Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of primary health care that includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, remedial massage (anmo tuina), exercise and breathing therapy (such as qigong), and diet and lifestyle advice. In Australia, the most popular forms of TCM health care are acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
What is qi & how does it affect the body?
When healthy, an abundant supply of qi (pronounced chee) or “life energy” flows through the body’s meridians (a network of invisible channels through the body). If the flow of qi in the meridians becomes blocked or there is an inadequate supply of qi, then the body fails to maintain harmony, balance and order, and disease or illness follows. This 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 dysfunction, paying particular attention to not only the presenting condition, but also the medical history, general constitution, and the pulse and tongue.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific sites (acupuncture points) along the body’s meridians to clear energy blockages and encourage the normal flow of qi through the individual. The practitioner may also stimulate the acupuncture points using other methods, including moxibustion, cupping, laser therapy, electro-stimulation and massage, in order to re-establish the flow of qi.

So what is the difference between Acupuncture & Dry Needling?
“The increasing prevalence of the term ‘dry needling’ has created some confusion. Qualified Acupuncturists study for 5 years full time to gain a degree in Acupuncture. A dry needling training program often runs for just two or three days – which is just enough time for people to gain a rudimentary understanding of how to ‘needle the point that hurts’ and perhaps deliver short-term symptom relief.”

For more information from AACMA (Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association) on the safety concerns of ‘Dry Needling’ please click here

Cupping

Cupping is used to remove toxins and help energy move around the body. The technique stimulates blood flow, relaxes congested muscles, treats stiffness in the body and relieves pain.
Glass cups are heated then placed on a specific area that needs treating, or on acupuncture points, creating suction. The skin and superficial muscle is sucked into the cup, counteracting stagnant energy.

Well Woman may use traditional cupping, moving oil cupping or needle cupping depending on the diagnosis you present.

Cupping treatment causes no pain, but there can be a sensation of tightness on the area that has been sucked up into the cup, which is relieved when the cup is removed.

After cupping, it is normal to experience bruising on the skin that can vary in colour from light pink/brown to bright red or dark purple. Practitioners see the bruising as a reflection of the degree of stagnation or otherwise in the patient in that area. The bruising, though, doesn’t feel painful, but it can look rather startling!

Cupping therapy works by lifting the body’s connective tissue, loosening any adhesions and restoring blood flow to areas of the body that have been restricted.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means “acupuncture-moxibustion.” The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health.

Tuina Massage

Tuina (pronounced “twee nah”) is a form of Oriental bodywork that has been used in China for centuries. A combination of massage, acupressure and other forms of body manipulation, tuina works by applying pressure to acupoints, meridians and groups of muscles or nerves to remove blockages that prevent the free flow of qi. Removing these blockages restores the balance of qi in the body, leading to improved health and vitality.

Chinese Dietary Therapy

Chinese dietary therapy is an integral part of any complete treatment plan. The earliest written record is Sun Simiao’s Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold, published in 652 A.D., in which he discusses the treatment of a variety of diseases through diet.
In the traditional system of dietary cures, foods have been organized into categories based on their innate temperature, energetics (the direction in which they move qi and how they affect qi and blood flow), and the organs they affect

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine is part of a larger healing system called Traditional Chinese Medicine. Herbs are prescribed to restore balance to the opposing forces of energy, Yin and Yang. Disorders that may be treated include digestive problems, eczema and psoraisis, fatigue, gynaecological disorders and stress.

Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is increasingly being validated by scientific investigation which seeks to understand the active chemistry of the plant. Many modern pharmaceuticals have been modeled on, or derived from chemicals found in plants. An example is the heart medication digoxin derived from foxglove (Digitalis purpurea).
Using plants as medicine provides significant advantages for treating many conditions. The therapeutic activity of a plant is due to its complex chemical nature with different parts of the plant providing certain therapeutic effects.

Exercise and Lifestyle Advice according to Chinese Medicine

The TCM approach to healthcare is not that different from the general outlook of Western approaches. It considers that appropriate exercise, diet, relaxation, social relationships, and habits all play a part in promoting or hindering the healthy flow of Qì in the body.