Treating Illness with Chinese Medicine

by Cindy Rosenberg

Illnesses we face as adults are very often foreshadowed in childhood. So when a child complains of a recurrent symptom, I tend to take it very seriously. Even if these complaints are not severe enough to interfere in the child's life tremendously, they can be clues into the way this child's body functions. Chinese Medicine is so valuable in treating childhood illness because it allows us to identify patterns that may cause illness in adulthood.

The good news is that if we change these patterns early, we can often prevent more serious trouble later on in life. Let's take headaches as an example. It is frightening to hear that a child is having recurring headaches. Of course, the wise thing to do with this kind of complaint is to see a Aberdeen, NC physician to be certain that there is not a serious medical condition causing this problem. Once we have ruled out such conditions, then the question is, how do we deal with the pain?

Medications can be a godsend, but very often they simply address the symptom, without tackling the underlying cause of the headaches. This can set your child up for a life of dependency, without giving them any tools of their own to change the way they feel. It is nice to have those medications in the cabinet, and to be able to use them in an acute situation to bring a child relief. But in the meantime, these headaches can be a clue for us about what is going on in this child's body.

Chinese Medicine uses patient history and symptomology, as well as tongue and pulse readings to identify constitutional patterns that create vulnerability in a body. Because this type of investigation is completely non-invasive, it is very well suited to use with children. People often hesitate to bring their child to an acupuncturist because of the needles. This is understandable, but it should really not be a cause for concern. When kids come to see me, they are often apprehensive about the needles (let's face it, most adults feel exactly the same way!). These fears are normal, and easily addressed in most cases. When a child comes to see me, I show him or her the very thin needles and discuss the possibility of using them. Usually, after a demonstration and a little reassurance, most children (and adults) get over the fear of these very tiny needles, which are silicone-coated and used only once and then disposed. For kids, there are fewer needles than for adults, and they do not need to be in long at all - often just five to ten minutes. We see very quick changes with kids, too. In just a few sessions, most kids feel significantly better.

If the needles present an impasse, Chinese Medicine provides us with other options -herbs, acupressure, cupping, qi gong, and massage. We also discuss lifestyle changes (activity choices, sleep patterns, etc.) and nutrition. Depending on an individual's constitution, food choices can have a huge impact on how one feels. Learning these things about oneself early on can help develop good habits in adulthood. I find children are often very receptive to suggestions about dietary and lifestyle changes because intuitively they know they will feel better as a result.

One nice thing about using Chinese Medicine is that, oftentimes, seemingly unrelated symptoms come from the same root cause. By talking to the patient and getting a comprehensive understanding of the clinical profile, one treatment can often address a multitude of problems

The big thing to remember with children's wellness is that, in a lot of cases, small changes garnish big rewards. Much of the time, once you understand the root of your child's illness, whether it be chronic pain, sensitive digestion, headaches, allergies, asthma or anything else, you will be able to help your child make smart choices, thereby setting them up for a life of well-being.