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Chinese medicine is not just acupuncture or herbal therapy. There is a whole host of different therapies the people of China use to stay in balance and keep qi flowing in a proper balance. Chinese medicine is just one of many alternative medical systems available in the world today according to western medicine.

The basic alternative medical systems are:

Ayurveda
Chiropractic
Herbalism
Homeopathy
Naturopathic medicine
Osteopathy
Traditional Chinese medicine
Unani

In China, Traditional Chinese medicine is the main healthcare system.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a theory that says that all of the bodily processes are interrelated and in constant interaction with the environment. When there is an unbalance in the body with the environment, then, illness is present in the body. There are various treatments used to help keep the balance. These treatments are based on philosophical frameworks that include yin and yang, the five elements, the meridian system, Zang Fu organ theory and a few others that are lesser in importance.

The patient is treated as a whole entity and not just a disease. A diagnosis is made by conversation with the patient, by smelling, listening to the sounds the patient makes, by touching the patient and by examination. A pulse reading is also taken as part of the diagnostic process. The patient’s tongue is also examined. Temperature of different parts of the body is also noted.

Therapies:

There are usually a combination of therapies involved in the treatment of the patient including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, die-da or tieh ta, Chinese food therapy, massage therapy (tui na), qigong, physical exercise and also mental health therapy such as feng shui or Chinese astrology is consulted.

Cupping, gua sha and auriculotherapy are done during acupuncture or moxibustion.

Herbal medicine is the treatment of the body by way of medicinal herbal teas, pills and use of food therapy (eating to heal).

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical method of unblocking qi by inserting fine needles at specific points (acupoints) on the body to restore the balance of qi.

Moxibustion is a Chinese medicine therapy that utilizes mugwort herb as a form of heat therapy.

Jin Gu Die Da Wan is a herbal remedy that breaks blood stagnation, helps to tonify blood, stops bleeding, opens the channels and strengthens bones and also relieves pain.

Tui na is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy often used when acupuncture or moxibustion is being performed.

Qigong is a part of Chinese medicine that deals with the coordination of different breathing patterns and series of physical postures and motions of the body for the proper maintenance of the body. These breathing patterns and body postures are also taught as part of the traditional Chinese martial arts training.

Chinese medicine recognizes the importance of a total healthy connection between body, mind, physical exercise, healthy diet, and the balance of life. A combination of therapies is usually prescribed for a patient and not just one as the Chinese believe that one is unbalanced and can falter where when more than one is prescribed they will balance each other weaknesses and have greater strength.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Tags: acupuncture, auriculotherapy, cupping, gua sha, herbal medicine, herbal tea, herbal therapy, moxibustion, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine

There are different interpretations of what Chinese medicine is. There are those who see it as an alternative medicine, especially when associated with acupuncture. China and Taiwan look to traditional Chinese medicine as an important part of their healthcare system. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was coined in the 1950s as a term to collectively refer to what was exported as “Chinese medicine”.

Today traditional Chinese medicine means that which entails the Chinese theories, diagnosis and treatment of individuals using traditional Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage and Qigong. Sometimes it is called Oriental medicine or East Asian medicine.

Most who practice TCM believe that the human body is in constant interaction with the environment. Those that practice TCM can diagnose, understand and treat illness and even prevent it by means of ascertaining disharmony in an individual.

TCM has a theory based on several philosophical believes including the Yin-Yang theory, the Five Elements, the Meridian system, the Zang Fu Organ theory and a few others. These theories or concepts are collectively used to come up with a diagnosis.

It is important when utilizing Chinese herbs that you do so under the guidance of a health professional. You will have questions regarding the preparation, dosage, interactions, when to change formulas, what to do if other symptoms would occur that you may not have expected.

Also learn how long to follow the herbal therapy. All of these questions are best answered by someone how really understands Chinese medicine. Knowing about Chinese medicine is more than just reading an article or book. It takes years of studying to understand not only the book knowledge, but the inner understanding about balance and other Chinese theories.

Formulas are herbal combinations that are specifically designed for an individual based on symptoms, interview and inspection. Formulas are not mass-produced but done one at a time for a specific individual. Formulas are not available in stores or on the Internet. Those practicing Chinese medicine will prescribe a formula that the patient can take to a herbal shop in order to have the formula prepared.

It is recommended that you find a local practitioner to aid you in consultations and treatments instead of traveling great distances to have one consultation with a Chinese practice of notoriety.

Chinese medicine is not an exact science. Treatment varies and has many factors including herbs to be used, dosage, the duration of the treatment and any additional treatment such as acupuncture.

Chinese medicine like many clinics for Western medicine has a way for low-income patients to receive care. Colleges of traditional Chinese medicine offer discounted services because students are there to learn from experience treating patients. Other practitioners often times will offer low cost or sliding scale fees to assist those with lower income to pay for traditional Chinese medicinal care.

Going the distance for care in China:

There are those who desire Chinese medicine and are willing to receive it from those actually practicing in China. There are many obstacles such as the language barrier, travel arrangements, the availability of hotel rooms and the ability of Chinese hospitals to accommodate foreign patients. Certain clinics in China are set up to treat specific diseases and may offer to provide foreign patients with long distance consultations where the patient sends the clinic his/her medical information and the clinic will design and ship the proper herbs for a fee.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Tags: acupuncture, alternative medicine, Herbal Remedies, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture is a form of natural healing that has been around for over 5,000 years and not only practiced in China but also by the Egyptians, Eskimos, Arabs, and Brazilians. The aim of acupuncture is to balance Qi in the body, which is the energy force, or the vital energy in the body and to eventually release chi (the negative energy) in the person if there is an accumulation of it. Acupuncture looks at the body as a whole as opposed to individual parts and believes that if all parts are in harmony then this will contribute to a healthier person overall.

Acupuncture is a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and like most forms of alternative medicine, individuals look to it when they feel that traditional medicine is not doing enough to help them or else they are looking for a form of treatment that can complement the Western medicine and/or treatments they are presently receiving.

When doing research on branches of alternative medicine a person definitely wants to know right away if a particular type of natural healing methods can do just that- heal. Let’s take a look at whether acupuncture can actual heal or not.

In order to discover whether acupuncture will help your particular medical condition, you must speak with a qualified practitioner of acupuncture. He or she will want to know your extensive medical history including any allergies you have and what illnesses and injuries you have suffered in the past. Only after learning your history can a potential form of treatment be decided upon.

As a general rule if the traditional Western medicine and/or treatment are not proving to be as successful as a person hoped it would be then it is time to consider an alternative route such as acupuncture. Also, if you are paying for expensive medications and you are going broke then acupuncture might be a worthwhile option to consider for your medical needs.

Another time when acupuncture is often desirable is if a person is bravely suffering a number of side effects due to the form of treatment they are presently taking. There tend to be very few side effects to acupuncture if a qualified professional does it.

There are many health conditions that can be helped with acupuncture treatments. Some examples of the respiratory diseases that acupuncture can help include acute sinusitis, acute rhinitis, acute tonsillitis and the common cold. Acute bronchitis and bronchial asthma are both bronchopulmonary diseases that acupuncture has been shown to have excellent results in helping. The eye disorders acupuncture helps include acute conjunctivitis, cataract that has no complications, myopia, and central retinitis.

The mouth cavity disorders acupuncture helps include toothaches, gingivitis, pharyngitis, and pain or discomfort that sometimes takes place after a tooth is extracted. The orthopedic disorders acupuncture helps include periarthritis humeroscapularis, tennis elbow, lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and sciatica.

Finally, acupuncture also improves gastrointestinal disorders as well as neurological disorders. The gastrointestinal disorders it helps include hiccups, gastroptosis, spasms that take place in the cardia and the esophagus, gastric hyperacidity, acute and chronic gastritis, chronic duodenal ulcer, acute bacterial dysentery, acute as well as chronic colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and paralytic ileus.

The neurologic disorders it helps include headaches and migraines in particular, facial paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, meniere’s syndrome, intercostals neuralgia, nocturnal enuresis, paralysis after an apoplectic fit, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and paralysis that is caused by poliomyelitis.

Acunpuncture has become a viable and acceptible alternative to traditional treatments.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Tradition Chinese Medicine.

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Tags: acupuncture, alternative medicine, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture is used in Chinese Medicine to diagnose illness as viewed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is believed that the human body and the bodily processes are “flows of Qi or energy”. These are considered to be major currents of this flow called channels or meridians (jing luo). Twelve of these channels connect with the organs in the trunk of the body. Each acupunctural point has an effect on a different current in the flow or the connecting organ in the body. In TCM there are 7 groups of acu-points that are used

Groups of acu-points:

Transporting Points - five transporting points are on each channel, beginning at fingers and toes and ending at elbows and knees.

Five Element Points begin at finger and tow tips. They correspond to the five elements of Chinese medicine (fire, wood, metal, water and earth). These elements are key to which point to select in treatment.

Yuan-Source Points are found on each organ channel. This is the point at which Source Qi is released into the system when needled.

Xi-Acumulating-Cleft Points are where Qi slows and collects. These points are used to clear a channel.

Mu-Front-Alarm Points are located on the front of the body close to the organ of diagnostic relationship. These points are used in diagnostic exams because reactions while pressing these points or receiving a spontaneous sensation at the point can give the doctor information about the illness.

Shu-Back Points are located on the back of both branches of the Bladder channel and have a diagnostic relationship with the body part they are named for.

Window to the Sky Points are located in the upper third of the body. These points can facilitate connection to the individual’s spirit or to the spirit world, which effectively connects to heaven.

The Needles:

The needles used in Chinese acupuncture can be anywhere from 1/4″ to several inches in length. The most commonly used needles are 1″ and 1.5″ length of needle. The needles can be a few thousandths to several thousandths of an inch in diameter.

The needles can be made of gold, which is thought to tonify the body; silver which is to disperse Qi; and in the U.S. needles are made mostly of stainless steel.

The patient may feel a sensation feel as if they have been bitten by a mosquito or a fly or they may feel nothing at all. Any sensation that they may feel will subside within a matter of seconds of the needle being inserted. After the needle is inserted there may be a wide variety of possible sensations that may be felt during the therapy.

During Therapy:

While the needle is inserted you may feel nothing, or you may feel heaviness around the site of the needle insertion or over your whole body. You may feel as if there is an electrical charge coursing through the channel. Others feel as though water is moving through a hose. These sensations are explained as being the “experience of Qi”.

A burning or sharp sensation or continuous sensation, you will need to tell the doctor or technician so that the needle can be adjusted.

The needles are usually inserted for 20 to 40 minutes. What a person feels while they are in depends on how great of an imbalance there was in the body. The patient may feel extremely relaxed during the procedure or they could feel energized. It is not uncommon for patients to actually fall asleep during treatment. Other patients can enter into a meditative state.

Experiences with acupuncture will vary depending upon the individual.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Tags: acupuncture, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine

Combining herbal therapy with acupuncture produce many benefits. The main benefits include the ability to reduce stress, relieve allergy symptoms and headaches associated with allergies, certain women’s health issues, helping to balance the immune system, and also to relieve the pain of neck, back, bursitis, arthritis and tendonitis.

Traditional Chinese healthcare is often a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and Qigong (breathing patterns/physical postures and motions of the body).

Acupuncture therapy can be both traditional and electrical, as well as ear (auricular) acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and also acupressure. Moxibustion is a technique used in traditional Chinese medicine that uses burning mugwort, which is a small spongy herb, to speed healing. Moxibustion strengthens the blood, is used to stimulate the flow of qi, and also to maintain good health.

Cupping is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal disorders and certain types of pain. It may also be used to treat depression and to reduce swelling. The more common areas of the body to be used in cupping are the back, stomach and sometimes the arms and legs. There is “dry” cupping, “wet” cupping and “air” cupping.

Acupressure is the ancient art of healing using fingers to press certain key points on the skin’s surface in order to stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Acupressure is used to relieve muscle tension, to increase blood circulation and to aid in the healing process.

Acupuncture makes use of the five element theory in that it adjusts and realigns the flow of qi within the individual’s body. When the body is re-adjusted it is better able to heal. Acupuncture can ease pain and other symptoms and can strengthen the immune system.

Chinese herbal medicine is a system of treating a patient through an interconnection of mental, emotional and physical components of the individual being treated. The purpose of the herbal therapy is to restore balance within the patient’s body between the individual, his larger social and natural order.

The Chinese people view the human body as an extension of the cosmos. It is believed that there is a strong connection between herbal medicine and dietary habits. Eating is not just for filling the belly with food, but to achieve therapeutic benefit, prevent disease and to adjust to changes within the body.

To understand the connection between acupuncture and herbal therapy you must understand qi and yin and yang. The Chinese believe that there is a balance to be preserved in the flow of life and when the flow or balance is well the body is also well. Acupuncture and herbal therapy is used to restore balance.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Tags: acupressure, acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicine, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine