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Akne so ena najpogostejših kožnih bolezni, ki jih zaznamujejo izbruhi mozoljev na obrazu in drugih delih telesa, kot so prsi ali hrbet. Akne se ne pojavijo le pri mladostnikih, temveč tudi pri odraslih. Ponavadi izbruhnejo kot posledica hormonskih sprememb, stresa, določene hrane ali slabe nege kože. Kljub temu da so akne ponavadi milejše zdravstveno stanje, lahko hudi primeri aken – zlasti na obrazu – pustijo ne le fizične brazgotine, marveč tudi psihične. Zdravljenje aken je zato zelo pomembno iz kozmetičnih razlogov kot tudi zaradi vzdrževanja dobrega počutja in samozavesti.
Najpogostejši tipi aken so:
hormonske akne (povezujemo jih z menstruacijo ali opuščanjem kontracepcije),
pubertetne akne (mladostniške akne),
akne pri odraslih,
cistične akne,
splošne akne (beli mozolji in rdeče bule) ter
akne v obliki pigmentacije, bule ali jamic.
Napačno zdravljenje vzroka?
Pacienti pogosto pridejo k meni in rečejo, da so poskusili že vse – vsak preparat, vsako zdravilo – in aken še vedno ne morejo odstraniti. No, po mojem mnenju še niso poskusili vsega – očitno še niso preskusili vzhodnjaškega pristopa k negi kože. Ko jim povem, da je treba akne zdraviti od znotraj, namesto da jih od zunaj mažemo z različnimi mazili in kremami, so pogosto šokirani. In ko jim predstavljam koncept dietetike kitajske medicine, spoznajo, kako zelo napačno so zdravili vzrok svoje težave.
Konvencionalna ali kitajska medicina?
Konvencionalna medicina verjame, da je vzrok za nastanek aken sestavljen iz treh delov: iz bakterij, hormonskih nihanj ter čiščenja kože. Za zdravljenje aken se pogosto uporablja enak pristop in le nekaj različnih orodij za vse, ne glede na to, kako različne so njihove akne. V nasprotju gleda kitajska medicina na akne kot na zunanjo manifestacijo, ki izhaja iz notranjega neravnovesja. TKM verjame, da akne nastanejo zaradi odvečne ognjene energije, ki se pomeša z ,vlažnimi strupi. Stres, hrana, vroče narave, hormonska aktivnost in slab spanec so vzroki za odvečno vročino, ki se dviga po telesu in prikaže na obrazu v obliki aken. Surova hrana, preveč sladkarij in mlečnih izdelkov ter slaba prebava povzročajo vlažne strupe. Ko se odvečna ognjena energija pomeša z vlažnimi strupi, vročina uhaja v obliki izbruhov (kot pri vulkanih), podobno kot vročina v telesu povzroča izbruhe na koži (mozolji).
Kitajska medicina glede na lokacijo aken celo določi, v katerem delu telesa prihaja do konfliktov. Blokada ledvičnega meridiana se na primer kaže v aknah na glavi, blokada trebuha povzroča akne na sredini obraza, blokada v jetrih pa se kaže v aknah ob straneh obraza.
Kako kitajska medicina zdravi akne?
Odvečna vročina in vlažni strupi predstavljajo prvotno neravnovesje, ki povzroča akne. Splošni pristop, ki ga izvajamo na terapiji, je zmanjševanje notranje vročine, tako da ohladimo kri, zmanjšamo količino strupov in odpravimo zastoj. Zdravilna zelišča odstranijo počasne substance (vlažne strupe) ter izboljšajo delovanje črevesja, kjer se lahko nabirajo strupi. Tudi vzrok, ki se skriva za nastankom aken, kot npr. stres, hormonsko neravnovesje ali menstrualni cikel, se zdravi, da se akne ponovno ne pojavijo v prihodnosti.
Kitajska zeliščna medicina za akne
Kitajske zeliščne formule se prilagodijo v skladu z diagnostiko TKM. Kombinacije in odmerki zdravil so izbrani in prilagojeni posebej za vsakega posameznika. Če jih uporabljamo pravilno v skladu z navodili usposobljenega zdravnika TKM, so kitajska zelišča varna in učinkovita ter ne povzročajo škodljivih reakcij. Zelišča so v obliki koncentriranega prahu, ki ga je enostavno vmešati v vročo vodo ali čaj. Tako enostavno … in tako učinkovito!
Vnetne akne
Vnetne akne se pojavijo, ko se rane vnamejo in povzročijo rdeče ter gnojne mozolje (ki so znani tudi kot beli mozolji). V kitajski medicini je vročina velik vzrok za nastanek vnetnih aken. Vročinska neravnovesja se zrcalijo v rdeči koži in vnetih rdečih in gnojnih mozoljih. Za zdravljenje vnetnih aken se pogosto uporabljajo akupunkturne točke na rokah, kot sta LI 11 (Qu Chi) in LI 4 (He Gu), v kombinaciji z lokalno akupunkturo.
Cistične akne
Pri cističnih aknah gre za izjemno vnetni tip aken. Ciste so velike, ležijo globoko pod kožo in jih lahko povežemo s strupi in stagnacijo. Zanje se pogosto uporablja akupunktura blizu aken. Poleg tega se uporabljajo akupunkturne točke, kot sta LI 4 (He Gu) in LI 11 (Qu Chi), s katerima se očisti vročina, ter ST 36 (Zu San Li) in SP 9 (Yin Ling Quan), s katerima se odstrani vlaga.
Hormonske akne
Številne ženske ugotavljajo, da njihove akne izbruhnejo pred začetkom menstruacije. Pogosto gre za kombinacijo belih mozoljev, ogrcev ter vnetja, pojavi pa se okrog linije čeljusti. V kitajski medicini se hormonske akne pogosto povezujejo s stagnacijo, pomanjkanjem cirkulacije v telesu ter nalaganjem vlage. Stres povzroča stagnacijo Qija in krvi, kar je pogosti vzrok za nastanek hormonskih aken. Uporabljajo se akupunkturne točke na trebuhu, kot so SP 6 (San Yin Jiao), ST 36 (Zu San Li), Zi Gong Xue, Ren 4 (Guan Yuan) in 6 (Qi Hai).Z njimi lahko utrdimo vranični in ledvični sistem ter spodbudimo cirkulacijo.
Prevod: Klara Lubej
Vir fotografije: internet
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How Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Treat Acne
Acne is one of the most common skin conditions which is characterized by pimples and breakouts on the face and other parts of the body such as the chest and back. Acne not only occurs in adolescents but is also suffered by adults. Acne breakouts often occur as a result of hormone changes, stress, trigger foods and poor skin care routines . Although acne is usually viewed as a mild medical condition, severe acne attacks–especially those that occur on the face–can leave not only physical scars, but emotional ones too. Treating acne is, therefore, very important for cosmetic purposes as well as for maintaining a sense of well-being and self-confidence.
Here are some common types of acne:
Hormonal acne (associated with periods, or coming off the pill)
Pubescent acne (teenage acne)
Adult acne
Cystic acne
Common acne (whiteheads and red bumps) and
Acne scarring in the form of pigmentation, bumps and pitting.
Wrong treatment of the cause?
When patients come to me saying, "I've tried everything, every wash, every prescription ... and my acne still won't go away." Well… in my opinion, not really everything. it's clear that they haven't tried using an Eastern approach to skin care. When I tell them acne needs to be treated from within, instead of by slathering various ointments and creams on their skin, they're often shocked. And when I continue to introduce to concept of Chinese Medicine Dietetics, they realize how far off they are from managing the real cause of the problem.
Conventional vs Chinese Medicine
The conventional medicine approach to acne believes the cause is three-pronged: bacteria, hormonal fluctuations and exfoliation. To treat acne, it's often a one-size-fits-all approach, with only a few tools used on everyone, no matter how different their acne is. In contrast, Chinese Medicine views acne as an external manifestation resulting from an internal imbalance. TCM believes that acne is caused by an excessive fire energy mixed with "dampness toxin”. Stress, "hot nature" foods, hormonal activity and poor sleep are the causes of excessive heat that rise up through the body and present on the face in the form of acne. Raw foods, too much sweet and dairy products and poor digestion are all causes of the dampness toxin. When the excessive fire is mixing with the dampness toxin, the heat escaping as eruptions (like volcanoes), similar to heat in the body causing eruptions in the skin (pimples).
Chinese medicine even attributes various acne locations to specific internal conflicts. For example, blocking of the kidney meridian results in head acne, blockage of the stomach causes acne in the middle of the face, whereas blockage within the liver results in facial acne on the side.
How Chinese Medicine manages Acne?
Excess heat and dampness toxin are the primary imbalance that cause acne. The general approach chosen for therapy is to reduce internal heat by cooling the blood, decreasing toxin, and removing stasis. The medicinals are also meant to alleviate sluggish substances (the dampness toxin) and improve intestinal function where toxins can accumulate. The underlying factor causing the acne such as stress, hormonal imbalance, or the menstrual cycle, will also be treated accordingly so that the acne doesn’t come back in the future.
Chinese Herbal Medicine for Acne
Chinese herbal formulas are customized according to the TCM diagnostics. Combinations and dosages of herbs are chosen and adjusted to work specifically for the individual. When administered correctly by a qualified TCM Doctor, Chinese herbs have been proven safe & effective without adverse reactions. Also, herbs are made as concentrated powders that are simply to be mixed into hot water and made into an instant tea. So easy…and so effective!
Inflammatory Acne
Inflammatory acne occurs when lesions become inflamed and produce red pimples and pustules (also known as whiteheads). In Chinese medicine, heat is a significant cause of inflammatory acne. Heat imbalances are reflected in red skin as well as red inflamed papules and pustules. Acupuncture points including LI 11 (Qu Chi) and LI 4 (He Gu) on the arms will often be combined with local acupuncture for inflammatory acne.
Cystic Acne
Cystic acne is a severely inflamed type of acne. The cysts are large, lie deep in the skin, and can be related to toxins and stagnation. Acupuncture close to the acne is often used for cystic acne. In addition, acupuncture points such as LI4 ( He Gu) and LI11 (Qu Chi) can be used to clear heat, and ST 36 (Zu San Li) and SP 9 (Yin Ling Quan) can be used to remove dampness.
Hormonal Acne
Many women find that their acne flares up in the premenstrual part of the menstrual cycle. The acne is often a combination of whiteheads and blackheads with some inflammation involved, and tends to occur more commonly along the jawline. In Chinese medicine, hormonal acne is often related to stagnation, a lack of circulation in the body, and accumulation of dampness. Stress leads to stagnation of qi and blood, which is a common cause of hormonal acne.
Acupoints used in this case are SP6 (San Yin Jiao), ST 36 (Zu San Li), Zi Gong Xue, Ren 4 (Guan Yuan), and 6 (Qi Hai) on the abdomen. These acupoints can strengthen the Spleen and Kidney system and promote circulation.