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on one of the following:
- What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
- Acupuncture
- Herbal Medicine
- Tui na Massage
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
Through observing the laws of nature, communities, the human
body, and their interrelationships, the Chinese developed
an elegant medical philosophy to maintain a healthy, balanced
life. They view the human body as a microcosm of the universe.
Health exists when humans live in harmony with the laws of
nature.
Some 5,000 years ago, the Chinese began to record this information
of health and healing. Traditional Chinese Medicine is one
of the oldest and best-documented systems of healing in the
world. The TCM knowledge available today is a culmination
of the clinical experiences of thousands of doctors over thousands
of years, treating billions of people.
TCM utilizes many different treatment modalities in its system
of healing. The most common therapies are Acupuncture, Herbal
Medicine, Massage, Diet and Nutrition, and Physical Exercise
(Qigong and T'ai Chi).
A fundamental concept of TCM is the idea of “qi,”
which means life force or energy. TCM views disease as an
imbalance of qi in the human body. When the qi-- i.e. oxygen,
blood circulation, nerve impulses, hormones, etc.--is impeded
or deficient, diseases and illnesses arise. The primary focus
of TCM is to restore the body’s homeostasis and support
all the body systems to effectively deal with any disease,
and most importantly, to prevent it.
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Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of thin stainless steel needles
through the skin at specific sites to regulate the body's
energies. According to Traditional Chinese Medical Theory,
qi (or energy) flows throughout the body in a network of channel
and meridians. Acupuncture serves to harmonize and distribute
the qi to areas of the body that contain blockages or deficiencies.
Recently, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the
World Health Organizations (WHO) recognized acupuncture’s
effectiveness in treating many conditions. Click
here for more information about acupuncture's effectiveness.
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Herbal Medicine
Our ancestors discovered therapeutic herbs in much the same
way that they discovered edible foods: by trial and error,
and by observing what other animals ate. Herbal medicine is
a very important aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine and
is especially effective when used in conjunction with acupuncture.
Today, most pharmaceutical drugs are isolated compounds derived
from plants and herbs.
Chinese herbs are usually combined together in herbal formulas
based on each patient's specific TCM diagnosis. Herbs are
generally safe and effective, producing minimal side effects
when prescribed by a licensed practitioner. There are several
ways to administer herbal formulas: pills, tablets, tinctures,
powdered extracts, and dried raw herbs that are decocted to
make tea.
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Tui na Massage
Tui na is a physiotherapy medical massage very effective
in treating musculo-skeletal disorders. Tui na consists of
many techniques, such as kneading, acupressure, joint mobilization,
stretching, percussion, etc. to relax muscles, increase flexibility,
and provide greater range of motion to the joints.
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