Common Winter Ailments, How Acupuncture Can Aid with Prevention or Recovery.

So many things can change during the winter months, and those changes can happen quickly.  In Chinese medicine, acupuncture and its associated therapies can aid with the prevention and recovery of symptoms.  

Common Cold - can have many symptoms from nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and hoarseness of the voice.  Some have the accompanying symptoms of headache, pain, and general body aches.  The common cold can last for 3 to 7 days, known in Western medicine as a cold, influenza or upper respiratory infection.  

Cough - this indicates a dysfunction of the lungs.  The descending or dispersing function of the lungs has changed, causing symptoms of white, watery phlegm, itchy, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose with body aches, headaches and an aversion to cold.  This can quickly change when the body's heat changes with yellow phlegm, severe cough, chest pain, thirst, and the other symptoms of a normal cough without the phlegm.   There can also be a constant dry cough with no phlegm or mild sticky phlegm that is hard to expectorate.  The lips and nose can be dry, and thirst can be substantial.  With cough commonly seen in the clinic, we often administer herbal formulas, vitamins and minerals to aid prevention and recovery. 

Asthma - this is characterised by a shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, nasal flaring, cough with or without phlegm, wheezing, or difficulty breathing when laying flat.  The common cold can be brought on asthma, emotional imbalance, overwork or a long-term illness that impacts the Kidneys and Lungs, changing how they function.  Asthma has an acute onset, so immediate care is required for the acute phase with follow up treatments for chronic care. Moxibustion is combined with acupuncture, and massage is all practical additions to treatment. We combine this with food therapy, recommending recipes, eating foods, and self-foot massage techniques.  Western medicine refers to this condition as bronchial asthma, pneumonia, or emphysyema. 

Chest pain - this can be characterised by the tightness of the chest, breathlessness, palpitations and dizziness. It can present with emotional or physical imbalances; it can be due to chronic bronchitis infection and should be seen by a doctor to rule out any other serious issues. Using a specific point on the sole located between the second and third toes, approximately one-third of the distance between the base of the second toe and the heel, in the depression formed when the foot is flexed forward.  Can be massaged for 5 to 10 minutes to aid with descending energy and calming the body

Headache is a pain in the local area of the head or pain that covers the whole head. It can appear with acute or chronic issues and multiple reasons. We look at the type of pain and location of the headache. Press tacs/tiny retained needles and massage are great for prevention and reoccurance.  

Dizziness and Vertigo - Dizziness is characteries by the feeling the body or the surroundings are moving or spinning.  Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, sweating, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness.  We use scalp acupuncture as this has a great effect for aiding with improvement.  We also combine herbal therapy with dietary advice to reduce salt intake and fatty foods and cease smoking, alcohol, coffee and strong tea use.  Combining acupuncture with breathing exercises, like Buteyko Breathing taught in the clinic. It can take up to 10 treatments in a course to see a change.  

Vital Nutrients for the Respiratory System - In Chinese medicine, we see food as medicine and combine it with treatment protocols for health and wellbeing.  Listed below are some simple suggestions to guard and boost the respiratory system. 

Garlic - this contains sulphur required for cleansing the respiratory system and for tissue respiration in the process of developing new cells.  Garlic has an 80% sulphur content.  Other sulphur foods include onions, horseradish, carrot juice, brazil nuts, peanuts, figs, dates, spinach and tomatoes. 

Iron - has the role of transferring oxygen around the body into the muscles.  Foods that contain iron are pepitas, almonds, parsley, tahini, sunflower seeds, kelp, wheatgerm, tofu and rice bran.

Vitamin A -  is essential for the mouth, throat, nose, and lung lining from infection, dust and smoke. Mucus forms to eliminate toxins from the respiratory system.  Foods containing Vitamin A are carrots, parsley, guava, mango, pumpkin, papaya, sweet potatoes, cheese, butter, apricots and rockmelon. 

Vitamin C - is essential for tissue respiration and protecting the respiratory system from bacteria.  Foods that contain Vitamin C are, Guava, chillies, strawberries, berries, capsicum, parsley, mango, currants, papaya and citrus fruits. 

Vitamin E - is required to repair damaged lung tissues and promotes oxygen within the body cells. Foods containing Vitamin E contain wheatgerm oil, tahini, almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts, olive oil, and sesame oil.

Acupuncture may help quick recovery or reduce the chance of having any winter-related issues. Lifestyle changes, with maintaining good eating habits and exercise and taking caution during seasonal weather by wearing appropriate clothing, a scarf to guard the neck against the wind and cold is essential.