Authentic Chinese Herb & Acupuncture

 About Traditional Chinese Medicine

Introduction of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Historical roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine 中醫歷史與根源

Oriental Medicine is a complete health care system capable of delivering both primary and specialized care. It’s based on principles which began evolving approximately in 4000BC in far east Asia (This area included what are nowChina,Korea,Japan,Tibet, and Vietnam.) and which continue to evolve. The roots of Oriental Medicine are considered by most to be Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism

In the 20th century Oriental Medicine serves almost two billion people in Far East Asia, the former Soviet Union andEurope. In theU.S.thirty-eight states have scope of practice for NCCAOM National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or equivalent level practitioners.

Research on Oriental Medicine has been continual in China since the early 1950’s. After the civil war was settled in 1948, the Communist Government of China realized it could not afford to train, let alone equip, a sufficient number of allopathic doctors to meet the needs of the country’s population. The government evaluation of the traditional medicine showed that it had enough effectiveness to warrant not only active use and perpetuation but development. Today Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is practiced in allopathic hospitals, in traditional hospitals, in conjunction with allopathic medicine, and hybrids of both forms of medicine have been developed.

Chinese medical theory basically rests upon the concept that pathways of life energy (Qi), called meridians, originate in the internal organs and transverse the surface of the body. These are the meridians of acupuncture. Before ingested herbs reach the internal organs, they pass through the meridian system, thereby producing effects far distant from the organs themselves. For example, treatment of the genitalia demands herbs for the liver, since the liver meridian flows through the genitalia. To augment herbal treatment, the meridian system may also be stimulated with massage, needles (Acupuncture), moxibustion, ultrasound, or laser. Meridians relate to the major arteries, nerves, and lymphatic and have many points in common with them.

Basic Traditional Chinese Medical Theory  中醫理論基礎

TCM practitioners view the body, mind, and spirit as one system, as opposed to Western medicine practitioners, who are taught to regard each of these elements as separate.

Chinese medical theory basically rests upon the concept that pathways of life energy (Qi), called meridians, originate in the internal organs and transverse the surface of the body. These are the meridians of acupuncture. Before ingested herbs reach the internal organs, they pass through the meridian system, thereby producing effects far distant from the organs themselves. For example, treatment of the genitalia demands herbs for the liver, since the liver meridian flows through the genitalia. To augment herbal treatment, the meridian system may also be stimulated with massage, needles (Acupuncture), moxibustion, ultrasound, or laser. Meridians relate to the major arteries, nerves, and lymphatic and have many points in common with them.



Methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

Basic Traditional Chinese Medical Principles

Acupuncture is the practice that most often comes to mind when thinking of Chinese medicine, but TCM represents a much broader system of medicine that includes herbs, massage, diet and exercise therapy. The underlying basis of TCM is that all of creation is born from the interdependence of two opposite principles, yin and yang. These two opposites are in constant motion, creating a fluctuating balance in the healthy body.   Disease results when either yin or yang is in a state of prolonged excess or deficiency.

Acupuncture 針灸

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing art known to mankind and it was originated inChinanearly five thousand years ago. The word “acupuncture” is divisible in two parts, acu- and puncture. Acu- in Latin means needle and puncture comes from Latin to pierce with a pointed instrument. Acupuncture is a practice of insertion of needles into specific exterior body locations to relieve pain, to induce biological changes, and for therapeutic purposes.

Acupuncture points are located and joined together in “channels” or “meridians”, along which Qi (life energy) flows. The points used in treatment are carefully chosen by acupuncturist to disperse any blockages and to bring the patient's Qi into balance.

Most acupuncturists in the USA are now using fine, sterilized, and disposable needles in practice. The needling induced pain is minimal and adverse reaction is very rare. Moxibustion is the process whereby a dried herb is burnt, either directly on the skin or indirectly above the skin over specific acupuncture points to warm the Qi and Blood in the channels. In modern clinic, a substitute device called TDP lamp is often used for the very same purpose of moxibustion.

Herbal Medicine Treatment 中藥

Herbal Medicine cures patient by taking care of the root of the cause rather than trying to cover a patient’s symptoms.  It is also a 100% natual healing method with no or minmum side effects.

In China, herbal remedies are used as much as acupuncture to treat energy imbalances and illness. When considering the appropriate herbal remedy for a patient, practitioners of TCM apply medical theory - the Five Elements and Eight Guiding Principles - along with tongue and pulse diagnosis.

Herbal Medicine in traditional Chinese medicine describes formulae which are made from the roots, stems, bark, leaves, seeds or flowers of many plants, as well as some mineral and animal parts.

The herbs are usually decocted into a tea. Some come in ready-prepared pill or powder, called “patent” herbal remedies. The herbal medicine is usually taken in the form of a “recipe” called a prescription. To make up a prescription, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine carefully blends together a number of herbs which have specific functions.

Most Chinese medicinal herbs are regarded as dietary supplements in the USA. So far, there is no FDA-approved medicinal herb as a drug (herbal medicine) in this category.  Therefore, customers/patients should not expect to have “prescription” of herbs for the treatment or diagnosis of diseases.

Massage 推拿按摩

All hospitals in Chinathat are devoted to Traditional Chinese Medicine include a massage clinic along with acupuncture and herbal medicine. Chinese massage was developed over 2,000 years ago and was popular in the Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Chinese call this therapeutic bodywork tui na, which literally means "push" and "pull".

Tui na works with the energy system in the body (Qi), which flows through channels called meridians.  By stimulating or subduing the energy in the body, practitioners help bring the patient’s body back into balance. To determine what meridians need work, tui na practitioners feel the patient’s wrist pulse.   Because it is based on the same meridian points as acupuncture, tui na is often called "acupuncture without needles.

Diet 飲食

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, diet plays an important role in maintaining good health by contributing to an optimum balance of vital life energy (Qi).  In fact, the Chinese believe that diet is one of the three origins (diet, heredity, and environment) or sources of qi.  Therefore, according to TCM, the foods we eat directly influence the excesses and deficiencies in our bodies.

Unlike the American diet, which emphasizes a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, the Chinese approach to diet is grounded in the five elements and eight guiding principles theory.  Foods are seen as having yin and yang, warming and cooling, drying and moistening properties.  Certain foods are better for some people than others, depending on their type and condition.  A person with a "cold damp" condition should not eat a diet of raw fruits and vegetables (which are yin), because they would further exaggerate the loss of body heat and fluid secretion.  Conversely, foods that are fried, broiled, high fat, or spicy are seen as warming (yang) because they generate heat and stimulate circulation. A person whose diagnosis is "hot dry" should avoid these foods, according to TCM.

In general, the Chinese approach to diet is to optimize digestion and increase qi, moisture, and blood, and aid the organ function. In this sense, it can be seen as an extension of herbal medicine.

Exercise (Qi Gong) 氣功

In addition to diet, TCM includes a form of exercise called Qi gong, which is believed to optimize the flow of Qi in the body.  Qi gong incorporates posture, movement, breathing, meditation, visualization and conscious intent in order to cleanse or purify the qi.

There are two types of Qi gong practiced: internal and external.

Internal Qi gong: Used by individuals to maintain health by regulating Qi and harmonizing the internal energy of the body.  Internal Qi gong uses certain movements and breath work or visualization to gather and circulate Qi in the body.

External Qi gong: The practice of transferring the practitioner’s Qi to another person for healing purposes. This form of Qi gong is similar to other body work modalities in the West, such as therapeutic touch.

The movement postures of internal Qi gong have become the most common form of practice today and have been used as the basis for Tai Chi and other martial arts practices.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis                         

The diagnosis of a patient’s condition in TCM consists of three activities: an extensive interview,pulse diagnosis, and a tongue examination.

Interview: The first step in diagnosing a patient’s condition is an extensive interview by the TCM practitioner.  In addition to seeking information about the patient’s complaints, the practitioner will ask detailed questions about such issues as quality of sleep, dreams, appetite, preferred foods, and stress.  The practitioner is also trained to use the senses of observation, listening, and smelling.  Although smell is often camouflaged in the West by perfumes, deodorants, and breath mints, the Chinese believe it provides further knowledge about a person's health.  In the Five Element Theory, each element has a corresponding smell associated with it.

Pulse Diagnosis: Whereas Western doctors locate one pulse on the radial artery in the wrist, a practitioner of TCM feels for six pulses in each wrist: three superficial and three deep at specific points along the radial artery. The twelve pulses correspond to the internal organs.   For example, a deep pulse reading on the left wrist corresponds, top to bottom, to the heart, liver and kidney. Practitioners note the quality of the pulse in terms of frequency, rhythm, and volume and the Chinese have developed an elaborate vocabulary to describe a pulse, such as floating, thready, and slippery. Pulse taking requires years of training to master and is considered one of the most important diagnostic tools in Chinese medicine.

Tongue Examination: In addition to the pulse, the Chinese believe that the tongue is a strong barometer of human health. They developed an elaborate system to describe the condition of the tongue, including the color, texture, shape, size, and coating.  A very red tongue indicates a fever or inflammation and is described in TCM as an excessive internal heat or dampness condition. A white tongue indicates some kind of deficiency of energy (Qi), blood, or moisture. In this system, each part of the tongue corresponds to the condition of an organ. The tip of the tongue, for example, represents the heart and lung organs.

All three diagnostic techniques -- interview, pulse, and tongue -- provide useful information to the TCM practitioner regarding the nature of a patient’s condition.

THE FIVE ELEMENT THEORY

The five element theory, also called the five-phase theory, holds that everything in the universe, including our health, is governed by five natural elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. This theory underscores the Chinese belief that human beings, both physically and mentally, are intertwined with nature. Although it is difficult for Westerners to relate this philosophy to the Western approach to medicine, it is fundamental to the understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In the five element theory, each of the five elements has a season and particular organs and senses associated with it, such as taste, color, sound. The wood element, for example, is associated with spring, the liver, and the gall bladder.   Similarly, the fire element is associated with early summer, the heart, and small intestines; the earth element corresponds to late summer, the stomach and spleen; metal is associated with autumn, the lungs and large intestine; and water is associated with winter, the kidneys and bladder.

In contrast to Western medicine's teaching of a separation between the mind and body, TCM views each organ as having particular body and mind functions, as illustrated in the belief that the liver is involved in planning, and in the storage of anger, while the gall bladder is the organ of decision-making.

To determine a patient’s composition of the five elements, a TCM practitioner asks many detailed questions that will provide clues as to the nature of their imbalances. They will ask about the person’s occupation, stress associated with it, what they like to eat, what physical problems they are experiencing, etc. Although a person may be oriented towards a particular element -- a person who is aggressive might be described as having a "wood" personality -- the Chinese believe that aspects of each of the five elements are present in every person at different times.

THE EIGHT GUIDING PRINCIPLES

In addition to the theory of the five elements, TCM practitioners employ the Eight Guiding Principles to analyze and differentiate the energetic imbalances in the body or the nature of a patient’s condition. The eight guiding principles actually consist of four polar opposites: yin/yang,cold/heat, deficiency (xu)/excess (shi), and interior/exterior.

Cold/Heat: This principle is used to determine the overall energy of the patient. A cold condition would be one marked by a slow metabolism, chills, pale skin, and a low-grade fever, while a hot condition would be characterized by a heightened metabolism, sensations of heat in the body, high fevers, and a flushed complexion.

Deficiency/Excess: This principle describes the strength of an illness. In TCM, a deficient condition would be viewed as a lack of blood (such as in anemia), energy (Qi), heat, or fluids. Chronic illness would fall in this category. An excess condition, by contrast, means that the body has too much of something, such as Qi or blood. In TCM, an acute condition would be seen as an excess condition.

Interior/Exterior: This principle describes symptoms in terms of the location of the patient’s problem. Exterior conditions are those caused by the invasion of the body by pathogens, and are usually acute and superficially located with a short duration. Exterior symptoms are those that affect the hair, skin, muscles, joints, peripheral nerves and blood vessels. Interior conditions result from pathogens that enter the interior of the body. Interior symptoms affect the organs, deep vessels and nerves, brain, spinal cord, and bones.

Yin/Yang: These principles are the generalization of the above principles, and a condition can be categorized in terms of the relative dominance of either yin or yang.  In Chinese medicine, all organisms have both yin and yang qualities and a balance of the two are necessary for good health. In general, yin energy is associated with cold, female energy, and represents the solid organs.  Yang is associated with hot, male energy, and represents the hollow organs.  Chronic illness is seen as yin, while acute illness is seen as yang.

According to TCM, the combination of these principles determine the nature or quality of the three constituents of the body, which are energy (Qi), moisture, and blood.  As described above, Qi is vital life energy.  Moisture is the liquid medium which protects, nurtures, and lubricates tissue, and blood is the material foundation out of which we create bones, nerves, skin, muscles, and organs.

TCM practitioners diagnose health problems using various combinations of the eight guiding principles.  For example, a patient might be diagnosed as having an "internal cold" or "external heat" condition. Used in conjunction with the five element theory, the eight guiding principles give the TCM practitioner a more complete picture of a patient’s energy imbalances and determine the treatment to be pursued through acupuncture, herbs, diet, and exercise.