Stress – the ultimate buzz word associated with modern living and many of us experience it at some time with stress symptoms presenting in many forms.
Stress symptoms may include:
- fatigue
- insomnia
- hyperinsomnia (sleepiness during the day)
- nausea
- depression
- high blood pressure
- unstable emotions
- craving sweet foods
- weight gain
- headaches
- lower back pain
- indecision
- tense muscles
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view, many of these symptoms are separated into issues of the organs that are being affected. Below I have identified some of the basic ways a TCM practitioner is looking at your body when diagnosing. I have kept it brief to avoid confusion and acknowledge that there are other signs and symptoms that may be present however, only the ones above are discussed below. Also, in considering the particular organ affected, this is not being looked at from a western medicine point view even though TCM accepts western medical understanding of internal organs.
1. Fatigue: the only symptom that shows a problem with virtually all organs, blood and oxygen (Qi) flow.
2. Insomnia: heart, your mind is too busy; kidneys, you’re so rundown that you cannot stay asleep for a whole 6-8 hrs; spleen, too much worrying; and the liver, you want to break out of your current situation but can’t.
3. Hyperinsomnia: liver, you’re so stressed that your circulation has become blocked; spleen, a heavy daytime tiredness usually associated with stress and a diet of mainly fatty and sweet processed foods.
4. Menstrual problems: liver and gall bladder have blockages.
5. Nausea: when the liver becomes blocked, it can attack the stomach causing nausea.
6. Depression: a major problem within our society, as are all mental health issues. TCM theory has many reasons for depression including; kidney deficiency, blocked liver, oxygen (Qi) deficiency, blood deficiency, stomach dysfunction and heart deficiency.
7. High blood pressure: as with western medicine, heart and kidneys.
8. Unstable emotions: depends on which emotion is either excessive or deficient, as to what organ is affected.
9. Craving sweet foods: liver and spleen (pancreas).
10. Weight gain: kidneys (including fluid retention), poor diet, inactivity and spleen deficiency. There are obviously many western medical reasons for this and 100% of them are accepted by most TCM practitioners.
11. Headaches: liver, kidneys, gall bladder, bladder, lungs, spleen, stomach, large intestine and heart.
12. Lower back pain, without a physical reason: kidneys, bladder and gall bladder.
13. Indecision: gall bladder.
14. Tense muscles: liver and gall bladder
As you can see there are many ways that stress can affect our body and organs. If you are interested in finding out how I can help with your stress, contact us to make a booking.
Darren Geer, Acupuncturist
BASc ACup
CMR0001715102
To make an appointment with Darren click here
Quay Health 9252 2825
Level 6, 10 Bridge Street Sydney
