Treatment & Philosophy

2000 years ago Chinese Medicine understood that our emotional state could have a major effect on our ability to stay healthy. Thankfully nowadays the link between emotions and health are being increasingly accepted and backed up by scientific research and studies.

Chinese Medicine views diseases caused from an imbalance of emotions as “internal causes”. They can come about from an imbalance in emotions such as anger, worry, fear, shock, grief, overthinking and even joy. As you can see these emotions are quite stock or standard but our bodies and minds are far more complicated and multifaceted and these emotions can form in many levels, degrees and mixtures .

When in balance all of these emotions exist in harmony within our body and it is normal and healthy for people to express these emotions in certain situations. However, when they start to have an impact on the persons health & wellbeing, effecting the ability to continue with everyday life, then this is a sign that the body’s equilibrium is out of balance and needs to be addressed and adjusted.

If these imbalances are present over a long period of time they can lead to physical manifestations in the body, this is where Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can step in to help.

The Five Element system of Acupuncture focuses and works on the mental and emotional wellbeing of the patient. The five element theory is a primary relationship in the Chinese system. It relates all energy and substance to one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These elements in nature combine to make up our whole body, minds and spirit and they in turn interact and interrelate with each other.

Naturally we are constitutionally drawn to a particular disposition or element from birth, This is known in Chinese Medicine as our constitutional factor or ‘CF’. We will have tendencies to fall into certain patterns of behaviour when we are out of balance. If we can recognise these and work with them we can learn how to balance ourselves and prevent large swings in our emotional health and wellbeing. 

Each emotion can be seen to have Yin and Yang attributes (this means opposites that can be seen as from one extreme to the other but also include the many shades in-between). This gives an endless variety in character, mood, tendencies, patterns in action and thinking. In simple terms you can say it’s what drives you to do what you do. This Constitutional Element can be viewed as the root of our being.

The root of our constitution needs to be addressed so that illness and disease cannot return in the future.

Your practitioner will use a number of traditional methods to diagnose and assess which emotion/elements are out of balance, what your constitution is, and where the root of the problem is coming from. Then they will treat accordingly. 

I personally have treated many patients who have to some degree emotional causes as the root of their illnesses. Some of these come from early childhood experiences that are then expressed later in life. Some occur from current situations of shock and trauma, or even lifestyle.  

Either way Acupuncture balances the body and in turn effects the mind and emotions of the patient.  

Even when patients have not come for this level of treatment, it always proves to be an  important indicator that change and positive outcomes are occurring in the body.

When you come for treatment your practitioner will work with you to try and determine which element you are. Then give treatment and lifestyle advice accordingly. Helping you to move smoother through your life with more self awareness and understanding.

If you want to learn more about Mind & Emotion in Acupuncture you can take a look at our Articles Page or follow our facebook page.