TCM vs West - Bruises and Fractures

Bruises and Fractures

Whether you are a Motocross Champion or living a suburban life, injuries are just part of it. 

There are fundamental differences how Western and Eastern medicine approaches Bruises and Fractures.

In Western Medicine

Time and patience is the common process and using cold pads or hot pads to help eliminate the pain and swelling. In case of fractures casts are often applied to hold the bones in the correct position to each other. This can cause swelling and a build up of pressure under the cast, yielding increased pain and the potential for damage to the tissue under the cast.  Bone healing is a natural process which, in most cases, will occur automatically.

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Chinese Medicine, offers a multitude of methods to treat and rehabilitate any kind of injuries, including Acupuncture, Physical Therapy, Tui Na Massage, Qi Gong energy movement therapy, Diet therapy, and last but not least, Herbal therapy. In fact, Chinese Medicine emphasizes a multi-treatment approach to healing both acute and chronic sports related injuries, contusions and bruising, sprained, strained tendons, and bone fractures where many of these methods are combined as appropriate.  The underlying strategy is to stop pain and stiffness, increases circulation and blood flow internally for fast healing, reduce inflammation and swelling, stop infection and help in tissue regeneration, thereby aiding in restoring normal movement and function.

Symptoms

Different individuals may experience different symptoms, including:- pain
- swelling
- bruising
- discolored skin around the affected area
- the affected area may be bent at an unusual angle
- unable to put weight on the injured area
- cannot move the affected area
- bone or joint may have a grating sensation

Diet & Prevention

Clean the affected area and do light exercises and stretches daily to decrease the risk of even weaker bones. It is important for people of all ages to stay physically active.  Stay away from sour, salt and spicy food. No smoking, drinking alcohol, coffee and cold beverages.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the following herbs are recommended for individuals with with Bruises and Fractures

  • Notoginseng Root
  • Carthamus
  • Ginseng
  • Angelica Root
  • Moutan
  • Peony

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.