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What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one of the modalities of Oriental Medicine. Fine needles
are inserted into the body at specific points that have shown to be effective
in the treatment of specific health conditions. In the past three decades,
electromagnetic research has confirmed the existence and location of
these points. Acupuncture stimulates your body's natural healing processes.
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners believe that acupuncture activates
the flow of energy forces that nourish tissues, stimulate blood flow
and enhance the body's systems.
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Does
Acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are
typically not much thicker than a strand of hair and
the insertion is practically painless. In some points,
you may not even feel the needle and in others, you
may feel a slight tingling sensation. The area may
feel itchy, heavy, warm or even numb. The sensation
feels almost like the same sensation when you bump
the tip of your elbow.
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How
many treatments will I need?
That depends on the severity
of your condition. It is acute, maybe one treatment
will do. If it is chronic, estimate 5-10 treatments.
As a rule of thumb, estimate 4 treatments for every
year that you had the condition. The person's constitutional
health and how compliant the person is play a major
role in the healing process. The practitioner may suggest
diet and lifestyle changes as well as exercise and
relaxations techniques. Much of the healing is dependent
upon the patient.
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Is
Chinese Medicine safe?
When acupuncture is practiced
by a licensed practitioner and herbs are prescribed
by a certified herbalist, it is very safe. There are
hardly any side effects and if a patient reports any
side effects, the practitioner will see to it that
these side effects are relieved. They will have to
rebalance the body and not just treat the symptoms.
In general the herbs used are put into a formula and
not used by itself. A formula will consist about 6-12
herbs. Most of the herbs in the Chinese material medica
have a very low level toxicity compared to even common
over the counter Western drugs. The Acupuncture needles
are all sterile, stainless steel and disposable.
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Is
there anything that I must do before treatment?
Before a treatment it
is suggested that you eat something light, not a full
meal. You should not go for a treatment when excessively
fatigued, hungry, upset, or shortly after sex or drinking
alcohol.
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What
can I expect after treatment?
Some people may feel immediate
relief and some may feel only a slight diminish of
their symptoms. Many people have reported a better
night's rest and their ability to handle stress have
improved. In a few cases, there may be no immediate
relief only to notice the symptoms diminish over the
next couple of days. Generally, you should expect to
feel better.
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What
is Traditional Oriental Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine
is a holistic approach which dates back to about 2500
years. It incorporates both Acupuncture and the use
of Chinese Herbs. The focus is on the interaction of
all bodily systems to restore the health and well being
of the whole person--body, mind and spirit. This means
to balance yin and yang, balance between the five phases,
balance between the viscera and bowels, and the balance
between qi, blood, and bodily fluids. Some of the physical
benefits of acupuncture include pain reduction, restored
health from a recent or long-standing illness, faster
recovery from injuries, decreased symptoms of stress,
strengthened immune system function and improved circulation
to name some.
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How
do the Chinese medical practitioner determine what is out of
balance?
The Chinese medical practitioner
determines what is out of balance in the body by employing
the four basic examinations. The first is questioning
about one's signs and symptoms and taking into account
the whole person health and family history. The second
is by visually inspecting one's face, body and especially
the tongue. The concentration is placed on the coating,
color and any demarcations on the tongue. The third
is by listening to one's voice and the sound of one's
breathing as well as any odors emanating from their
body or excretions. The fourth method is by palpation.
They palpate various parts of the body and also take
pulses on both sides of the wrists. Incorporating all
four of these methods, the practitioner can determine
the pattern of disharmony and rebalance the body.
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How
are rebalancing accomplished and what methods are used?
If the body has too much
of something, where it may be heat or stuck energy,
through the insertion of fine, thin, sterile stainless
steel needles in selective points, the practitioner
is able to move that energy or release the heat. Vice
versa, if the body is deficient, where it may be cold
or does not have good blood circulation, the practitioner
can tonify the body through the same method. Acupuncture
as well as moxibustion or herbs may be employed. In
addition, Chinese practitioners may also used Tuina
massage and they may prescribe preventative exercises
like Tai Chi or Qi Gong. A strong emphasis on diet
and lifestyle is also discussed.
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What
is Chinese Medicine good for?
Chinese medicine is a
non-invasive, natural, holistic approach for treating
many disorders and illnesses. Each area of our being;
physical, mental and emotional is treated. If a disease
is extremely advanced and there are changes in the
organ tissue, Chinese medicine is not strong enough
to treat it alone. Although, it may still be used to
support the body's immune function. TCM is excellent
as a preventative and curative measure. It is highly
recommended for chronic medical conditions that western
medicine has been unsuccessful in treating. Acupuncture
and Chinese herbs can be used together with Western
treatment without conflict. Acupuncture is a component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine that is recognized
all over the world for its effectiveness in treating
a wide variety of ailments. It's a healing art that
is used to treat almost anything.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) recognizes acupuncture as an effective treatment
modality for many conditions, including:
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ,
frozen shoulder, sciatica, tennis elbow and arthritis
Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders
Toothache, earache, sinusitis, rhinitis, and
laryngitis
Respiratory Disorders
Colds and flues, bronchitis, asthma, allergies
and emphysema
Circulatory Disorders
Hypertensions, high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis,
angina pectoris
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Food allergies, nausea, indigestion, diarrhea,
constipation, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome.
Urogenital Disorders
Cystitis, stress incontinence, neurogenic bladder,
prostates, prostatic hypertrophy
Gynecological Disorders
Menstrual irregularity, Endometriosis, PMS,
infertility, menopausal syndrome, Fibroids
Psycho Emotional and Neurological Disorders
Depression, anxiety, insomnia, headache, migraine,
trigeminal neuralgia, intercostals neuralgia, post
stroke paralysis, dizziness, tinnitus.
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What
is Chinese herbal medicine?
Herbal medicine is the
main modality in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is
the world's oldest continually practiced, professional
medicine. Its written history stretches back to over
2500 years and its practice is undoubtly much older
than that. Chinese herbal medicine is quickly establishing
itself as one of the most popular and effective alternative
therapies in the West.
What
is the difference between Western folk medicine and Chinese
herbal medicine?
Western folk medicine
primarily treats diseases or symptoms, such as headaches,
runny nose, menstrual pain, etc. Chinese herbal medicine
is based on an individualized pattern diagnosis as
well as a disease diagnosis. This means the TCM patient
receives a custom written herbal prescription designed
to treat both the symptom or disease and also their
individual pattern. Such a TCM pattern is made up of
a person's signs and symptoms as well as their emotional
temperament and bodily constitution.
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How
are Chinese herbs taken?
The most common method
of taking Chinese herbal medicine is in a decoction.
This means that the herbs are boiled for approximately
45 minutes and then strained and drunk 2-3 times per
day. However, there are also herbal pills, tinctures
and powdered extracts for those who do not have the
time or taste for drinking traditional decoctions.
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Can
pregnant women take Chinese herbs?
Yes, if prescribed by
a professional TCM practitioner. Chinese herbal medicine
has been used for over 2000 years to treat diseases
and symptoms during pregnancy without any harm to the
fetus. Likewise, lactating mothers can take Chinese
herbal medicine as long as it is prescribed by a trained
practitioner.
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Can
children take herbal medicine?
Yes again, Pediatrics
is a specialty within TCM and children can be given
reduced dosages. There are also prepared pediatric
medicine in pill and powder form. Chinese herbal medicine
can treat colic, the fussiness of teething, earache,
diarrhea, cough and fever in babies and children.
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How
long does it take to see results with Chinese herbal medicine?
In acute conditions, results
can be expected in a matter of minutes. In chronic
conditions, some results should be seen within two
weeks. Although chronic conditions may require taking
Chinese herbal medicine for a long time, nonetheless,
signs that the medicine is working should be apparent
to patient and practitioner.
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Cupping
Cupping is a therapy in which
a jar (glass, plastic, or bamboo) is attached to the skin surface
to cause local congestion through the negative pressure created
by introducing heat in the form of an ignited material.
Cupping has the function of warming and
promoting free flow of Qi and blood in the meridians, dispelling
cold dampness, diminishing, swellings and pains. It is
mainly used to treat pain of the low back, shoulders, and leg,
gastrointestinal disorders such as stomachache, vomiting, and
diarrhea, and lung diseases such as cough and asthma.
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Moxibustion
Moxibustion or Moxa for short is an
ancient form of heat therapy. Moxa uses the ground up leaves of
the plant Mugwort (Artemesia Vulgaris). The powdery substance is
either rolled into sticks for indirect moxa, or made into tiny
cones and burned on ointment or ginger for direct moxa. It has
the function of warming the meridians, expelling cold, and promoting
the smooth flow of Qi and blood. Moxibustion is good for any type
of pain conditions, gastrointestinal or female disorders.
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Tui
na
Tui na (pronounced twee
na) is a bodywork therapy that was developed in China
over 2000 years ago. The work is done entirely with
the practitioner's hands to help increase the beneficial
flow of Qi through the patient,s meridian system. Tui
na methods include the use of hand techniques to massage
the soft tissues (muscle and tendons) of the body,
acupressure techniques to redirect the flow of Qi,
and manipulation techniques to realign the musculoskelatal
and ligaments. Tui na is well suited for the treatment
of specific musculoskeletal disorders and chronic stress-related
disorders of the digestive, respiratory and reproductive
systems.
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