Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Approach to Trauma

a Comprehensive Overview:

Traditional Chinese Medicine, known in Mandarin as 傳統中醫, Chuántǒng Zhōngyī (TCM), offers a profound and holistic framework for understanding and treating trauma. It is an approach that integrates classical philosophical principles with clinical methods to address the whole person. In the TCM view, trauma is not merely considered a localized psychological event. Instead, it is understood as a fundamental and pervasive shock to the body’s entire energetic infrastructure. This sudden and powerful jolt catastrophically disrupts the harmonious flow of 氣, Qì (vital energy), 血, Xuè (Blood), and 神, Shén (Spirit), creating complex, deep-seated patterns of disharmony that will subsequently manifest across the physical, emotional, and mental planes.

How TCM Views Trauma

The core impact of any trauma is interpreted through several fundamental TCM concepts. These concepts detail the disruption of the body’s essential substances and the involvement of the primary functional organ systems, known as 臟腑, Zàngfǔ.

Disruption of Qì and Blood/Xuè
Trauma’s primary effect is often the causation of Qì Stagnation (氣滯, Qìzhì.) Qì is the dynamic force responsible for all movement and function within the body. When this essential energy becomes obstructed or stuck, it leads to a cascade of observable symptoms. These may include feelings of palpable tension, various forms of pain, frequent sighing, marked emotional volatility, and a persistent sensation of being emotionally or physically “stuck.” Over time, sustained Qì Stagnation can predictably lead to 血瘀, Xuèyū – Xuè Stasis. Xuè Stasis is characterized by fixed, sharp, or stabbing pain, a dark or dusky complexion, and the development of chronic, difficult-to-treat pain conditions. Conversely, a singular and overwhelmingly severe emotional shock can result in 氣陷, Qìxiàn – Qì Collapse. This is a state of severe depletion that manifests as profound exhaustion, listlessness, and a general lack of vital force.

Organ System Involvement

Trauma inherently affects multiple Zàngfǔ organ systems, with each system overseeing specific physical and psycho-spiritual aspects of a person’s being.

The Heart houses the Shén:

(心藏神, Xīn cáng shén - the Heart is the seat of both consciousness and mental function.)

The Heart is revered as the emperor or sovereign of the mind and the Shén (Spirit.) Trauma acts to "shatter" or profoundly "disturb" the Shén. This disturbance is central to the emotional fallout, leading to chronic anxiety, acute panic attacks, persistent insomnia, terrifying nightmares, and a distinct feeling of being disconnected from one’s own body or from reality.

The Liver ensures the smooth flow of Qì:

(肝主疏泄, Gān zhǔ shū xiè - The Liver ensures smooth Qì flow bodywide.)

The Liver is the organ most sensitive to emotional stress. A healthy Liver supports healthy emotional responses. Trauma severely disrupts its primary function of ensuring the smooth flow of Qì throughout the entire body, causing widespread Qì Stagnation. This presents as irritability, intense frustration, bouts of anger or depression, physical tension that concentrates in the neck and shoulders, and irregularities in the menstrual cycle.

The Kidneys store the 志, Zhì:

(腎藏志, Shèn cáng zhì - The Kidney stores will, spirit, and/or memory.)

The Kidneys are considered the foundational root, storing the body’s core vitality and the Zhì (Will or resolve.) A sudden experience of fright or terror, which is very common in trauma, is said to "shake" the Kidneys, rapidly depleting their essence. This leads to chronic feelings of fear and insecurity, profound physical exhaustion, chronic lower back pain, and a weakening of the personal will.

The Spleen governs 意, Yì:

(脾藏意, Pícángyì - Mental capacity is determined by the health of the Spleen.)

The Spleen governs both the digestive process and the Yì (Intellect or intention.) When trauma causes a person to engage in excessive worry and harmful rumination, it weakens the Spleen. Symptoms include physical fatigue, poor appetite and digestion, "foggy thinking," and an inability to process or integrate the traumatic experience effectively.

The Body’s Testimony: Plum Pit Syndrome as a Somatic Trauma Marker

These organ imbalances manifest in specific, often poignant, physical signs. A quintessential example is Plum Pit Syndrome (梅核氣, Méi Hé Qì) – the persistent sensation of a lump or obstruction in the throat. This plum pit is stuck and no amount of expectoration or swallowing can dislodge it. This is not a physical blockage, of course – not an anatomical thing. Rather, the sensation is a profound somatization of “stuck” Liver Qì arising from emotional distress. It is directly linked to unresolved emotional distress – anger, frustration, grief, or the chronic anxiety of a threat that has passed but whose energy remains trapped. In trauma, the body keeps the score, and here, the throat becomes the record-keeper of the unsaid, the scream unvoiced, or the truth swallowed down.

Its pathology elegantly illustrates the interplay of organ systems. Emotional turmoil (Liver Qì stagnation) impairs digestion (weakens the Spleen), leading to Phlegm formation. This phlegm then combines with the stagnant Qì, lodging in the Liver channel that traverses the throat, creating the palpable sensation of obstruction.

For many trauma survivors, having this inexplicable feeling recognized and named – “Have you ever felt this?” – is profoundly validating. Patients are often astonished that this ‘weird,’ unexplained sensation they thought was theirs alone is, in fact, a recognized pattern. It was a somatic truth without a framework, often dismissed in a Western medicine model. This simple validation can transform an isolated bodily experience into a coherent framework of understood trauma.

In the TCM view, it is a clear signal that stagnant Liver Qì has begun to congeal into a more substantive pathological factor (Phlegm, or potentially Blood Stasis), marking a deepening entrenchment of trauma in the body. The Principle ‘Where the Qì goes, the Blood follows’ means chronic Qi stagnation can solidify into Blood Stasis – a darker, more fixed pattern of pain and rigidity. Thus, Plum Pit Qì is not just a symptom; it is a map showing emotional distress somaticizing, moving from subtle energy (Qì) toward tangible pathological substance. It is the embodied feeling of being trapped, quite literally, in one’s own throat.

The Role of the Shén

The disturbance of the Shén (神) is perhaps the most crucial element in TCM’s understanding of trauma. A person suffering from a disturbed Shén may appear to be “not fully present” in their body, exhibit a vacant or lost look in their eyes, experience significant memory difficulties, and feel either emotionally numb or, conversely, overly sensitive to stimuli.

How TCM Manages and Treats Trauma

TCM employs a rigorous, multi-faceted strategy to treat trauma by diagnosing and addressing the specific root patterns of disharmony present in the individual. The overarching goal of treatment is to gently regulate the autonomic nervous system, restore the healthy, flowing circulation of Qì and xuè, and ultimately “anchor” or settle the scattered Shén.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture (針灸, Zhēnjiǔ) is the principal therapeutic intervention for trauma in TCM. By the insertion of fine needles into carefully selected specific points on the body, acupuncture works to fundamentally re-pattern the nervous system and release stored emotional and physical trauma that has become lodged in the body’s tissues.

Modern Science Perspective:

Contemporary research suggests that acupuncture effectively regulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS.) It facilitates a crucial shift in the body, moving it out of the hyper-aroused "Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn" state (sympathetic nervous system dominance) and into the calming "Rest and Digest" state (parasympathetic nervous system dominance.) It is widely believed to modulate key neurotransmitter levels, reduce the presence of stress hormones such as cortisol, and increase the endogenous production of natural pain-relieving endorphins.

Common Applications:

Acupuncture points are selected based on the specific, individualized TCM pattern diagnosis. For example, points on the Heart channel are used to calm the Shén. Points on the Liver channel are used to move stagnant Qì. Points on the Kidney channel are used to fortify the core foundation and resolve. The NADA protocol, a specific ear acupuncture sequence, is widely used globally in contexts of stress, addiction, and PTSD to promote profound relaxation and grounding.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Specific Chinese Herbal Formulas (中藥方劑, Zhōngyào fāngjì) are prescribed precisely according to the individual TCM diagnosis to systematically address the underlying internal imbalance.

for Qì Stagnation with Shén disturbance: Formulas like Xiāoyáo Sàn (逍遙散, Free and Easy Wanderer) are utilized to soothe the Liver (疏肝) and support the Spleen (健脾), thereby simultaneously addressing the emotional distress and the often-accompanying digestive symptoms of chronic stress.

for Severe Shén disturbance with insomnia and panic:

Formulas such as Guī Pí Tāng (歸脾湯, Restore the Spleen Decoction) are used to nourish the Heart and Spleen, which helps to anchor and calm the mind, while by simultaneously addressing worry, rumination, and fatigue.

for Xuè Stasis:

Formulas like Xuè Fǔ Zhú Yū Tāng (血府逐瘀湯, Drive Out Stasis in the Mansion of Blood) are prescribed to strongly invigorate the Xuè (活血, Huóxuè) and resolve stasis (化瘀, Huà yū), which is highly beneficial for chronic, fixed pain and the persistent feeling of being "stuck" in a traumatic emotional memory.

Tuīná & Qìgōng (Therapeutic Massage)

Body-based therapies, including 推拿, Tuīná (Therapeutic Massage) & 氣功, Qìgōng (Working with Qì practices), are considered essential for treating trauma that is physically held or embodied. Tuīná massage applies manual techniques to release deep tension from the muscles and fascia, powerfully promoting the free flow of Qì and Xuè. Qìgōng, through its deliberate, gentle movements, focused breathwork, and meditative components, helps the individual to consciously regulate their body’s energy, systematically build psychological resilience, and cultivate a robust sense of embodied awareness. Modern science increasingly validates these practices for their efficacy in reducing the circulating levels of cortisol, improving overall mood, and enhancing the all-important body-mind connection.

TCM Advice to Avoid and Manage Trauma
TCM places a strong emphasis on consistent prevention and the adoption of daily practices to maintain energetic resilience. The goal is to effectively process daily stress before it can become deeply entrenched as a chronic, clinical trauma.

Dietary Guidance: It is advised to consume warm, cooked, and easily digestible foods to proactively support the delicate function of the Spleen. It is best to strictly avoid excessive consumption of cold, raw foods, and excessively sugary or greasy foods. These substances can create internal "Dampness" (濕, Shī) which acts to cloud the mind, making clear thought and emotional processing significantly harder.

Lifestyle and Emotional Hygiene:

- Maintain a Regular Routine: Adopting a predictable daily routine greatly assists in stabilizing the body's Qì and provides a foundational sense of safety and predictability.

- Engage in Gentle Movement: Practices such as Tàijíquán & Qìgōng, or simply walking mindfully in nature help to smoothly move stagnant Qì without being overly strenuous or demanding on the nervous system.

- Cultivate Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices are essential for calming the Shén (安神, Ān Shén) and enabling the individual to observe their thoughts and feelings without becoming emotionally overwhelmed by them.

- Ensure Adequate Rest: Protecting the Kidney Zhì and the vital Yīn energy is critical. This specifically means being in bed before 11 PM and ensuring a consistent 7-8 hours of quality, restorative sleep.

- Breathwork: Conscious, slow, deep breathing (akin to Diaphragmatic Breathing) is seen as the most direct and immediate way to consciously gather (聚氣, Jù Qì) and smooth (疏氣, Shū Qì) the Qì, thereby instantly calming the Shén.

Integration with Modern Science and a Final Note

The fields of modern psychoneuroimmunology and polyvagal theory are increasingly finding alignment with TCM’s profoundly holistic view of the person. The central concept that trauma is stored within the body’s physical and energetic matrix and that it fundamentally affects the nervous system is a core tenet now shared by both TCM and contemporary trauma research. Studies on the efficacy of acupuncture for PTSD continue to show compelling promise in effectively reducing both hyperarousal and the painful re-experiencing of symptoms.

It is absolutely crucial to state that while TCM offers an array of powerful tools for deep healing, severe trauma nearly always requires a truly integrated and multidisciplinary treatment approach. TCM is consistently most effective when utilized as a comprehensive complementary therapy alongside established modern psychotherapy modalities, such as EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

If you are currently dealing with the complex aftermath of trauma, the single most important step you can take is to proactively seek support from qualified healthcare professionals. It is recommended to integrate expertise from both the TCM and Western medical fields. These professionals can collaboratively create a comprehensive, safe, and individualized treatment plan designed specifically for you.

Bio

Stephen Watson is a regular Poetry contributor to IAMOnline magazine, the world’s premiere source for online martial study and has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame including the Oriental Martial Arts College’s Hall of Honor as a “Bruce Lee Legend.” In fact, Inside Kung-Fu magazine calls Stephen Watson one of America’s 18 greatest Sifu (Kung Fu teacher) and named him to their prestigious Masters’ Forum. Stephen can be found at SomedayFarm.org as well as https://linktr.ee/SomedayFarm for all of the usual online spaces.