Treating face paralysis by traditional Chinese medicine (photo story)
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June 15, 2007
Filed under TCM use
Traditional Chinese Medicine believe that face paralysis is caused by cold air freezing the Qi (life force) and blood that normally flow freely in the face. Meanwhile, western medicine diagnoses the condition as a viral infection that attacks the nerves in the face. TCM doctors treat patients with acupunture, as well as a ranged of other natural treatments. While they may look a bit unorthodox, many patients regain use of their facial muscles after several visits.
A walnut is placed on a patient’s eye and ignited dry moxa leaves in his ears during a traditional Chinese medical treatment for curing facial paralysis,at a hospital in Jinan, the capital of eastern China’s Shandong province. (Reuters)
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| A patient receives traditional Chinese medical treatment at a hospital in Jinan, China. |
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| A patient receives traditional Chinese medical treatment at a hospital in Jinan,capital of eastern China’s Shandong province. Traditional Chinese Medicine viewsfacial paralysis as a deficiency of vital Qi, similar to deficiency in the immune system,resulting in an invasion of exogenous pathogenic factors and obstruction of channels
and collaterals. |
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| A doctor prepares traditional Chinese medical treatment at a hospital in Jinan, China.Facial paralysis often occurs in the summertime, which traditional Chinese medicineattributes to the fact that people leave their windows open at night to stay cool.However, TCM explaines that the cold air freezes the Qi and blood so they no
longer can convey emotion with the face. |
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| Patients place red bands across their eyes and ignited dry moxa leavesin theirears during a traditional Chinese medical treatment for curing facial cramps,at a hospital in Jinan, China. |
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| A walnut is placed on a patient’s eye and dry moxa leavesare ignitedin his ears during a traditional Chinese medical treatment for curingfacial paralysis, at a hospital in Jinan, China.(All captions by Reuters) |
chinese medicine
Anita Fleice on Sat, 23rd Jun 2007 10:13 am
The last article on this page, re: moxa for facial paralysis, could have benefitted from more written description. I’m a practitioner, but to someone from the general public, these photos are rather terrifying, esp the two fellows with red binding across the eyes…they look like they’re ready for an execution! Yikes! More explanation, please!
Susanna Ng on Sat, 23rd Jun 2007 2:38 pm
thank you anita for the comments. i’ve included more Reuters captions for the pictures. however i haven’t searched for studies about moxa and facial paralysis. perhaps i’ll do it in a later post.
i agree the two guys being blindfolded look like they are ready for an execution… in fact, it was this picture that has attracted me in the first place.
Anita Fleice on Sat, 23rd Jun 2007 10:32 pm
Thanks, Susanna!
Susanna Ng on Sun, 24th Jun 2007 3:36 pm
you’re welcome!
MIn on Wed, 13th Feb 2008 8:18 am
So what is the rate of success, with this treatment, lets say out of 10 Pts treated this way for facial paralysis?