Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Chinese Medicine
Chinese medicine is a wholistic medicine meaning that it treats the entire person, mind body, and spirit. The concept providing the foundation of Chinese medicine is Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are two equal, opposite, complimentary forces in nature that, without one another, could not exist. The most basic example of this is light, a Yang quality, and dark, a Yin quality. You can get a grasp of the qualities of Yin or Yang by imagining a sunlit mountain. On the sunny side of that mountain there are Yang qualities (bright light, warmth, dryness, activity) and on the shadowed side of the mountain are qualities of Yin (darkness, cold, moisture, and stillness.) Other general qualities that fall under Yang are masculinity, the daytime and the sun; and Yin, are femininity, the night and the moon. When evaluating a patient, an acupuncturist will determine if there is an imbalance of these qualities. One may have either too much or too little Yin or Yang, or a combination of imbalances. For example, a woman feeling hot flashes may have either too much Yang (heat) or too little Yin (cold). Observing the patient and asking the patient about the quality of bodily functions and daily habits will help determine the pattern of imbalance.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the ancient practice of inserting very fine needles into the body in order to influence physiological functioning of the body. The first record of Acupuncture is found in the 4,700 year old Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine). This is said to be the oldest medical textbook in the world. In this text, it was theorized that the body had an energy force running throughout it. This energy force is known as Qi (roughly pronounced Chee).
Qi consists of all essential life activities which include the spiritual, emotional, mental and the physical aspects of life. Health is influenced by the flow of Qi in the body, in combination with the universal forces of Yin and Yang (explained in the TCM section). If the flow of Qi is insufficient, unbalanced or obstructed, Yin and Yang become unbalanced, and illness may occur. Qi travels throughout the body along "Meridians" or special pathways. The Meridians, (also called Channels), are the same on both sides of the body (paired). There are fourteen main meridians running vertically up and down the surface of the body. The acupuncture points are specific locations where the Meridians come to the surface of the skin, and are easily accessible by "needling," moxibustion, and acupressure.
view acupuncture point chart

Does It Hurt?
Everyone is concerned about the possibility of pain from the needles. Acupuncture needles are nothing like hospital needles. Acupuncture needles are much thinner, solid and flexible, and do not inject or withdraw anything from the body. When acupuncture needles are inserted a light prick might be felt, similar to a mosquito bite. Once inserted sensations may range from no feeling to tingling, dull achiness, or a feeling of release. A sensitive patient may feel stinging or pain in which case needles may be adjusted or removed.

Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a type of heat therapy used to decrease pain and increase blood circulation in a specific area. The heat is achieved by the burning of an herbal mixture consisting mostly of an herb called mugwort (artemisia vulgaris.) There are many forms of moxa which are categorized as either direct (contacting the skin) or indirect (not contacting the skin.) I use only indirect moxa of the smokeless stick variety. This form produces a high heat and less smoke than other forms of moxa and is easy to control. Moxibustion is painless. In fact many patients request this form of therapy because it feels so nice.

Electrical Stimulation
I sometimes use electrical stimulation to address nerve-related problems, addiction, inflammation or other conditions. The electricity is applied directly to the needles producing a pulsing sensation. Most patients report they do not feel anything as the electricity is applied.

Cupping
Cupping is an ancient Chinese technique that produces suction in a specific area of the body. Small, medium and large sized glass cups are applied to the skin with suction causing the skin and flesh to rise about a inch into the cup. This strongly stimulates blood circulation and helps to move obstructions and alleviate pain.

Chinese Herbal Therapy
Chinese herbal therapy takes an internal route to balancing the body. Traditionally patients boil a concoction of raw herbs then drink the tea throughout the day for up to several weeks. Because of the todays fast paced lifestyle I carry capsulated herbal formulas allowing for convenient use. If the patient prefers drinking the tea the contents of the capsules may be dissolved in warm water. Dosage and frequency will vary depending on the patient and condition. For example, treatment for a common cold may last only one or two weeks but treatment for insomnia may last for a few months.

Yin and Yang
The symbol for Yin and Yang represents a state of balance between any two equal opposite but complementary elements like light and dark. One is Yin and the other is Yang.
Yin and Yang come together to create life and separate at death. Without one the other cannot exist and within one there is a little of the other, represented by the dots.
Maintaining a relatively even balance of Yin and Yang is essential to optimal health. Common imbalances of Yin and Yang can be seen in temperature sensitivities, like hot flashes or feeling cold all the time, or declining energy levels at certain times of the day or night.

YIN
Characteristics of Yin are represented on the shady side of a mountain: cool, dark, wet, still.
Femininity is also considered Yin as well as the night, the moon and water. Yin functions of the body keep us cool, rested, moistened and calm.

YANG
Yang characteristics are seen on the sunny side of a mountain: hot, bright, dry, and active.
Masculinity is Yang as well as the daytime, the sun and fire.
Yang functions of the body sustain warmth, high energy, alertness, and stamina throughout the day.

Traditional Chinese Medicine
Even before the development of acupuncture the Chinese constructed a complex theory of medicine different from Western medicine. Todays acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine still use the foundation of Chinese theory with fantastic results.
A system of 14 main meridians (also called channels) connects all the acupuncture points. These meridians run the length and width of the body as well as through the internal organs. The bodys energy called Qi, (pron. chee), courses like a river through these meridians and can be regulated by points along the meridian. These points influence bodily functions and tissues in the immediate area and/or somewhere else along the meridian. This explains why a point needled on the toe may turn a breech baby or simply relieve the pain of a sore foot.
Organs systems in Chinese theory vary from Western theory. There are 12 main organs in Chinese medicine each of which correlates to an emotion, season, color, sense organ, direction, smell, sound, and taste. See chart.
Each organ will express a pattern of symptoms when experiencing a Yin/Yang imbalance. Each organ also will affect other organs causing them to express symptoms. Finding the origin of the imbalance is necessary to prevent the recurrence of symptoms.

What Causes Imbalance?
There are three factors that cause imbalance:

• What you are born with this is the health that you inherited from your parents. It is like genetics but includes the your parents state of health when you were conceived; the condition of your mother during pregnancy; and the conditions of your birth. This is unchangeable.
• What you put into your body your diet is a major source of Qi. All foods and drinks have a Yin or Yang quality. The temperature, tastes, preparation of food can alter the nutritive value of foods. The quality of the air we breathe is also a primary source of Qi.
• Your environment this includes the climate of the area in which you live, whether it is hot and dry or cold and moist, for example. This also includes your emotional, physical and mental environment. How do people at work treat you? Do you exercise? Do you have a strained relationship with a loved one?

You can imagine your bodys source of Qi like the earth. At the core is your inherited Qi, called jing. Once the Jing is used up, it cannot be replaced. Surrounding and protecting it is the Qi gained from food, drink, and air. This is your acquired Qi. Your acquired Qi can be built up by eating the right foods, breathing clean air, exercising and drinking clean water.

Diet and Lifestyle
What one eats can sustain good health and, when needed, can be medicinal. Chinese medicine utilizes ones diet to correct imbalances and prevent problems. Getting onto the habit of a good diet is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

What to Eat
Generally, a moderate diet consisting of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit and some meat is recommended.
Most foods should be whole foods, meaning they are in the form that nature made them, not pre-processed, preserved, packaged foods, fast foods or genetically modified food. For example, potato chips are often genetically modified, fried in trans-fats, salted and packaged. A better choice would be home-fried potatoes or baked potatoes prepared at home. Products that arent made from whole foods such as gummy worms, soda, chicken nuggets, doughnuts, etc. should be avoided completely.
Organically grown food is preferable as there is less risk of toxicity from pesticide, herbicide, antibiotic, and fertilizer use.
Pasture-fed meats are preferable as they are less harmful to the environment; produce healthier, happier animals; and produce healthier meats.

Medicinal Diet
In Traditional Chinese medicine food is medicine and medicine can help or hurt if used incorrectly. When an imbalance occurs, certain foods will be recommended depending on the particular kind of imbalance. For example, if the diagnosis is excess heat (likely for feverish conditions, hypertension, ulcers, constipation, etc.) then foods with a cool nature are prescribed like watermelon, apple, zucchini, soy milk, tofu, seaweed and yogurt. Conversely, when one has a deficient cold diagnosis (some kinds of infertility, indigestion, arthritis) then warm energy foods like ginger, cinnamon, sesame seed, mustard greens, kale, onions and leeks are prescribed.

What to Avoid
As mentioned above, pre-processed, preserved, packaged foods, fast foods or genetically modified food should be avoided as much as possible. These foods provide little if any nutritional benefit and often contribute to unhealthy imbalances. Food extremes also tend to throw off balanced health. Ice cream, shave ice, smoothies, and shakes are extremely cold and sweet. Eaten in excess, they can cause problems not only in the digestive system but in the respiratory system and reproductive system as well, like diarrhea, mucus and phlegm, and painful menstruation. Extreme foods may be eaten only very occasionally and are best followed by a little of the other extreme. In the example of the ice cream, a cup of hot ginger tea would be a wise compliment.

Other Techniques

• Tuina-Chinese medical massage
• Cupping-a suction technique to stimulate blood and Qi flow
• Electric Stimulation-microcurrents of electricity that stimulate needles