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In
my 20 years of studying and practising acupuncture I have treated many
patients suffering from the trials of sleeplessness. Some of these people
had been experiencing insomnia for years and, most of them found acupuncture
treatment to be extremely helpful. All of them, I am sure, would find
this book by Bob Flaws to be highly informative as it explains, from the
perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the causes of insomnia
and describes a variety of ways to alleviate this condition using both
acupuncture and Chinese herbs along with simple but effective self help
methods .
Initially the
author explores the theory of TCM in general terms before applying it
specifically to the problem of insomnia. He starts by telling us that
this medicine comes from a distinct and separate system of medical thought
and practise from modern western medicine and suggests to those who may
be somewhat sceptical that there are potentially many valid ways of describing
the body apart from the western medical model. He likens this to the idea
of using a different road map from the one you are used to and asks his
readers to think of the concept of a map and the terrain it describes.
He goes on to explain that the western biological map of the human body
is "only one potentially useful medical map....If we take the USA
as an example we can have numerous different maps of its land mass. One
map might show population. Another might show per capita income. Another
might show religious or ethnic distributions. ..One map is not necessarily
more correct than another. The issue is to use the right map for what
you are trying to do ....The Chinese medical map of health and disease
is just as 'real' as the western biological map as long as, by using it
professional practitioners are able to solve their patients health problems
in a safe and effective way."
The first part
of this book introduces us to the concepts of TCM and discusses Yin and
Yang - the 2 aspects of positive and negative and Qi - the force that
is responsible for all movement, transformation and change. The author
explains how Qi is nourished by Blood and how this is transformed into
Essence - a substance that is stored in the kidneys. Having described
the most important constituents of the body, he then tells us of the organs
that are responsible for the creation and transformation of Qi and Blood
and the storage of Essence and of their spheres of influence. For example
- the kidneys are responsible for the excretion of urine and also influence
hearing, strong bones, sex, reproduction, lower and upper back and lower
legs - particularly the knees. This relationship between the organs and
other parts of the body is made possible by a network of channels or 'meridians'
which have acupuncture points located on them. By stimulating these points
the practitioner is able to influence the Qi, Blood and Essence in the
channels and the organs thus restoring balance of Yin and Yang to the
system.
The fundamental
concepts of TCM having been explained the next part of the book looks
more specifically at the problem of insomnia and how this symptom arises
from underlying imbalances in Yin, Yang, Qi, Blood and Essence. Looking
at the major Chinese medical patterns at work in insomnia the author explains
that these are diagnosed through examination of the tongue and the pulses
and then goes on to tell how a practitioner will treat this problem. Once
the practitioner has analysed the patients pattern of imbalance she will
formulate the treatment principles usually using herbs and acupuncture.
A variety of herbal prescriptions are given but as the author explains
"we have included these herbal formulas to give you a deeper understanding
of how Chinese herbal medicine works, rather than as a self help guide."
This, I feel is an important point as only a trained practitioner should
advise on what herbs to take.
Finally Bob Flaws
takes a look at DIY methods to help alleviate this problem of insomnia.
As he says "I know of no easy way to health. There is good living
and there is easy living. ... Unless you take time for yourself and find
the time to eat well, exercise and relax, no treatment is going to eliminate
your insomnia completely." As an acupuncturist I completely agree
with this view . Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are not magic
wands to wave and so remove symptoms such as insomnia. Patients need to
be responsible for their own health and adjust their lifestyle and diet
in order to restore well being. When dietary and lifestyle advise are
followed most people are able to control their conditions and so prevent
disease. Bob Flaws sums up this view; "when I say Chinese Medicine
can cure insomnia, I do not mean that you will never experience unwanted
wakefulness again. What I mean is that Chinese Medicine can eliminate
or greatly reduce your symptoms as long as you keep your diet and lifestyle
together."
Chinese Aromatherapy,
hydrotherapy, self massage, recipes for medicinal wines, teas and porridges,
all are self help ways to treat insomnia and the author looks at all these
methods to advise his reader. He then goes on to give true stories of
people who have benefited from his help. Carolyn for example "had
been studying hard with considerable mental strain. ... She had difficulty
falling asleep and tossed and turned for hours each night.... Often she
would wake in a startle, her heart pounding ....she suffered with heart
palpitations, restlessness, shortness of breath....and occasionally had
night sweats....On inspection her tongue was red at the tip with yellow,
slimy fur. Her pulse was bowstring, thready and rapid." Having presented
a picture of Carolyn's symptoms the author then goes on to explain how
they reveal a pattern of 'depressive heat disturbing her heart spirit'.
He continues by describing acupuncture and herbal treatments to balance
the Qi, clear the heart and quiet the spirit. Furthermore she was to help
herself by burning a type of Chinese incense at bedtime and by embarking
on an exercise programme along with using a relaxation tape daily. After
3 months Carolyn had no more sleepless nights and her mood and concentration
had improved.
Insomnia will
appeal to and inform both the practitioner of Chinese Medicine and the
lay person who may have little or no knowledge of this centuries old healing
tradition. I thoroughly recommend this book.
About
the Reviewer
Vicki
McKenna trained as an acupuncturist at the College of Traditional Chinese
Acupuncture in Leamington Spa with Professor Worsley from 1981 gaining
her Lic. Ac. In 1984. She is now based with her family in Glasgow where
she practises acupuncture and writes . In 1999 she published A Balanced
Way of Living: Practical and Holistic Strategies for Coping with Post
Polio Syndrome. See her web site at www.share.force9.co.uk
for details of how to order her book. She can be contacted on vmckenna@hotmail.com
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