Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM Methods

"Knowledge is Power" 

Let this help you make better choices for your health! Did you know that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TMC) and treatments consisted the following methods? Let's take a look ...

Acupuncture - The stimulation of specific acupuncture points along the skin of the body using thin needles. It can be associated with the application of heat, pressure, or laser light to these same points.

Moxibustion – A traditional Chinese medicine therapy using moxa made from dried mugwort. Usually the aged mugwort is grinded into a fluff, or process it further into a cigar-shaped stick. They can use it indirectly, with acupuncture needles, or burn it on the patient's skin.

 Cupping - A type of Chinese massage, consisting of placing several glass "cups" (open spheres) on the body. A match is lit and placed inside the cup and then removed before placing the cup against the skin. As the air in the cup is heated, it expands, and after placing in the skin, cools, creating lower pressure inside the cup that allows the cup to stick to the skin via suction. When combined with massage oil, the cups can be slid around the back, offering "reverse-pressure massage". There's also air pumping cupping sets instead of using a match.


                                      

Gua Sha - Abrading the skin with pieces of smooth jade, bone, animal tusks or horns or smooth stones; until red spots appear then bruising cover the area to which it is done. It is believed that this treatment is for almost any ailment including cholera. The red spots and bruising take 3 to 10 days to heal, there is often some soreness in the area that has been treated.

Die-Da - Chiropractic Bone-setting is usually practiced by martial artists who know aspects of Chinese medicine that apply to the treatment of trauma and injuries such as bone fractures, sprains, and bruises. Some of these specialists may also use or recommend other disciplines of Chinese medical therapies (or Western medicine in modern times) if serious injury is involved.

Tui -na - A form of massage akin to acupressure (from which shiatsu evolved). Usually without application of oil on fully clothed patient. Technique involved thumb presses, rubbing, percussion, and assisted stretching.

                                           

Qi Gong - A system of exercises and meditation that combines regulated breathing, slow movement and focused awareness to cultivate and balance Qi (Energy).

Chinese food therapy – Combination of herbs and fresh food as meal replacement to offer medicinal effect.

Chinese herb medicine – Herbs are usually brewed. Depending on the types of herbs, different temperatures and duration of brewing must be followed in order for the medicine to be released. They can come in capsule form if patient is unable to handle the smell or taste; however, some herbs’ effectiveness might be reduced since heat was not used to extract the medicine.

 Using all natural resources of mother nature to aid, treat and prevent health issues is indeed a blessing. How much chemicals do you consume when you take a pill?

Think about it...