treatment and choose safe and effective medicine and “attack the tiger from all angles.”
Written by Lonnie Neer, LAc
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