CHINESE MEDICINE
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of health care that includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, soft-tissue therapy (Anmo/Tuina), exercise (like Kung Fu and Tai Chi) and breathing practices for relaxation (such as Qigong), and diet and lifestyle advice. In the United States, the most popular forms of Chinese medicine care are acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese Medicine has an uninterrupted history of development in China and other parts of East Asia dating back thousands of years. The primary feature of Chinese medicine is the premise that good health relies on the restoration and maintenance of harmony and balance of the individual. Chinese medicine takes a holistic approach to understanding normal function and disease processes and focuses as much on the prevention of illness as it does on the treatment.
What is Qi & how does it affect the body?
When a healthy, and abundant supply of Qi (pronounced chee) or "life energy" flows through the body's meridians (a network of channels throughout the body) vitality and well-being are maintained. If the flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked or if there is an inadequate supply of Qi, then the body fails to maintain harmony, balance and order, and disease or illness can follow. Imbalance in health can result from stress, overwork, poor diet, disease pathogens, weather and environmental conditions, and other lifestyle factors and becomes evident to TCM practitioners through identifiable signs of body dysfunction. TCM practitioners look carefully for these signs of health and imbalance, paying particular attention to not only the presenting condition, but also the medical history, general constitution, and the pulse and tongue.
Chinese medicine treatment decision making
Clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment principles are based on the theoretical frameworks of Chinese medicine which seeks to identify underlying symptom patterns that indicate how the body is or has become dysfunctional (out of balance). Treatment is focused on the underlying condition as well as treating the presenting symptoms. Clinical decision-making and patient management strategies are also influenced by contemporary Western approaches to health care, including infection control practices and known interactions of herbal medicines with pharmaceuticals and other therapeutic substances. Chinese medicine treatments work on the basis of individualized treatment plans for each patient.
What is Qi & how does it affect the body?
When a healthy, and abundant supply of Qi (pronounced chee) or "life energy" flows through the body's meridians (a network of channels throughout the body) vitality and well-being are maintained. If the flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked or if there is an inadequate supply of Qi, then the body fails to maintain harmony, balance and order, and disease or illness can follow. Imbalance in health can result from stress, overwork, poor diet, disease pathogens, weather and environmental conditions, and other lifestyle factors and becomes evident to TCM practitioners through identifiable signs of body dysfunction. TCM practitioners look carefully for these signs of health and imbalance, paying particular attention to not only the presenting condition, but also the medical history, general constitution, and the pulse and tongue.
Chinese medicine treatment decision making
Clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment principles are based on the theoretical frameworks of Chinese medicine which seeks to identify underlying symptom patterns that indicate how the body is or has become dysfunctional (out of balance). Treatment is focused on the underlying condition as well as treating the presenting symptoms. Clinical decision-making and patient management strategies are also influenced by contemporary Western approaches to health care, including infection control practices and known interactions of herbal medicines with pharmaceuticals and other therapeutic substances. Chinese medicine treatments work on the basis of individualized treatment plans for each patient.