Insomnia is not just a kind of sleep problem, as it may be accompanied with forgetfulness, tinnitus and hypomenorrhea!
There is a 40-year-old woman who had trouble falling asleep for two years, she took sleeping pills and tranquilizers for a long term and felt drowsy throughout the day. In addition to insomnia, she also had other symptoms such as irritability, dizziness, forgetfulness, afraid of cold, tinnitus, oligomenorrhea, weight gain, and limb weakness and looked pale.
She came to Shanghai Chinese Medicine Centre for treatment. Doctors diagnosed her as "Heart-spleen deficiency” insomnia. Treatment include acupuncture and herbal prescription (Guipi decotion) to invigorate Qi and nourishing blood. As a result, there is significant improvement. Now she doesn’t need to take sleeping pills any more. Her sleep quality improved, menstruation increases, and also lose weight naturally.
Regarding to TCM treatment of insomnia, the doctors of Shanghai Chinese Medicine Centre have obtained new experiences in the course of treatment for patients, even though some of the herbals such as rhizome coptidis, cinnabar are forbidden to use in Singapore.
Usually, by adjusting the function of qi and blood, TCM treatment of insomnia can improve sleep obviously and will not cause drug dependence. It is highly popular with patients nowadays. Research also shown that because of the fast rhythm of life, high workload and study pressure, more and more insomniacs are going to see TCM doctors.
How does TCM treat? TCM believes that insomnia is mainly caused by imbalance of Yin and Yang as a result of emotion disorders, dietic irrationality and overwork. The problems is mainly in heart and related to liver, gallbladder, spleen, stomach and kidney disharmony. Doctors summarized their experience of treatment of insomnia as below:
Excess syndrome, which is mainly caused by being agitated as a result of internal heat, liver depression of the fire, and phlegm-heat attacking internally, it has to be treated by clearing heart fire, clearing phlegm and dissipating heat and tranquilizing mind with anshen pills, Longdan Xiegan Decoction, wendan Decoction and so on;
Deficiency syndrome, which is mainly caused by lack of spirit preservation as a result of fire excess from yin deficiency, insufficiency of heart and spleen and deficiency of heart-qi and gallbladder-qi. It has to be treated by nourishing Yin, tonifying heart and spleen, nourishing heart and soothing the nerves with Liuwei Dihuang Pill, guipi decoction and Suanzaoren decoction and so on.
Insomnia should be treated as soon as possible! According to doctors, it’s relatively easy to be cured if the illness treated at an earlier stage. If the illness been dragged for some time and might complicate the condition, then it’s difficult to be cured in a short term. So in order to get remarkable curative effect, insomnia should be treated early.
During the treatment, patients should pay attention to mental adjustment, keep temperate mood, relaxed spirit and quiet sleep environment. In addition, patients should also avoid strong tea, coffee and excessive excitement before sleeping. Always stick to a schedule, avoid late sleeping and exercise regularly