Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of primary health care that includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, remedial massage ( tuina), exercise and breathing therapy (such as Qi Gong),  diet and lifestyle advice. In Australia, the most popular forms of TCM health care are acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has an uninterrupted history of development in China and other parts of East Asia dating back thousands of years. The primary feature of modern TCM is the premise that good health relies on the restoration and maintenance of harmony, balance and order to the individual.

TCM takes a wholistic approach to understanding normal function and disease processes and focuses as much on the prevention of illness as it does on the treatment.

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.

What is Acupuncture?

The intent of acupuncture therapy is to promote health and alleviate pain and suffering. The method by which this is accomplished, though it may seem strange and mysterious to many, has been time tested over thousands of years and continues to be validated today.

The perspective from which an acupuncturist views health and sickness hinges on concepts of “vital energy,” “energetic balance” and “energetic imbalance.” Just as the Western medical doctor monitors the blood flowing through blood vessels and the messages traveling via the nervous system, the acupuncturist assesses the flow and distribution of this “vital energy” within its pathways, known as “meridians and channels”.

The acupuncturist is able to influence health and sickness by stimulating certain areas along these “meridians”. Traditionally these areas or “acupoints” were stimulated by fine, slender needles. Today, many additional forms of stimulation are incorporated, including herbs, electricity, magnets and lasers. Still, the aim remains the same – adjust the “vital energy” so the proper amount reaches the proper place at the proper time. This helps your body heal itself.

Acupuncture is just one form of therapy used within the coherent system of healing known as Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine includes herbology, physical therapy, dietetics and special exercises (such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong), and is a complete medical system unto itself and is not another branch of modern Western medicine. Acupuncture evolved from principles and philosophies unique to Traditional Chinese thinking and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is most effectively applied when done in accordance with those principles.

Acupuncture for Weight Loss

When acupuncture is being used to treat weight loss, the acupuncture points in the ear are generally used for both weight loss and the general detoxification of the body.  During treatment, the acupuncturist places five needles in each ear.  Out of these needles, four directly corresponds to specific organs in the body – the kidneys, lungs, nervous system, and liver.  The fifth needle is used for relaxation.  Once the acupuncture treatment starts, the body is stimulated to produce endorphins.  Endorphins are the “feel good chemicals” in the body help to combat the cravings for carbohydrates in the body, reduce the person’s appetite, and also helps with
withdrawal symptoms if weight loss is related to drug abuse (smoking, alcohol etc).

However, as well as the points in the ear, other points in the body can also be used.  This is why it is so important to have a detailed consultation with your acupuncturist.  The acupuncturist needs to know your eating habits in order to ascertain digestive problems as well as your appetite.  They will also check your pulses to determine your general energy states and measure the state of the stomach energy.  The tongue is also checked for cracks and yellow or white coatings.  These provide clues to the person’s condition and the reasons for gaining weight.

The needles are inserted into the body at certain points and these include:

• Mouth – this point relates to an impulsive eater that is also a chain smoker
• Stomach – this point relates to a person that is obese (eating even when the stomach is full)
• Lungs – this point relates to people that are addicted to food
• Endocrine – this point relates to those that gain weight due to water retention
• Shen-men – this point relates to the psychological reasons for anxiety, frustration and loneliness.
• Spleen – this point relates to hormonal and sugar imbalances.
• Kidney – this point relates to the nervous system and water retention.
• Thyroid – this point relates to a slow metabolism.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine is part of an integrated system of primary health care, known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has an uninterrupted history of development dating back thousands of years in China and other parts of East Asia.

The origins of Chinese herbal medicine in China can be traced back at least five thousand years, making it one of the oldest and most long-standing health care systems in the world.

In the intervening millennia, the practice of Chinese herbal medicine and TCM has developed and matured to become what it is today – a natural and wholistic system of primary health care that is being used by people from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds to effectively treat a wide range of chronic and acute health problems.

Chinese herbal medicine takes an wholistic approach to understanding normal function and disease processes and focuses as much on the prevention of illness as on the treatment.

Most diseases or illnesses present with a core set of recognizable signs and symptoms, but the actual presentation of a particular disease or illness will vary from person to person. For this reason, people with similar health conditions may be provided with quite different Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions.

A qualified practitioner is able to prescribe a Chinese herbal formula that specifically matches and treats your individual health problem. As your condition changes and improves with treatment, the Chinese herbal treatment is also adjusted and modified until the desired health outcome is achieved.

Today, there are over 450 substances commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine – most are of plant origin though some animal and mineral substances may also be used. You may find some in your kitchen, such as ginger, garlic and cinnamon, while others such as chrysanthemum and peony flowers, are more likely to be found in your garden! Many of the substances used will be unfamiliar to you and have names like chai hu (bupleurum), di huang (rehmannia), and huang qi (astragalus). Some substances that were used traditionally are no longer part of modern professional Chinese herbal medicine practice. For example, traditional remedies that are derived from endangered species have been replaced by other substances with similar actions.

Chinese herbal medicines are prescribed either singularly or made into formula which take into account the individual therapeutic action of each herb and well as the effects when combined together. A well constructed formula maximizes the effectiveness for treating a particular condition, while counteracting and minimizing the unwanted effects of an individual herb.

In addition to providing effective treatment for a wide range of health disorders, Chinese herbal medicine may also be used to assist with general health maintenance and disease prevention. By strengthening and enhancing normal body functions, the immune system is boosted and a general sense of well-being promoted.