Traditional Chinese Medicine - is it an alternative approach in dealing with AFib and Ectopics?

[kieranol]

Has anyone investigated or have any knowledge regarding the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to assist with the control or potential removal of ectopic beats? If you do some research on the subject it would appear that TCM does have an approach towards dealing with this issue.

[jeanjeannie50]

Several people on this forum feel they have been helped by alternative therapies. One EngMac has reported that he feels AF is caused by misalignment in the neck and has received manipulation for that. If you click on his name you will see all the posts he has written.

There have been references to people taking Chinese medication, but few.

What has been proved by members here is the benefits of a more plant based and artificial additive free diet. Losing weight if needed, drinking more water and avoiding alcohol and sugar laden food.

Jean

[Hidden]

If there was any successful approach to curing cardiac arrhythmia, it would have been known by now, for certain (Jesus, have I said it right, I mean the grammar...?!?).

After a long research, I am inclined to believe that in ancient times, in China, there was a lot known about arrhythmia and many more, what got lost with the time.

Also, in Europe, including UK, for which I am certain, there have been known things about curing in general, which are now lost, maybe for ever.

Modern medicine has brought many new and useful things, but has also helped push aside much of useful ancient knowledge.

[Hidden]

Hi kieranol, I don't have any personal experience of alternate therapies, but I suppose it depends a bit on what you mean by 'Chinese medicine' and whether you are taking conventional medications for your AF too. It could be actively dangerous to be taking substances along with a beta blocker, arrhythmic drug and most especially an anticoagulant.I never say never about alternate therapies for most illnesses, but one of the big problems with trying them is that our trained medical professionals usually have scant regard for them and therefore know little to nothing about them.

And that means that their default position is usually 'don't mix traditional or folk remedies with modern medicine'. And actually, although not very helpful, this is the safe answer.

There's also a danger that, when consulting a TCM practitioner, they may over-sell the traditional remedy and persuade you to stop conventional medicine which could also be harmful. So this needs careful thought and management before you end up harming yourself unintentionally.

[Ppiman]

I went to a Chinese therapist once when it turned out the mum of a lad that I taught was one. Well, never again. She was a lovely lady, for sure, but she prescribed a giant bottle of pills for my IBS and stomach problems with no worthwhile investigations whatsoever, just looking at me and feeling my tummy. I didn't take them. How could she know what was going on underneath my skin? She came up with all sorts of weird ideas based on no evidence.

Proper medicine uses doctors who have over a decade's learning of the most rigorous and complex kind, who have a mass of experience of patients similar to me, and they will use highly complex accredited diagnostic techniques such as contrast MRI and CT, or echocardiography to work out exactly what is happening beneath the skin.

I think medicine has left the Dark Ages and , for me, I shall only trust to the scientific method and its practitioners.

Steve

[Tryfan]

Interesting question. As a 40 year practitioner of Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercise system. I'm incidentally over 70. I would advocate the efficacy of the practice. Deep breathing, moving this mysterious bio-energy called Qi. Removing blockages that prevent the smooth flow of energy. Add to that I believe in the practice of accupressure and acupuncture.Would I take "eye of toad, wing of bat" or Pangolin on toast. Probably not.

[kieranol in reply to Tryfan]

Hi Tryfan

Thanks for your comment. Yes common sense must prevail when it comes to what you ingest. I am particularly interested in acupuncture as there have been some interesting study's over the years substantiating their effectiveness with a large percentage of participants having some success in improving their situation. I also have had some improvement with ectopics with a homeopathy approach. It pays to have an open mind with all this as it just takes a bit of luck and you may discover an approach and a practitioner of some denomination that turns the key for you as an individual. We are all unique and what works for each of us will vary very much, but you must continue to search for what will work for you.

[Auriculaire]

Having been cured of chronic sinusitis by acupuncture after allopathic antibiotics did not work and left me with what has turned out to be 30+ years of recurrent skeletal problems I am less sceptical of TCM. I would point out that many of the herbs used have been used for thousands of years of trial and error as have the herbal remedies which herbalists in the West use. "Modern" medicine has a dark history. The "doctors "who gradually drove out the herbalists ( often labelled as witches) poisoned their patients with stuff like mercury and arsenic. Their remedies were often worse than the disease. In the early 20th century in America there was a concentrated effort to limit what was taught in medical schools so as to drive out use of herbal remedies and bring in remedies manufactured by the blossoming pharmaceutical industry. Herbs that have been used for thousands of years cannot be patented. Nor can food. Hence the absence of any real nutritional training in med school curriculums for so long.I would only consider being treated with acupuncture by somebody who had trained in China. Ditto for any herbs and would never take their dubious animal preparations. In China the two systems are used side by side so Chinese doctors probably have training as to what it is dangerous to mix .

[Bennera513]

I've turned to acupuncture several times as I battle frequent ectopics. I find that my ectopics may get worse for the first 24 hours after, but that I usually experience 3-4 days of bliss before slowly returning to where I was before the 'needles' around the one week mark. I'm definitely a believer in the realignment of the body's energy meridians, especially where anxiety and stress is concerned. I use the treatments much like you would a really good massage. It calms me down, settles my nervous system and results in fewer ectopics, no question. My practitioner recommends Chinese herbs. On two occasions I have agreed but I ultimately decided not to push my luck since I'm on Beta Blocker and PiP Flecainide. Please don't construe my use of Eastern medicine as a rejection of 'Western' medicine. My first PVI Ablation is scheduled for next month. Here in the U.S., my local hospital has an integrative medicine dept. operating within the Cancer care center. Though a bit different, treatment from them is as effective as the ones I get at the traditional Chinese center.