Li Hua, L. Ac. TCMD

Music Is One Of TCM Healing Methods

Music is not only used for enjoy, but also for being health. In Atlanta for many years, I have visited several different clinics, such as the clinic psychology, surgery, chiropractic, acupuncture, etc. In their clinics, music has been used to peace the spirit and relaxes the body. Even though we use music to calm our mind in the end of stress day and regain balance. Music is one of wonderful prescriptions to relief stress and releases all kinds of feeling.

In this new century, I think healthcare is the combination of body, mind, spirit and environment. Among various therapies, music apply different sound frequency vibration to the brain in order to relax or improve the formal abnormal nerve stimulation, to let body have balance healthy feeling. I suggest playing music during surgery to decrease pain and anesthetic dosage. Music can relax muscle, reduce the frequency of breathing and heart beating, low the temperature of skin, loose nerves. Music also can increase the density of antibody to improve immune system.

In ancient China, people have known how to use music to treat illness or keep in good health. TCM classic book – Huangdi Neijing (Canon Of Medicine, compiled in 500 – 300 B.C.) has corresponded of five sounds, five elements and five organs. It recorded how music influences physiology and pathology. Five sounds are “Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng and Yu”. Five elements mean “earth, mental, liver, fire and water”. Five organs refer to “spleen, lung, liver, heart, and kidney”. Five sounds match five elements. The waves of five sounds transmit human body and lead to the harmonious resonance of the cells and tissues. Music also regulates physiological rhythm, such as pulse, breath, heart beating, gastrointestinal wriggle, endocrine, etc. “Gong” sounds magnificently and solemnly. It has the character of “earth” and influence the spleen. It can help the appetite and tonify the Chi and blood. “Shang” sounds peacefully. It has the character of “metal” and influence the lung. It can help listless or dispirited. “Jiao” sounds vitally and prosperously. It has the character of wood and influence the liver. It can help senior short memory or infertility caused by stagnation. “Zheng” sounds warmly and elatedly. It has the character of fire and influence the heart. It can help heavy feeling around chest and difficult breathing. “Yu” sounds clearly and melodiously. It has the character of water and influence the kidney. It can help insomnia; high blood pressure or edema comes from the deficiency of the kidney.

I suggest to listen to some lively rhythm music when feeling irritable or frustrated and may coordinate with singing or acupuncture to let the feeling off and regain the balance of the mood. When feeling depressed or stress, you may listen to some music with the natural subjects, such as the theme of ocean, river, animal, forest, mountain, etc., to take the sounds of the nature to relieve the depress and stress or do Tai Chi Qi Gong exercise to obtain the energy to balance the mood and prevent various illness.