Traditional Chinese Medicine

Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine
at treating common conditions

1 - Extremely effective

2 - Effective

3 - Not effective

 

Thanks to Ngaio Richards for her assistance in developing this resource.

Common conditions to be treated

Acupuncture

Chinese Herbal Medicine

 

General Health

 

 

 

Allergies
(eg. hay fever & sinusitis)

1

1

Anger control

1

2

Antibiotic side effects (eg. thrush)

2

2

Bronchitis

1

1

Chronic fatigue

2

2

Colds (prevention if treatment at initial onset)

2

2

Convulsions

2

2

Depression & neuroses (as part of multidisciplinary approach)

2

2

Digestive problems
(eg. irritable bowel syndrome)

1

1

Eczema

3

1

Headache & migraine

1

2

Influenza & other viral illnesses (prevention if treatment at initial onset)

2

2

Insomnia (dependent on severity)

2

2

Obsessive compulsive disorder (as part of multidisciplinary approach)

2

2

Osteo Arthritis

1

1

Pain

1

2

Panic attacks

1

2

Rheumatoid arthritis

2-3

2

Sinus congestion

2

2

Traumatic injury
(eg. sprains, bruises, hematomas, surgery complication)

2

2

 

Women's health

 

 

 

Endometriosis ... REQUIRES LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO TX

1

1

Menopausal symptoms

2

2

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (requires long term treatment & multi-modality approach, eg. naturopath)

2

2

Premenstrual syndrome (PMT)

1

1

 

Making babies - Prior to conception

 

 

 

Enhance fertility

1

1

Infertility (requires long term treatment)

2

2

Preconception care

1

1

 

Making babies - Pregnancy

 

 

 

Anxiety

1

2

Back pain

1

DON'T USE

Fluid retention

1

1

Headaches

1

DON'T USE

Insomnia

2

2

Itchy skin ...(also requires monitoring by midwife/doctor)

1

1

Miscarriage - threatened or recurrent

2

1

Morning sickness

1-2

SEVERE CAN'T TOLERATE

Preventative health & wellbeing throughout pregnancy

1

DON'T USE

Sciatica

1

DON'T USE

Stretch marks

2

DON'T USE

 

Making babies - Prior to birth

 

 

 

Labour preparation

1

DON'T USE

Relaxation of involuntary muscles & ligaments for optimal foetal positioning

1

DON'T USE

Turning breech, posterior & transverse babies

1

 

 

Making babies - Labour

 

 

 

Assistance if labour fails to progress

1

DON'T USE

Increase the effectiveness & strength of contractions

1

DON'T USE

Induction of ‘overdue' babies

1-2

DON'T USE

Pain management during labour

2

DON'T USE

 

Making babies - Following Birth

 

 

 

Breastfeeding difficulties (eg. engorgement, mastitis, abscesses, over or under supply)

1

2

Exhaustion

2

1

Haemorrhoids

2

2

Postnatal depression (as part of multidisciplinary approach)

2

2

Post-natal recovery

1

1

 

Newborns, Babies & Children

 

 

 

Allergies

2

2

Anxiety

2

2

Asthma

1

1

Autism

2

2

Baby crying - persistent or more than 3 hours

2

2

Baby crying/fussing

2

2

Bed wetting

2

2

Boils

2

1

Bronchitis

1

1

Bruises & bumps

3

2

Burns - minor

3

2

Chickenpox

2

2

Childhood fears (eg. of the dark)

2

2

Childhood fussy eating

2

2

Colds .. SEE AS ABOVE

2

2

Colic

2

2

Concentration - poor

2

2

Conjunctivitis

2

2

Constipation

2

2

Diarrhoea

2

2

Digestive difficulties

1

2

Ear infections

1

1

Eczema

2-3

2

Fever ..

2

2

Food poisoning

1

3

Fungal infections

2

2

Hyperactivity, ADD & ADHD

2

2

Influenza & other viral illnesses

2

2

Insomnia

2

2

Night Terrors

2

2

Nosebleeds

2

2

Pain (eg. teething/ ears)

2

2

Post vaccination syndrome

1

N/A

Reflux

2

2

Sinus congestion

2

2

Sore throat

1

1

Teething problems

1

2

Tics & twitches

2

2

Vomiting

2

2

Whooping cough

2

2

 

 

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