To try Chinese medicine?

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I am usually of the thinking that Western medicine is the answer, take your medicine, follow the rules of exercise and good diet and sleep etc. But I have been back and forth to the doctors for five years now with issues that I believe are hormonal. I have been put on this, taken off that and nothing ever changes, I get worse all the time. I feel terrible and I have had enough of it.

My DH suggested recently I try and find a practitioner of Chinese medicine. We used to have a shop near us but it closed down a few years back.

Has anyone every tried going down this route? And how successful was it?
I don't know what it would be, herbal remedies or acupuncture or what. I can't remember what it felt like to feel good and Chinese medicine is an ancient culture that has supported millions throughout time, so surely it could help me right?

It certainly would be worth a go, if it made you feel even the slightest bit better it would be worth it

I turned to acupuncture when I was pregnant and struggling with my usual headaches that I couldn’t take my normal medication for. I felt pretty desperate and was also struggling with constant nausea and sickness. Wow did it help. The lady I saw specialised in women’s health and really helped with my initial symptoms, but as I saw her regularly and discussed stuff with her she also ended up helping with my PP hormones and amazingly, turned my DD when she was breach, avoiding a manual turn and/or a c section. Sounds unbelievable but the stats are much higher for success than the manual turn even! 100% recommend alternative therapies, I think western medicine can really be supported by ancient remedies!

I think western medicine can really be supported by ancient remedies!

Me too!

I didn't have much success with the herbal remedy but excellent results with acupuncture.

I would be wary as who knows what you are being given, and its not regulated. Pretty sure there was a scandal ages back about really strong steroids being round in some of the stuff

I have a very different perspective on this unfortunately - specifically when it comes to the herbal "medicines". A lot of the herbs used are highly toxic and very dangerous if used incorrectly. My brother contracted liver disease after taking a herbal sleeping remedy concocted for him by someone who didn't know what they were doing - so please be careful.

I've been using acupuncture for over 40 years. It really works well for me.

I've used Chinese herbal medicine a few times too. The most spectacularly successful was a mixture of stuff that I took when I was having recurrent cystitis attacks: it worked a treat and remarkably quickly.

I’ve used herbs hundred of times especially for viruses

some are really dangerous though, especially if you take with traditional medicine; a widely used one (Scutellaria) switches off liver enzymes so you get more drug in your system. It needs to be given by a practitioner who really knows their stuff

But if it is unregulated, how do you know who knows their stuff?

I support medical professionals in this country but I am sick of not getting the support I need. Maybe an alternative is worth trying but I don't know what is safe. Mind you, I have been prescribed some very questionable medicines by GPs in the last few years.

As long as there’s no rhino horn, bear bile or pangolin involved then what’s the harm in trying.

Acupuncture is probably pretty harmless. Many of the medicines have either toxins or ingredients from endangered species or both so don’t go near them.

Okay, didn't realise about the animals, absolutely wouldn't want that. Pangolins are so beautiful.

herbs can never be regulated; there is a risk of how they extract the herb itself (and where they source it from ) plus there is a risk of the prescriber giving you the wrong combination

personally I’ve done lots of reading (there is a famous herbologist called Buhner, I’ve read all his books) and have only got stuff through reputable websites

the risk is worse if you actually using traditional med at the same time, you can really cause harm

there are licenced practitioners you can go to

Have a look at

https://bachcentre.com

I would recommend acupuncture. I’ve gone for years and the difference in many things is so instant that it cannot be a coincidence. For example blocked sinuses clearing within a minute of the needles being put in. Or periods starting or stopping if it’s a hormonal treatment.

We are taught that western medicine is the best but I think it’s better at some things but eastern is better at others.

One wonders if Big Pharma doesnt want us using eastern acupuncture as they wouldn’t make the disgusting profits they currently make if society / nhs stopped using their products and instead had a few needles inserted! It’s also more environmentally friendly and creates less carbon, no testing on animals, fewer side effects.

The only reason it’s not used more is because it isn’t free amd a GP is!

Did your blocked sinuses stay unblocked after or do you keep having to go back?!

I think maybe, having read the responses, I might skip the herbal medicines and try acupuncture. Can't hurt eh!

"Traditional Chinese Medicine" is a fairly modern concept introduced under Mao because it allowed rejection of Western ideas and was available cheaply to many. Mao himself didn't use it. It's a blend of many ideas from herbalism, energy/qi/meridians, bone setting and folk cures but with a varying evidence base and not all of it very traditional. Some of it is quite similar to the old European ideas of "humours" and having an imbalance of the humours being the cause of illness so having too much damp heat causing kidney stones

I tried TCM for eczema and at best it was very expensive and foul tasting, at worst it was the cause of my a&e admission with a ruptured duodenal ulcer. I had absolutely no idea what was in the tea I made up and drank every day. No real labels and no way of knowing what quantity of any active ingredients were being absorbed

My sinuses blocked up after about ten days but then cleared themselves again. Which doesnt usually happen.

Im going to try and go once a month to just get all balanced up again with everything thats wrong amd ro stop spiralling wirh anything!

I used to be very skeptical but since being successfully treated for a frozen shoulder when all western medicine efforts had failed, I am now a convert and have used if for other things too.

Here is a link so you can find a qualified and registered TCM practitioner: https://www.atcm.co.uk/find-a-practitioner

I knew someone who used Chinese medicine in conjunction with western meds. Her consultant used to liaise with her Chinese chap about her treatment.

I'm an acupuncturist and have been for nearly 20 years. If you want to give you a bit more detail. I could tell you if I think it's worth trying acupuncture.
I am.not a huge advocate of Chinese Medicine. I haven't seen it particularly more effective than placebo. And sadly some of the places that sell it are really expensive and pushy. I've heard of people.being hard sold £100s worth of medicine with no good results.

Sinusitis is one of my favourite things to treat! It's fairly rare for people to come in just for Sinusitis but if they have come in for something else, I will offer to treat it at the same time. Very often they get instant relief. Its so satisfying.

I think acupuncture/cupping ok but I wouldn’t ingest anything or apply anything topical.

Firstly make sure anyone you see is registered properly.
there are independent research studies out there for some elements of TCM. If there wasn’t some success then western gps, physios, etc wouldn’t undergo training themselves.

If you’re serious about giving it a try do some decent research. Many Chinese people will say that very skilled and experienced practitioners can work wonders, while others are basically just a con. Some may have spent several years studying at very competitive colleges in China. Some others may have done a few months online course and then just hung a Ying Yang poster in reception. You can’t just trust google reviews as the (temporary) placebo effect can be strong. Try and get recommendations of a practice from people in the know.

It really is quite amazing how well that treatment works. There and then. It’s fab. And mine lasted for ten days, blocked again (as I ate chocolate and rubbish) but then cleared itself! So thats new. The treatment is still working!

Acupuncture amazes me. Even over a decade on. I just don’t understand why the nhs doesnt make more use of it. In Scotland you can get it for varicose veins and things but it’s few and far between.