Skip to main content

Healing Phases

Image
By

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), illnesses progress through three stages: energetic, functional, and anatomical. This reflects a growing imbalance in the body, moving from subtle disruptions in energy flow to functional impairments and, eventually, structural damage. However, by recognising and treating these imbalances early, it is possible to restore harmony before they develop into serious conditions.

The first stage, known as the energetic phase, presents subtle signs that may not yet be considered symptoms of illness. People may experience unexplained fatigue, emotional fluctuations, or difficulty sleeping — indicating a disturbance in the body’s vital energy, or Qi. At this stage, conventional medical tests often show no abnormalities, yet the person already feels out of balance.

TCM sees this as an opportunity for early intervention. Acupuncture, dietary changes, and Qi Gong help restore the smooth flow of energy, preventing minor disharmonies from becoming more serious. Research published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies has shown that acupuncture regulates bodily functions — reinforcing its role in prevention. Addressing imbalances early can help maintain long-term well-being.

If the energetic imbalance is not corrected, it progresses to the functional phase, where organ function becomes affected. Symptoms such as irregular digestion, muscle tension, or menstrual cycle disruptions may appear, though medical tests still show no structural abnormalities. At this point, the body is struggling to maintain harmony, and without intervention, the condition may worsen.

TCM treats this stage with herbal medicine and more intensive acupuncture techniques to restore internal balance. This approach is particularly effective for conditions such as hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and stress-related syndromes like irritable bowel syndrome. By addressing functional disruptions early, it is possible to prevent the progression to more severe health issues.

If the imbalance persists, the illness enters the anatomical phase, where structural damage becomes apparent. Chronic inflammation, osteoarthritis, or the formation of nodules are common manifestations. Symptoms are persistent and often require a combination of treatments to manage effectively.

While TCM continues to play a role in this stage, it does not replace conventional medical treatments. Instead, it works alongside biomedicine, offering complementary therapies that enhance pain relief, improve circulation, and support overall well-being. Electroacupuncture, for example, has been shown to stimulate nerve function and modulate pain perception — making it a valuable tool for managing chronic conditions. The World Health Organisation recognises acupuncture’s analgesic properties, highlighting its role in symptom relief. However, acute conditions such as fractures and infections require immediate biomedical intervention.

This three-stage model in TCM reflects a holistic understanding of the body as a dynamic system, constantly adapting to its environment. Unlike conventional medicine, which often focuses on treating diseases after they become structurally evident, TCM emphasises early detection and intervention. By recognising subtle signs of imbalance, it is possible to prevent minor disruptions from developing into serious health problems. As the Daoist philosopher Laozi said, “Deal with a problem before it arises. Take action before it becomes unavoidable.” This wisdom aligns with TCM’s preventive approach, which seeks to restore balance before illness takes hold.

Medical acupuncture, when incorporating TCM principles, does not stand in opposition to Western medicine. Instead, it expands the understanding of health by integrating physical, mental, and environmental factors. This integrative approach is particularly relevant today, as chronic diseases become increasingly common due to stress, poor diet, and sedentary lifestyles.

By prioritising prevention and restoring balance before disease takes hold, TCM offers a proactive path to long-term well-being. In a world where many seek alternatives to symptom-focused treatments, this perspective provides a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to health — ensuring that minor imbalances are addressed before they develop into major medical conditions.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Shawn Mendes Became a Lifeline

By
When my father fell ill in his final days, the lyrics of Shawn Mendes’ In My Blood became an unexpected refuge, helping me process the reality unfolding before me. The song’s plea — its raw, urgent cry against the weight of helplessness — resonated in a way that felt almost too personal. “Help me, it’s like the walls are caving in” — those words captured the suffocating dread that gripped me in the small hours, waiting for news, hoping for a miracle I already knew would not come. The song does not offer easy comfort; nor does it deny the pain of endurance. Instead, it acknowledges the struggle — the desperate search for strength when every instinct urges collapse. “I just wanna give up, but I can’t.” That was it, exactly. The exhaustion, the emotional erosion, the moments when hope felt like a cruel joke. And yet, beneath it all, an unspoken defiance: the fight continues, not because it is easy, but because surrender is unthinkable. The grief that followed those long hours ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Quiet Battle of Becoming

By
Sometimes I write selfish pages. Not out of greed, nor vanity — no. I write them as if whispering to myself in the dark, so I don’t forget. Because forgetting is easy. The noise of the world is thick, sticky, clinging to the skin and numbing the senses. And in this blur of days, of duties, of silences swallowed whole, I must remind myself of what truly matters. Life isn’t a straight line, nor a grand revelation. It is a slow unravelling, a peeling away of what isn’t yours until you find what is. Never stop fighting, they say, until you arrive at your destined place. But what is destiny if not the place where you are most yourself? And how do you know when you’ve arrived? You don’t. You just keep moving, sculpting yourself with each step, shedding skins that no longer fit. There must be an aim, a north, a whisper calling you forward. Otherwise, what is effort but exhaustion? With purpose, even suffering holds meaning. The wind scatters those who walk without direction, but t...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Shape of Thought

By
Gustav Klimt once said, “Art is a line around your thoughts.” A line — thin as a whisper, trembling yet deliberate — emerges from nothingness. It does not impose itself. It does not command. It is barely there, yet it holds. It is the first breath of form, the fragile boundary between the unsaid and the spoken. Without it, thought is a flicker in the dark, a thing half-lived, dissolving before it can be known. A vision stirs. Not summoned, not controlled. It arrives unbidden — whole yet veiled, elusive yet certain. It lingers at the edge of perception, pressing gently, insistently, against the mind’s quiet. It cannot be seized outright. To reach for it is to risk shattering it; to hesitate is to watch it dissolve. And so, the line must be drawn. But not too soon. Not too rigidly. It must breathe, as thought itself breathes, as meaning unfolds. The hand moves, uncertain yet assured, guided by something beyond logic. An intelligence older than language, something that knows ...
Post a Comment
Read more