What you may not know about Chinese Medicine

As more and more people look beyond the confines of western medicine to treat their ails, the popularity of Chinese medicine continues to grow.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been around for at least 5000 years, and it is still relevant today because the system has adapted and evolved over time to take into account modern circumstances.

Most people tend to associate Acupuncture and herbal medicine with Chinese Medicine, but in fact, it encompasses much more. It is a range of therapeutic interventions that include Tui Na (A sort of remedial massage and manipulative therapy), exercise therapy, food therapy, diet and lifestyle advise and preventative healthcare.

People can use it to treat ailments from migraine, colds and muscle pain, to gastritis and depression.

It is also used to maintain the body’s normal functioning, regulate general immune function and assist with disease prevention.

It’s all about balance:

The Chinese believed that every living thing is sustained by a balance of two opposing yet complementary forces of energy called yin and Yang.

The natural interaction between these two forces make up life essence, or Qi, a type of energy that flows through numerous channels in the body called meridians.

If the flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked or there is an inadequate supply, then the body fails to maintain harmony and balance, leaving you potentially vulnerable to illness or disease.

Stress, overwork, poor diet, disease pathogens, environmental and lifestyle factors can all disrupt the balance and flow of Qi.

Chinese Medicine works to restore your body’s natural balance by removing the cause of any blockage, correcting any abnormal function and normalizing the flow of Qi.

Chinese Herbal Medicine:

Herbal medicine is the oldest form of Chinese Medicine. Traditionally, practitioners would prescribe patients herbs based on their individual symptoms. Patients would take the herbs home, boil them and then drink it, much like drinking herbal tea.

Today there are more than 450 substances commonly used in herbal medicine that are available in different forms, depending on the herb and its intended use. They range from common garlic, ginger and cinnamon to the more obscure bupleurum, rehmania and astragalus.

Qualified herbal medicine practitioners understand that not all people with the same health condition will display the same symptoms. So your prescription will be formulated to match your individual health problem, and as your health condition changes, so too will your herbal treatment.

Are herbs safe?

Herbs, like pharmaceutical drugs, can have a powerful effect on our bodies and should be treated with the same caution and respect.

Chinese herbs have been tried and tested in the field for many thousands of years, but some herbs can be toxic in large doses or cause allergic reactions especially when taken with other drugs.

So it is important to seek advise from a qualified practitioner who has a complete understanding of how herbs work in isolation, in combination, and how they react with other western style drugs.

Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is by far the most well known of the Chinese medicine treatments and has received formal recognition from the World Health Organization as an effective form of healthcare.

It is a common misconception though that Acupuncture can only be used to relieve pain. In fact, Acupuncture can be used to treat most common ailments and especially chronic conditions.

Does it hurt?

If performed by a qualified practitioner, patients should experience minimal discomfort because the needles are very fine and have no cutting edge. Once they are inserted, you may feel a slight tingling around the acu-point, a sensation of warmth, heaviness or nothing at all.

Moxibustion:

This therapy is commonly used in conjunction with Acupuncture to treat chronic diseases and involves the use of the dried leaves of the mugwort plant – called moxa. The leaves are either rolled into sticks or made into tiny cones and burned on ointment or a slice of ginger.

There are two types of moxibustion – direct and indirect. During direct moxibustion, the cone-shaped moxa is placed on top of an Acupuncture point and burned over a slice of ginger. Indirect moxibustion involves a practitioner lighting the end of a moxa stick and holding it close to the area being treated until the skin heats up and turns red.

Cupping:

Cupping involves the use of suction cups made out of Pyrex glass or bamboo that are applied over larger areas of the boy like the back, shoulders or thighs to help ease chronic pain.

It can also be part of Acupuncture therapy to help treat colds and chest problems, sports injuries, musculoskeletal problems and neurological disorders.

Tuina:

Tuina is a form of remedial massage and manipulative therapy that treats muscles and joints by stimulating and facilitating the flow of Qi. After treatment, patients will often feel energized and happy, however as the massage can also release blockages, patient sometimes may feel very emotional.