Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine

[Sambellina]

Has anyone here tried Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine?

I've always been susceptible to colds but in the last three months I’ve had 3 colds (one was cold/flu) and I’ve had two cold sores in two months. I suffer from hayfever 12 months of the year so I’m always taking anti-histamines and nasal sprays. When I was a child I was always taken to the doctors for the littlest cough/cold and was dosed up on antibiotics, I also suffered from Asthma and Bronchial Asthma.

My diet is quite good, while I don't eat a lot of fruit I try and make up for it by eating loads of veges. I know I don't exercise as much as I should but it shouldn't effect me this much. I only smoke socially and even haven't done that for a while.

I’ve tried numerous vitamins including Horseradish, Echinacea, Garlic, Vitamin C….the list goes on. I’m now considering Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine and would like any positive or negative feedback on personal experiences.

[C0V3R]

Not quite on topic, but have you tried taking a multi vitamin for an extended period (>= 1month)? It worked quite well for a family member of mine. Also, physical excercise does alot for your immune system and is very underrated (among the general population) as a method of disease prevention.

[Drakin]

The problem you seem to be having is the hayfever.
Everything else could be a symptom of the lowered immune system that can be caused by prolonged taking of asthma/hayfever allergy pills.

My gf gets really bad hayfever, the only treatment that works for her is desensitisation.

This usually has to be done in the autumn months and through winter. Its a process of injection of pollens and other hayfever causing irritants in the aim to find the ones that affect you the most. Then they add increasing doses of this until your body has developed its own immune system to these irritants.

This means that your body doesnt have to divert all resources to fighting the hay fever battle and can concentrate on keeping you healthy.

The best example of this would be when we went to europe in spring, my gf turned into a snot dribbiling machine, due to the fact the european grasses were not on the list here.

It works. Give it a go..

[Sambellina]

Originally posted by Drakin
The problem you seem to be having is the hayfever.
Everything else could be a symptom of the lowered immune system that can be caused by prolonged taking of asthma/hayfever allergy pills.

My gf gets really bad hayfever, the only treatment that works for her is desensitisation.

This usually has to be done in the autumn months and through winter. Its a process of injection of pollens and other hayfever causing irritants in the aim to find the ones that affect you the most. Then they add increasing doses of this until your body has developed its own immune system to these irritants.

This means that your body doesnt have to divert all resources to fighting the hay fever battle and can concentrate on keeping you healthy.

The best example of this would be when we went to europe in spring, my gf turned into a snot dribbiling machine, due to the fact the european grasses were not on the list here.

It works. Give it a go..

Thanks, I'll look into it. Interestingly enough when I lived in the UK my hayfever wasn't as bad, but I still suffered from colds like I do here.

[pleed]

I choose not to get sick at all, that seems to work for me.
If, in the unlikely event, where I am sick, I seem to take what the Dr. Prescribes.
The ones that you get from the dr. with a script are all medically proven and if you doubt it you can ask the pharmacist for a monograph. The problem with chinese medicines are most of them are placebos, they seem to work on one person who will recommend them to everyone. They can be expensive so it's like a gamble.
If you constantly are getting ill, I would make recommend that you buy a jar of Blackmores / Bullivants or Natures Own Multi Vitimans and remember to take 1 every day.

[dozer]

excercise is excellent as it moves the lymph and clears toxins from the body. i would suggest a good antioxidant. for cold prevention astragalus and echinacea are excellent, astragalus in particular but needs to be taken for about a month. there is a good chinese herb miture you can by from the chemist called 'resist' that contains it, or down the liquid form.

[Asmodeus]

Pretty much in agreement here, with my own little additions.

Exercise, definitely helps... Even a good brisk 30 minute walk a day will do wonders. Good multi vitamin.

Oddly enough, spicy food. A good dose of peppers.. gets teh sinuses open, gets teh metabolism going, and after a bit of acclimation to it, will actually help settle your stomach. Also helps bolster your immune system.

Im my experience, long term use of antihistamines and cold/hayfever remedies gets toa point of diminishing returns, since the body will start to fight back against the effects they have on you so it can get back to its own internal watermark.

Had a few friends that went into teh doctor for things like this and got the allergy shots, the ones that help desentisize you. they work.

[rickbitch]

Sambellina, I blame your parents for your current condition in life. As you said, they took you to the doctor for every little sniffle, and doctors being what they were, you were always being given something. Basically, your body never got a chance to work up a decent immune response.

I, on the other hand, had the opposite. Living a fair distance from a doctor helped, coupled with the fact that I never ate any shit (chocolate/chips/snack food in general) and only ate decent fresh vegies and cold meat. Now, my immune system is awesome. While everyone else can't get out of bed due to the flu, I get a minor sniffle and a bit of a cough.

Although you will never have the immune system that I have due to your childhood, you can try to build it up a bit. If you get a cold, suck it up and take nothing unless it's completely and utterly unbearable. The same with headaches and stuff like that. If it's an option, instead of popping that panadol, just go to bed.

Apart from the improved immune response, your body will thank you for not putting as much crap into it. A healthy diet will also help.

[Sambellina]

Asmodeus: I eat sooo many hot dishes it's not funny! The Horseradish supplements are meant to have the same effect. I've had the problem with antihistamines not working after while so try not to take them and stick to the natural remedies but when excess snot becomes a major problem it's back to the chemicals.

Despite what you're all thinking I do exercise!! While I'm not a total gym-junkie I'm not a total couch pototoe either.

Rick: couldn't agree with you more about my parents (mother) but one thing that has taught me in to not pop a pill for every minor ailment.

Sssoooo..............has anyone tried Chinese Medicine??

[angel_b]

Sam, I dabbled with acupuncture treatments many moons ago and had no success. Not to say it doesn't work, but it didn't work for me.

As far as the cold sores go, try avoiding chocolate, nuts and onions - these foods are rich in the amino acid arginine which can bring on a cold sore. I hadn't had one for a couple of years, ate a few peanuts recently and copped one ... on my holidays. :mad:

Sorry to hear you're feeling poorly. :(

[Asmodeus]

Originally posted by Sambellina
Asmodeus: I eat sooo many hot dishes it's not funny! The Horseradish supplements are meant to have the same effect. I've had the problem with antihistamines not working after while so try not to take them and stick to the natural remedies but when excess snot becomes a major problem it's back to the chemicals.


understandable, as a change from antihistamines.. have you considered a decongestant and/or expectorant?

as for chinese medicine, have you considered a chinese herbalist?

[royale]

Originally posted by Sambellina
Has anyone here tried Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine?

While I can’t speak from personal experience (yet- Ill use it when I next need medical type help), my gf uses a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner regularly (she’s not sick all the time- they can be good for all sorts of stuff). The practitioner uses herbs, acupuncture / acupressure (not to be confused with assupuncture) and shiatsu (sp?) massage with good results.
All this is a bit of a plug too- 'cause the practitioner is the gf's brother. He has offices in Richmond and Brighton so if you want his contact details pm me.

[Colonel Kurtz]

Is also a plug that he now has a gf....:D

:banana: happy days for royale :banana:

[royale]

Originally posted by Colonel Kurtz
Is also a plug that he now has a gf....:D

:banana: happy days for royale :banana:


...its been a couple of months now...why would i plug???

But thks anyway

[gooey]

one of the guys here at work uses chinese medicine for a lymphatic problem.

he has tried everything else and while the chinese medicine doesn't cure his ailment - it keeps it under control.

only problem for him is that it means taking about 15 mini size pills every lunch.


my opinion: yes it works, but more like taking vitamins and doing yoga - rather than popping a panadol.

[Drakin]

If you live near newtown you could try Unkie Hu...

You'd trust a guy with a big neon ginseng root... wouldn't you??

[RASPUTIN]

Sambellina my family is controlled by wifey or my mum the witches who when fail send us to the local Chinese herbalist before as a last resort going to the doctor.

So tada you have a disiple of the natural remedies at your disposal.

Try these first. These are generally hard hitting immunity things which will generally stop a cold/flu in its tracks.

Get calcium ascorbate, compound cold and propolis. All should be available from a good herbalist or health food shop. Make sure with the CA and propolis it is pure not mixed with other stuff.

Compund cold- General cold pill. Use as directed but take 1 extra. Crunch them up with teeth and let it disolve in mouth. Pretty yuck but *shrug*. Wash it down with the juice/calcium ascorbate mix.

Propolis is bea shit. Tastes nice. Use as directed. Please be careful of this one if you are alergic to bees as if you are it can kill you. Get it down as per compound cold method.

Calcium Ascorbate is concentrated vitamin C. It tastes like shit so I find it best mixed with a really small amount of orange juice. Just enough to dilute it and do the skull thingy. The amount you take is trial and error. If you take too much you get a mild case of diareah (runny shit). So gradually increase the dosage until you almost get it, then you will know what your body can handle. I usually can take 1-1.5 table spoons. I suggest start with 2 teaspoons and work your way up.

Generally to make it quick I pop three compound cold, two propolis in my mouth, crunch up and suck for as long as I can handle it then wash it down with the calcium ascorbate in juice mix. Then shudder a lot and tell my wife what a bitch she is and how much she enjoys torturing me :)

Works for me. When things get really bad, like after 1 day of above not working or I am not improving I go to our local Chinese herbalist. I guess the rule of thumb when picking them is that the herbalist must be Chinese duh, and the shop is full of Asian writing and they are usually oldish. The few we have used over the years have all been like that and they have been good. BTW if you think what I have suggested tastes bad wait until you taste the stuff they give you lol.

Since word dot I have always used doctors as a last resort and too be honest can't remember the last time I went. At the end of the day of keeping away from drugs your body will strengthen and get a tolerence to all the little germs out there and you will hardly get sick.

Hope this helps.

Oh yeah I highly recommend a good Chinese Herbalist. I have had only positive results and a good one will say go to a doctor if you are beyond their help and things are getting serious.

[scathing]

When I get sick, I usually go see a Chinese herbalist these days.

In my teens, I usually saw western doctors and did the usual antibiotics etc. Worked, I guess, if you took the entire two week course (I'd get an alleviation of symptoms after about a week).

I got sick a couple of years ago, and after three trips to western doctors it just got worse and worse. My parents suggested I give it a go, and by then I was so out of it that I'd have tried anything.

Two days after taking the medicine, I'd gotten over my pneumonia and was down to a light cough.

Since then, I haven't been to a western doctor. I'll catch the flu once every two years. Usually that means about a week off on antibiotics - with the herbalist I take a day off, and I'm about right the day after.

It doesn't work for everyone, but then everyone's bodies are different. I've found that the herbalist can never get rid of my cough, but when I get the flu (which is usually the only ailment I get) the blocked nose / sore muscles / shivers / etc symptoms disappear in a day.

Whether its a placebo or not...well...as long as you get better with no side effects (aside from how bad the stuff tastes), it doesn't really matter. Its been demonstrated to work, but like Western medicine it doesn't work for everyone.

There have been schools of chinese medicine (and it is taught in Chinese universities), and so things are codified. Working on one person and then trying on other people is a hallmark of Western medical trials too, so pleed's assertion is kind of moot.

Western medicial researchers are going through chinese traditional medicine and finding chemical properties that have various healing abilities.

[skozombie]

I heard a wonderful address from the head of the Australian Natural Medicine Association (or whatever its called).

He said that all remedies have their place, and that its very dangerous to our health to jump to a too severe/hardcore remedies such as pharmacutical drugs without considering softer options such as diet, counselling, herbs etc first.

I couldnt agree more, this whole thing of just perscribing antibiotics is dangerous both for the person and for the community as a whole.