Traditional Chinese Medicine

[Narnia]

My teenager has had a cough for several months now. He has been to a doctor, had an x-ray, taken antibiotics and nothing has got rid of it or discovered what the problem is. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of the above (as a possible option for him) and what you thought?

[RosieH]

Sigmund Freud might think it was hysteria and that he secretly wants to kill you.

I know this is unhelpful and I apologise, I know nothing of Chinese medicine, it just reminded me of Anna O.

[david_carnell]

Chinese medicine = utter nonsense Narnia. It's a placebo at best and harmful at worst. Don't waste your money.

Get a second medical opinion.

Does he smoke?

Do you have a pet?

Have you tried different bedding?

Have you fitted a new carpet?

Any other environmental factors?

Ground panda bone and bear bile will do bugger all.

[Sue]

I would agree with getting a second opinion.

Has his GP considered that he might have asthma? I was prescribed several lots of antibiotics for a persistent cough which turned out to be, when I saw a different GP, adult onset asthma.

However if a second opinion doesn't help, I would not dismiss Chinese medicine out of hand.

I have been to a Chinese herbalist in the past, can't remember what for now, and did find it helpful.

I don't believe that David Carnell knows anything about it, so is hardly in a position to judge.

[Narnia]

I asked the question as I believe he picked it up from me and I picked it up from a Chinese lady I worked with for a while. I'm ok now but I emailed this lady today to ask her how she got rid of her cough (which was extrememly bad). She suggested using a Chinese doctor if Western medicine didn't work.

I don't think it's his environment DC as he's been at Uni since September and had the cough prior to that. He doesn't smoke.

What makes you so anti it DC? Have you had personal experience?

[woofmarkthedog]

A man who coughed for years with no medical explaination was cured by plucking out the hairs in his inner ears

Very weird but true

W**F

[Sue]

If you Google you will find a lot of information on the net about TCM.

Are you sure it is something that he picked up from you, and not asthma? I understand that asthma is becoming increasingly common.

[*Bob*]

I've been to one.. not for myself, I should say.

A five minute consultation with somebody who speaks limited English ("hurt.. here..?") and charges you ?20 for a bag of foul-smelling twigs is not the way to go.

[HAL9000]

It might be a case of chronic cough - may be caused by a virus or various other factors. I don't think there's a specific treatment for it. Most people recover gradually over time.

[Sue]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've been to one.. not for myself, I should say.

>

> A five minute consultation with somebody who

> speaks limited English ("hurt.. here..?") and

> charges you ?20 for a bag of foul-smelling twigs

> is not the way to go.

xxxxxxxxx

If's that's true, you were ripped off (yes, duh, sorry).

I had a very thorough consultation.

[Sue]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It might be a case of chronic cough - may be

> caused by a virus or various other factors. I

> don't think there's a specific treatment for it.

> Most people recover gradually over time.

xxxxxx

Chronic cough just means a cough that goes on for a long time, the cause still has to be investigated and treated.

The first possible cause that's mentioned on Hal's link is asthma.

Untreated asthma can lead to permanent scarring of the lungs.

[Marie81]

I have been to two different Chinese acupuncturist's (the type you find on any high street) where I tried acupuncture as well as Cupping Therapy. Both experiences were terrible, the first place burnt me with the cupping and the second place wanted to charge me ?90 for a bag of herbs which he said I would need to buy every week! The herbs are overpriced and cost them not even half of what they wanted to charge me. Also the acupuncture didn?t feel like it was benefiting me at all. I now go to a great guy in East Dulwich for acupuncture and the difference in the methods and how I feel is amazing. Look him up on http://www.nick-williamson.co.uk/ he may be able to help with your son?s cough.

[Narnia]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you Google you will find a lot of information

> on the net about TCM.

>

> Are you sure it is something that he picked up

> from you, and not asthma? I understand that asthma

> is becoming increasingly common.

Not sure.He is having an asthma test next week.

[Ramble66]

TMC is great but avoid the high street guys who just want to rip you off. I can recommend Angelo at the Vale Practice on Grove Vale. He does chinese herbs as well as acupuncture. http://www.angelodalberto.com/

[Saffron]

Respiratory tissues, and the lungs in particular, are very reactive tissues. The lungs can take a very long time to heal thoroughly. During this time cough may continue. Cough is also, as others suggested, sometimes a sign of asthma.

In any event, acupuncture might help. Not all Chinese medicine is quackery. Some herb do have pharmaceutical properties, but you do need to get the diagnosis right. Do be sure to let your GP etc know what herbs your son might take, as some can have interactions with conventional medicines.

Good luck.

[jctg]

Narnia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

he's been

> at Uni since September. He doesn't smoke.

That's what he's telling you!

[Loz]

woofmarkthedog Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> A man who coughed for years with no medical

> explaination was cured by plucking out the hairs

> in his inner ears

>

> Very weird but true

Not a big surprise. I cough when I put a cotton bud in my ear - it's quite common. Apparently there is a nerve that runs close to the ear canal that triggers it.

[Mick Mac]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you Google you will find a lot of information

> on the net about TCM.

>

> Are you sure it is something that he picked up

> from you, and not asthma? I understand that asthma

> is becoming increasingly common.

Yes - its very popular Sue - an inhaler in tight trousers is all the rage.

[Sue]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > If you Google you will find a lot of

> information

> > on the net about TCM.

> >

> > Are you sure it is something that he picked up

> > from you, and not asthma? I understand that

> asthma

> > is becoming increasingly common.

>

> Yes - its very popular Sue - an inhaler in tight

> trousers is all the rage.

xxxxxxxxx

Is it just me who hasn't got a clue what you're on about??

Unless it's a feeble attempt to do a sort of Spinal Tap joke :)

[antijen]

Chinese herbs can be very bitter, I use a combination of coltsfoot, horehound, hyssop and lungwort. There are many herbs that can help, if you'd like some for your son Narnia, pm me, I also have mullein growing, which is also good.

[Mick Mac]

Narnia - tell your son to go to Uni and not bother you ever again.

[HAL9000]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Apparently there is a nerve that runs close to the ear canal ...

It's called the Vagus nerve: in some people the slightest pressure via the ear canal can trigger the gag reflex or even vomiting.

It?s a primitive nerve that evolved before the spinal column: it takes care of various functions such as speech, breathing and digestion ? which is why a severed spinal cord is survivable.

[Huguenot]

I think that if he's at Uni he's over 18 - that makes him an adult who can make his own decisions ;-)

TCM is herbalism - there's no greater insight that it can deliver. Like most herbalism, the placebo effect far outweighs the medical influence. Having said that, 'western' medicine comes from herbalism - the only difference is the application of intelligent analysis to the results, and the investigation and concentration of the active ingredients.

Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections, not viruses. An X-ray is only going to pick up abnormal tissue growth. This would have been done to rule out tuberculosis.

There aren't any catch-all anti-virals, so you'd need an absolute diagnosis to pursue that angle.

I don't like to say it, but if it's a recent infection and he's 18.. there are a few STDs that have respiratory symptoms?

One solution may be to consciously stop the cough reflex - it damages the throat lining and actually creates an environment that prompts the next cough.

Mainly I think that if you leave it be it'll cure itself. It's annoying, but the quest for a solution may be exacerbating it. I forget the actual figure, but it was something like 99.99% of infections are best left to the immune system....

[Narnia]

I suppose you knew all that when you were 18 Hughie? I didn't and I'm a lot older. Thanks for your input though.

[Huguenot]

Quite right Narnia ;-)

Mind you at 18 I'd have been hard pushed to tell the difference between my hangover and smallpox.