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Chinese Sports Medicine
ANCIENT CHINESE MEDICINE FOR INJURY and TRAUMA
Dit Da Yao (HIT MEDICINE)

Chinese Medicine for Injury - Theory

Chinese Medicine for Injury Research

Chinese Herbs & Chinese Medicine for Performance Enhancement

Three Stages of Injury According to Chinese Medicine Theory

Injuries change as they heal. We divide the course of healing into three stages. The first stage lasts up to a week after the injury. The second stage may last a month. Older injuries are considered third stage injuries. Treatment will vary for each person and circumstance and must be appropriate for each stage.

At first, treatment must stop bleeding, clear tissue debris, reduce inflammation (heat), relieve pain (vitalize blood), and protect against stagnation. We encourage the flow of energy and fluids (qi and blood) through the injured area.

First stage treatment can employ electro-acupuncture as well as internal and topical herbs. We tend to avoid the use of ice, as ice restricts flow at this critical stage, and will often result in a rougher healing. Soaking is discouraged when swelling is present, as it will worsen the swelling. Swellings can be addressed with topical poultices containing herbs that disperse damp and vitalize blood and qi. Heat is also not generally applied in the first stages, especially if the injury looks red or feels warm to the touch.

In the second stage, the treatment will change. Now we reduce any remaining swelling, break remaining stagnations, promote flow, and begin to strengthen the qi of the tissue. Gentle acupuncture will promote flow, relieve pressure and loosen stagnations. Herbs used to promote the flow of water and disperse energy at the surface will be added to reduce possible swelling. Massage, painful in the first stage, is much more useful here to aid the movement of energy and fluids.

In the third stage, the site of the injury will be weak due to long term insufficient nourishment. At this stage, moxabustion (heat) treatments are most helpful as they supply the missing qi in the form of heat energy. Massage and strengthening herbs like dang gui, gu sui bu, suo yang, and san qi are used internally and externally as well. Sometimes herbs used for arthritis (wind damp herbs) like du huo, or gentian are also used.

Herbs for Injuries

First stage injury (up to a week after trauma)

Chinese Herbs (prohibited during pregnancy)
San Qi + Mo Yao + Ru Xiang + Tao Ren + Hong Hua + Huang Bai + Xu Duan

Chinese Medicines (prohibited during pregnancy)
Ching Koo Pills

Chinese Medicines
Zheng Gu Shui Linament

Chinese Medicines
Zheng Gu Shui Linament

Chinese Medicine Research:

Trauma
The effect of standardized acupuncture programs in the aftercare of accident patients by Rabl V; Bochdansky T; Hertz H; Kern H; Meng A From: Unfallchirurgie, 9: 6, 1983 Dec, 308-13 153 patients suffering from pain, edematous conditions, and impaired movement following traumas sustained in accidents were treated or after-treated with acupuncture.

Acupuncture was applied in adherence to a standardized program according to the individual types of injury. The stimulus was applied y means of steel needles inserted into body as well as ear acupuncture points.

In all 9 groups, improvement of the painful condition was significant to highly significant as it was regarding improvement of the movement impairment, the latter not having been emphasized in the other 3 groups. Remaining complaints of long standing following accident traumas could also be positively influenced. Acupuncture proved itself to be an effective form of therapy for after-treatment of accident patients, presenting a valuable supplement to the field of rehabilitation, especially when combined with other physical herapeutic measures.