Chinese Medicine For Neuroendocrinology Mess Of Trauma?

[Chava]

(not sure if this is quite the right forum)

I'm curious about the neuroendocrinology connections to trauma (especially complex and developmental types) and if Chinese medicine has been helpful to anyone for balancing stuff (moods, symptoms, other hormones, pretty much everything). My last two therapists have mentioned Chinese medicine, so I assume there is something to it (mentioned as something I could look into since my hormone and pain issues are seemingly too complex for traditional approaches but they are haywire, and likely connected to endocrine disruptions from past trauma)

I feel like my body has been on an adrenaline crash for years, and yet I'm an adrenaline junky...my body is simply saying "ENOUGH" and I haven't adapted well to slowing down. I spent most of my adulthood quite underweight, with anorexia or a semi-atypical form of anorexia (maintaining very low weight)...and I felt dependent upon my low weight to keep me subdued. When I gained weight I was supposed to be more healthy, but I developed panic attacks, horrid periods and cramping, chronic back pain, and generally felt dead and trapped in my body.

I eat well, exercise, do all the "right" things, but my body never comes into balance. I don't know how much can be helped through therapy, but that both of my last therapists suggested Chinese medicine makes me assume there is biochemical (neuroendocrine, whatever) I might always struggle with. ??

Sorry if this was really hard to follow. I can't explain this any better because I don't understand it. I'm only hoping someone who does can offer any shred of insight or experience with resolving stuff on this level...or using Chinese medicine to help with trauma or hormone imbalances (or does this just happen eventually with trauma therapy?). It would be helpful to even be pointed to articles or other resources since I don't even know where to begin. Anything I read on Chinese medicine makes little sense to me, and anything on connections between neuroendocrinology and trauma is written in medical language that also makes little sense to me. My new hormone pills are helping physically in some ways, which I need (pain was unbearable and I was killing my liver with pain med cocktails). But I'm afraid my moods are getting more extreme again (hyper one week, wanting to die the next) and I generally don't feel like leaving my house any more. I just feel like I'm running out of options.

One link that says a lot of good things: Link Removed
Maybe, to make a long story short, I'm just wondering if Chinese medicine has helped any of you with any of your symptoms or general imbalance (acupuncture and/or herbal medicines)

 

[seedling]

Yes, it's helped me tremendously. I've been doing acupuncture for the last three years in conjunction with CBT with a psychologist.
I've also taken Chinese herbs prescribed by my acupuncturist (not all acupuncturists do herbs).

It's helped me sleep, calmed the anxiety, helped me feel hungry, helped with the pain, tension and mobility issues. I went through a period of susceptibility to UTIs (literally "pissed off" and had no way to let it out). He has a variety of treatments and I got so I could know which one I needed depending on where I was with my trauma work. It took time to "stick" for longer periods but each treatment was a wonderful relief of symptoms. He matched the herbs with what I needed physically. Sleep and anxiety reduction was the first big thing.

My emotions started to flow. Perhaps as blockages were released. The memories released.

I'm currently working on the tension in my jaw and find it goes into my neck and upper shoulders and is a defense mechanism.

The treatments can be strengthening or sedating depending on what is needed.

He is also currently helping me with menopause and hot flashes in addition to the PTSD symptoms. I've had friends go to him just for hormonal regulation (menopause and trying to get pregnant both).

Chinese medicine treats the whole person in a way that Western medicine does not address. It's much more appropriate for any kind of chronic illness. You don't need to completely understand it to try it. It is a wonderful way to get balanced again.

 

[Chava]

My emotions started to flow. Perhaps as blockages were released. The memories released.

Thank you @seedling This is all really interesting. I have the blockage from hell in my upper back and it's either connected to long term stress and/or sadness, or a trauma I will probably never remember, like my lungs crashing. Therapy and Pilates has helped me shorten the pain stretches so the fatigue doesn't suck me down, but the pain keeps lingering.

I have a big problem testing some things I do not understand, whereas I'm totally impulsive in other ways (I'm probably more intuitive and was just raised too far off from non-Western medicine to be able to grasp it). But I know we have a highly recommended Chinese medicine practitioner in my area (not sure if she does herbs). I know I can't expect a magic cure for everything, but am feeling a need to be more proactive if the moods become more stormy. The pain might be improving with new medication, but my doctor helps me address one thing and something else falls off track. It's really sickening and I suck at working on relationship goals because I keep finding myself trapped in some kind of survival mode.:sour:

 

[KwanYingirl]

@Chava acupuncture and herbs saved my life after my chemical injury. The herbs detoxed me and strengthened my immune system. The acupuncture improved my many ailments and I can't recommend it enough. I had less depression, I slept well, I ate well, I breathed easier.

I started out going three times a week and as time went on I needed less and less time.

As far as endocrinology there was a woman who had the same appointment time as me and she had exhausted every means to get pregnant. She said they spent a fortune on in vitro fertilization. She had a son who was 7 but she just couldn't conceive again. Acupuncture was her last ditch effort. Eventually I noticed she wasn't coming anymore. I asked Xuping what happened to her and in her broken English she said " oh, no problem, she is pregnant"!!!
I took my daughter to her for severe menstrual cramping and passing clots. Fixed her within three months.

 

[Chava]

That's amazing! I'm the girl-problem, chronic pain, extreme mood mess...depending on what I'm taking, I get 2 out of 3 of those problems to manage most of the time. All 3 together and I'll probably be in ER, being kindly reassured that I don't need any more EKGs.

I'm afraid our place is set up as "community acupuncture". ?? Gives me the heeby jeebies a bit. But I can e-mail the practitioner and double check all the options.

thanks @KwanYingirl

 

[KwanYingirl]

I notice that many acupuncture offices name themselves "family acupuncture" or "community acupuncture". Typically an acupuncturist has several rooms going simultaneously. They place the needles and then you are left alone while they (the needles) do their work-about 20 minutes. I would have a heat lamp over me on a comfy table. It was very relaxing. Maybe the business names are due to a language barrier?

 

[seedling]

My practitioner is set up as Community Acupuncture and has 4 separate rooms that he rotates through. He starts a new person each 30 minutes. Used to be every 20 minutes but he's slowed down a little.
I'm glad I am in a private room, I know they are not all set up that way.

If I need more time to talk and get the needles set he accommodates that. If he hears someone coughing or having trouble he excuse himself and check on them. I lay there for 40 minutes after the needles are in, then he comes to take them out. Sometimes he has time to talk and chat a little, sometimes he doesn't.

I always feel like I am the only one there when he is doing the assessment/talk in the beginning. He is totally focused on me.

Chinese medicine focuses on treating the whole person, seeing the symptoms as interrelated.

 

[Leigh925]

I find acupuncture, mayan abdominal massage and IV nutritional therapy to be very helpful for me. There is no doubt of the mind-body connection for me. Sometimes when I get stuck in therapy I amp up the other stuff and it always helps. I am a firm believer it's all connected.

 

[KwanYingirl]

@Leigh925 I'm just wondering-when you have abdominal massage-I've heard that it can be dangerous to have your abdomen massaged due to the aorta. Is that true?

 

[Leigh925]

The people that do this specific kind of massage are very well trained. I couldn't get ahold of my massage therapist to ask your question but I texted a friend who specializes in this kind of massage and is a nurse practitioner as well (I wanted to know the answer too!) and this was his response...."There are thousands of years of experience with safe effective abdominal massage in the Chinese, Mayan, Persian, Greek, Aztec, and Yoruban traditions. I have massaged at least a thousand abdomens without ever having a single problem with anyeurism. I have detected an anyeurism in 3 patients and had them go immediately to their PCP. None of them had any problem with the massage. They did all later have surgery. So, even in people WITH an anyeurism, forces put on the anyeurism are greater with coughing, tight pants, pooping, etc...People also used to say to never massage the legs because it would cause a blood clot. Both those theories have been well disproven by experience and research."

 

[Chava]

I used to love a good massage because I'd leave and feel 10 years younger. My muscles were probably too tight during my last one a few years ago though. I felt mega dehydrated afterwards, downed too much Propel water (that stuff is sh#t...now I now...too much fake sugar). At about 3am I woke up abruptly with fiery intense urge to kill myself...like just destroy myself. I left a message for my doctor because I KNEW I didn't want to do that but something was way off track. It was probably a combination of things, but massage scares me now. I think it can be super helpful, but I'd do a really gentle, sensitive, short (like 30 min or less) "test" on massage if trying for the first time in combination with trauma and a load of physical tension or pain. Later I developed chronic upper back pain, which I don't attribute at all to the massage, but to the ongoing tension and probably trauma and protective responses I can't seem to manage.

Anyway, I haven't heard about the abdomen thing but for how sensitive I am I think someone would get punched in the face if they touched my tummy. But it makes sense good massage therapists would have training to recognize some of those weird pulses and stuff (not as diagnosis, but if they feel them, send client to ER). A walk-in clinic doctor was worried I had an aneurism. Turns out my pulse is just strongly present all over sometimes and also I'm just skinny.

But it's good to find what works for each of us. I agree it's all connected...and hard for me to find balance. I am fixing up my nutrition this week because I was probably eating too many crappy sugars. I know that has a negative effect on mood and pain, but I don't always notice the subtle difference because I'm not really eating candy. Just stuff like white bread.

 

[KwanYingirl]

Thank you for the explanation. I'm glad it's helping you.