Why does my acupuncturist ask me about my mood when I am coming in for physical pain?
In Chinese Medicine, all issues start with changes or disruptions in Qi flow. Emotions are natural. However, when a person feels certain emotions in excess or does not deal with them in a healthy way they can disrupt the Qi flow and manifest in the body as physical pain.
In Chinese Medicine, the human body is looked at as very similar to nature. The air is like your Qi. It floats naturally and when air circulation is good, there is good health. Emotions are also energy and can be thought of as vibrations that change the flow of Qi. For example, anger is like a tornado that disrupts the air circulation and causes harm to the environment. Depression is like a stuffy room with little circulation, leaving the room vulnerable to problems like mold. These occurrences in the energy flow lead to physical manifestations.
Some simplified examples of the connection between mood and physical pain are:
- Easily getting angry in females: Issues in the uterus and female system
- Carrying a lot of stress: More pain in neck and shoulder
- Stuck mood (not happy but not totally depressed yet): Pain in shoulder blade and breast area (for females)
- Indecisive/ Not getting the respect one deserves even when they do good things: Stomach/Digestive issues
- Holding in emotions/Carrying responsibility that isn’t theirs, especially in family matters: Low back/Leg pain