What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, is a modern standardization of ancient Chinese traditional medicine, which is more than 5000 years old, and includes acupuncture and herbal therapy. TCM is what is taught in the non-Western medical universities of China and it treats illness according to a holistic view.
Chinese medicine has for many centuries focused on maintaining the overall health and well-being of the whole body. Historically, Chinese medicine directed its care to fostering and maintaining good health rather than treating symptoms.
So much goes into maintaining good health within this system: diet, exercise, meditation, emotional balancing, herbs, and acupuncture. There is no magic pill that will keep one healthy, good health is hard work.
Often acupuncture is employed just for simple pain relief from an acute injury, and it works extremely well without always having to address overarching issues like diet.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the gentle insertion of hair-fine, sterile, disposable needles into the skin and body tissues at specific points (acupoints), which are neuro-vascular nodes along the neural-vascular pathways (meridians) of the body. Localized sensations at the site of insertion varies per individual but are commonly described as tingling or warming, followed by an overall sense of calm and relaxation.
An individual treatment is prescribed with a careful selection of a set of acu-points for the expressed purpose to enhance Qi (Vital Air – oxygen) and to increase the blood flow in the body; that is why people often sense a feeling of warmth. Acupuncture also helps balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and that is why people often feel calmer and much more relaxed after a treatment.
Acupuncture is highly effective in easing chronic and acute pain syndromes by boosting the neural signal to the brain to release endorphins that reduce pain. The signaling to the brain also improves blood circulation to the injured site, which increases oxygenation and nutrients to and removal of waste products from the painful area. Acupuncture is also extremely useful in correcting and reducing symptoms of internal diseases, again through the neural pathways that trigger improved blood circulation and oxygenation of diseased tissues and organs.
Unlike hypodermic or sewing needles, specially designed acupuncture needles are very thin, almost as thin as a strand of hair. I use only the finest sterile one-use, disposable needles made from surgical stainless steel.
Chinese Herbal Medicinal Formulas
Chinese Herbal Medicine is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In combination with acupuncture, Chinese herbal prescriptions play an important and effective role in the treatment of many conditions. Traditional Chinese herbal formulas are extremely effective and very safe and offer natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals.
The Chinese herbal tradition has evolved over thousands of years and had been constantly tested and refined based on the clinical experience of billions of patients. At least one classical formula is typically used as a base and additional single herbs may be added to prepare a custom-made combination.
I use only the finest quality, pharmaceutical grade GMP herbs. These herbs are carefully inspected and processed in pharmaceutical plants in Taiwan according to rigorous Taiwanese governmental standards, which are some of the strictest in the world. The medicinal herbs are cooked in accordance to traditional recipes in modern, high-tech facilities and finished with a cold vacuum technique to thoroughly remove any moisture. The result is an easily administered, potent, and consistent herbal tea concentrate that only needs to be mixed with warm water. This makes it effortless to take your prescribed medicinal herbs at work, on vacation, at school, or at home.
