Internal Protection from External Factors

Despite our best efforts, sometimes external factors just get the best of us. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, things like wind, heat, cold, dryness and dampness in the environment can affect us when our body’s Qi is weak. Strengthening your Qi through acupuncture is a great way to boost your immunity and fend off some of the more common external factors we see this time of year. And yes, that includes heat! 

Here’s a look at how each of those things can affect your health, and how acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can help.

Wind
Remember how we talked about your secret weapon for avoiding the common cold? Well, get that scarf out again, because it’s your first line of defense against wind, which tends to affect the back and upper body—including the back of your neck and shoulders. Exposure to wind can cause stiffness, spasms and muscle aches that move throughout your body, and leads to cold and dampness, which we’ll get to next. 

Cold
This one hits home right now, as winter completely settles over our area. Cold can enter your body in two ways: physical cold and the common cold. As with wind, you’ll want to protect the back of your neck and shoulders from physical cold, which can cause sometimes-severe neck and upper back pain. This type of cold makes you tired and want to “curl up,” and eventually leads to things like a sore throat and congestion. 

The common cold, on the other hand, enters your body through ingestion, meaning a virus enters through your mouth, eyes or nose. The common cold causes tight and severe pain in the center of your body that feels better when heat is applied to it. 

Acupuncture treats both types of cold by strengthening your Qi and building up your body’s defense against viruses and other external factors.  

Heat
Heat generally enters your body through your nose and mouth. And while some heat is healthy—warming winter foods, for example—external heat factors, such as smoking or drinking alcohol, can damage your Shen (the most subtle form of Qi) and other vital energies. Excess heat in your body can cause high fevers with delirium and burning pain similar to strep throat, urinary tract infections or food poisoning. 

The good news is that acupuncture can be used not just to treat excess heat, but also for smoking cessation and mental focus—both important steps in your wellness journey.

Dampness
Whether found in your external environment (climate, home) or ingested (cold dairy products, greasy foods), dampness can cause heavy, tired limbs and joints, foggy headedness and fatigue. It also affects your appetite, causing nausea and a lack of desire to drink, which in turn have their own side effects. 

Bell’s palsy and fibromyalgia are examples of illnesses caused by dampness, and both can be treated with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine principles to help relieve symptoms. 

Dryness
Not to be confused with heat, dryness is most common in the fall and typically enters your body through the environment, meaning a lack of humidity. (Like heat, smoking also can introduce dryness.) If you’re experiencing thirst, a cough, chapped lips, or dry hair, skin and eyes, dryness is likely the culprit. It also causes symptoms similar to a mild cold, but with intense thirst.  

Like most things, the key to all of these external factors is moderation. When you experience heat, cold, wind, dampness and dryness in excess, your body struggles to find a healthy balance. 

Whether you’re looking for preventive dietary and lifestyle changes, symptom relief or just a little help getting back on track, click here or call to schedule your next appointment. 

In health and wellness, 
Julie