ConditionsInternal medicine by pattern
Sleep, stress and mood
Stress, anxiety, low mood and sleep, read as one picture of qi, the Heart and the shen.
5 conditions in this group
Here the classical lens leads: each condition is read as a pattern first, with the Western picture alongside. Hover or focus a condition for a short summary through your lens.
- Stress and anxiety
Western A stress response stuck on alert: tight shoulders and jaw, a racing mind, a knotted stomach and broken sleep.
Classical 木 Liver qi constraint: qi stops flowing freely, builds heat and unsettles the Heart, the digestion and sleep.
Often with Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Cupping
- Sleep trouble
Western Insomnia is ongoing trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleep that leaves you unrested, despite the chance to sleep.
Classical 火 Read as the spirit failing to settle in the Heart at night, from depletion, heat or a Liver that will not let go.
Often with Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Scalp acupuncture
- Low mood
Low mood and depression
Western Depression is a lasting low mood or loss of interest, often with changes in sleep, appetite, energy and focus.
Classical 木 Read through constraint and depletion: qi that has stopped moving, and a Heart and Spleen worn too thin to lift the spirit.
Often with Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Scalp acupuncture
- PMS and PMDD
Western Physical and mood symptoms in the luteal phase that lift once bleeding starts; PMDD is the severe, mood-led form.
Classical 木 Liver qi that cannot flow as the cycle builds toward the bleed, often on a base of thin blood or rising heat.
Often with Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Scalp acupuncture
- Palpitations
Heart palpitations
Western An uncomfortable awareness of the heartbeat, racing, pounding or skipping, from many causes, most of them harmless.
Classical 火 Read as a shen that is poorly anchored: Heart blood too thin, a timid Heart and Gallbladder, or yin too low to hold heat.
Often with Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Scalp acupuncture
Ways we often work in this group
- AcupunctureFine, single-use needles at points chosen from your pattern diagnosis, to restore the smooth flow of qi and blood.
- Chinese herbal medicineClassical formulas chosen for the exact mix of patterns you have, worked through in order and changed as you change. Trained through the ICEAM curriculum.
- Scalp acupunctureSeveral scalp acupuncture systems, with zones mapped over areas of the brain. Used across many conditions, most of all eye care, stroke and neurological recovery.
- Food as medicineClassical dietary therapy: what to eat, when and how, chosen from your pattern and the season.
- CuppingGentle suction that lifts the tissue, moves stagnant blood and eases muscle tension.
- AcupressurePressure on acupuncture points by hand, in the treatment room and as self-care between visits.
More groups in internal medicine by pattern: