Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine of Marin - Across Bitter Sea

"We do House-Calls" - Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Healing
www.Acupuncture-Marin.com  Chris Veiga, L.Ac.

125 Camino Alto, Ste B, Mill Valley, CA 94941   (415) 383-9900

www.Acupuncture-Marin.com     Chris@Acupuncture-Marin.com

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Medicine: ARTICLES

Insomnia—Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach
by Chris Veiga, L.Ac.

Introduction:

The inability to sleep is truly one of the more insidious pathological phenomena of our times. Surely, the hyperactive lifestyles which govern our lives has a negative impact on the nervous system. But why can’t we turn off the incessant chatter box at night when everything else is quiet and calm? Is there something so troubling to the individual that disallows the person to rest?
According to traditional Chinese medicine, this condition is the result of the existing dissonance between the body (soma) and the mind (psyche). In the body, dissonance manifests as physical symptoms and patterns of dysfunction. In the mind, patterns of mental distress manifest as bothersome traits, fixations, dilemmas, and distortions of character.

Using the linear approach of conventional wisdom, one would be tempted to resolve the problem by assigning either the body or the mind as the culprit. However, the holistic approach of Chinese medicine offers a model which treats the individual as one single entity. Thus, the following analysis is predicated on the principles of the holistic model.

What causes insomnia?

In traditional Chinese medicine, there is a pattern of disharmony known as “Heart and Kidney disharmony”. In the Five Element system, this disharmony is known as “Water not controlling Fire”. Despite the fact that insomnia can be caused by other patterns of disharmony, this particular pattern is all too common in the clinic.

Etiology of Heart and Kidney disharmony:

The kidney organ stores the Essence (Chinese word is Jing) of the individual. Moreover, it houses the will of the person. When the kidney is in a weakened state, this depletion triggers negative emotions such as fear and stress. Over time, these negative emotions will elicit feelings of instability, a sense of not being grounded, and even panic.

The heart organ houses the mind as well as the spirit (Chinese word is Shen). Because there is no distinction between the mind and the spirit, emotions experienced in the heart cannot be separated from the thought processes in the brain. They become one and the same. When the heart is in a weakened state, this depletion triggers negative emotions such as impatience, hate, and hastiness. Literally, the person is losing his/her mind because he/she lives in a state of perpetual restlessness.

Here is an outline of the disharmony: In the Five Element system, the kidney organ is associated with water while the heart organ is associated with fire. In a state of perfect balance, the kidney water is supposed to nourish and cool the heart fire. However, because of the depleted kidney water, the heart fire begins to rage out of control. The person becomes excitable, agitated, over-reactive, and dramatic. This destructive cycle is self-perpetuating because as the raging fire creates more heat, the already depleted water supply will become further damaged.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment:

Treatment strategy: 2 step process (move Liver Qi and then nourish Kidney Yin)

The first step is to build a bridge to reconnect the Essence and the Shen. The liver organ acts as the bridge. The liver organ regulates emotions as well as ensuring the smooth flow of energy (Chinese word is Qi). As the pathology progresses, the negative-emotions mentioned earlier turn into knots which manifests as anger and depression. The person is highly irritable, negativity takes hold, and he/she begins to withdraw. In this light, the strategy of treatment focuses on regulating and moving the Qi in the middle part of the body. Slowly, as the feeling of stagnation begins to recede, the Essence and the Shen will restore harmony.

Aside from the physiological component of regulating and moving the Qi, it is very important that the person gets in touch with his/her deeply buried emotions. Taoists reason that negative emotions can be transformed to utilize their life-force energy. Therefore, to expel or suppress unwanted, negative emotions is to expel life-force. Rather than suppress negative emotions, the person benefits more by experiencing them. This means he/she permits them to emerge, but do not let them run wild. Instead, be in control of them so that they may be transformed into useful life-force energy. Ultimately, the challenge is to transform them into spiritual energy to form a higher consciousness.

The second step is to slowly nourish the Kidney Yin, the water aspect of the kidney organ. As the water function of the kidney increases, this will enhance its ability to rein in the raging fire. As the fire dies down, the mind and the spirit will no longer be disturbed. This translates into emotional well-being and the ability to sleep.

For more information on Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Marin County and other healing therapeutic services and introductory classes offered in Acupuncture and T.C.M. (Traditional Chinese Medicine), please contact: