Acupuncture (Chinese Medicine)

Acupuncture (Chinese Medicine)

Acupuncture:  the use of fine sterile needles at acupuncture points along the body that work to adjust the flow of qi (often translated as vital energy) related to a particular organ system or meridian.  Balancing qi helps the body maintain or return to a state of health.

Pulse Diagnosis:  A method of palpation diagnosis.  Pulse diagnosis is done by feeling the pulse above the wrist where the radial artery throbs.  The length, size, rate, and rhythm are differentiated to provide information not only about the vital qi, but also about the location and nature of the disease.  When the body goes through pathological changes, those changes are often manifested in abnormal pulse readings.

Tongue Diagnosis: Observation of the tongue is an important procedure in diagnosis.  The tongue directly or indirectly connects with many organs through the meridians and collaterals.  Observation of the tongue includes the tongue proper (the muscular tissue of the tongue, also known as the tongue body) and its coating (a layer of “moss” over the tongue surface).  As each disease undergoes a complicated process, the changes or conditions of the tongue body and its coat are the manifestations of interior complicated pathological changes.  Therefore, tongue diagnosis provides primary information for the Chinese physicians to make diagnosis.

Tui Na (pronounced “twee-nah”):  A Chinese form of body work and manual therapy.  It makes use of many different strokes and pressures that are applied to acupuncture points, channels and muscle groups and serves to relieve pain and help to regulate the flow of qi and blood.

Moxibustion:  the burning of the dried medicinal herb Artemesia (moxa wool) or Ai Ye, in the forms of a cone or stick over or near certain points of the body. For centuries, moxibustion and acupuncture have been combined together in clinical practice.

Fire Cupping:  A therapy in which a jar is attached to the skin surface to cause local congestion through the negative pressure created as a result of introducing heat in the form of an ignited material.  It is often used as an auxiliary method of acupuncture and moxibustion to break up stagnation of qi and blood.

Herbal Medicine:  A comprehensive system of pharmacology that follows the diagnostic principles of Oriental Medicine.  It employs the use of over 400 herbs, plants, minerals, and animal products in the treatment of illness and pain.  Herbs can be administered in raw form, dried and powdered to make a tea, or in pill form.  Herbal medicine effectively treats many illnesses, both acute and chronic.

Tags: Acupuncture Benefits, alternative medicine benefits, chinese medicine