Traditional Chinese Medicine
What Acupuncture Treats:
The World Health Organization has listed the following diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proven— through controlled trials—to be an effective treatment:
· Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
· Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
· Biliary colic
· Depression (including depressive neurosis and
depression following stroke)
· Dysentery
· Dysmenorrhea
· Primary Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and
chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
· Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
· Headache
· Hypertension,
· Essential Hypotension
· Labor preparation
· Knee pain
· Leukopenia
· Low back pain
· Breech pregnancy
· Morning sickness
· Nausea and vomiting
· Neck pain
· Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and
temporomandibular dysfunction)
· Periarthritis of shoulder
“Qi consists of all essential life activities which include spiritual, emotional, mental and the physical aspects of life.
— Chinese Medicine Living
Understanding Acupuncture
Acupuncture points are stimulated via needles, or pressure, to restore the proper circulation of ‘qi’ which helps bring the body back into a balanced and healthy state. While Western medicine focuses on treating symptoms, Chinese medicine’s goal is to treat the root cause of the illness while alleviating accompanying symptoms.
An Ancient History
Originating in China over 3,000 years ago, acupuncture is the oldest continually practiced medical system in the world. The ancient Chinese recognized the vital energy behind all of life’s processes. It is believed that this energy, called “qi” (pronounced “chee”), circulates throughout the body along meridians or channels. If this energy flow is disrupted, normal physiological function is affected resulting in pain or illness.
Cupping
Cupping is a practice used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine. It involves creating suction on the skin using a cup made of glass, ceramic, bamboo, or plastic. Negative pressure is created in the cup by applying a flame to the cup to remove air before placing it on the skin. Cupping is used for muscular skeletal issues, fevers, respiratory issues, insomnia and general well-being.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a method of heating specific acupuncture points on the body by burning the herb Artemisia Vulgaris-- known as Moxa-- over the skin. Moxa is used as a stand-alone treatment or sometimes in combination with acupuncture. The herb's properties help to prevent illnesses, strengthen the immune system and its warming nature promotes circulation over areas of chronic pain or muscle tension. Studies have also shown that, when used as an adjunct treatment during chemotherapy, moxibustion can raise the patient's red and white blood cell count and may decrease the negative side effects of allopathic care.
Herbs
A Doctor of Chinese Medicine can develop a custom herbal prescription that addresses most health complaints to help you restore your health and wellbeing by working as a stand alone therapy or in tandem with acupuncture to support its healing effects.
Thousands of years before man-made pharmaceuticals were developed, indigenous peoples used nature's healing substances. For more than 5,000 years, Chinese practitioners developed a system that has codified over 10,000 herbs, many of which form the basis for modern pharmaceutical drugs.
Clinically, medicinal herbs are dispensed to each patient as an individual formula based on one’s unique constitution, environment, and medical condition.