What Treatment Options Does TCM Offer?

Body:

Some of the TCM treatment modalities most commonly used in the United States today include:

Acupuncture [0]
Moxibustion [0]
Dermal Friction [0] (called “gua sha”)
Cupping [0]
Therapeutic Massage [0] (called “tui na)
Dietary Therapies [0]
Herbal Therapies [0]
Meditation and Quiet Mind Cultivation [0] (Qi Gong)

Click on each for more information.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine, filiform needles through the skin at specific points on the body with the intention of manipulating Qi. The filiform needles are solid, as opposed to the hollow hypodermic needles most people are familiar with, and are usually made of stainless steel, but can also be gold or silver.

How does Qi flow through the body?

Illustration of jing luo channels Acupuncture is based upon the jing luo channel network theory of the circulation of Qi. Although Qi permeates every part of the body, it tends to collect and travel along channels called “jing luo.” These are the so-called “meridians” of acupuncture.

The jing luo channel system connects all aspects of the body together into one network of energetic communication.

Just as water flowing through a landscape tends to seek the path of least resistance, so Qi flows through the body. The flow of Qi follows the folds and creases of the body’s landscape. It follows the divisions between muscles and the clefts between muscles and bones, collecting in the small hollows and depressions of the body to form pools of Qi.

These “pools of Qi” are places where Qi is concentrated and more accessible. They are the acupuncture points, where Qi can be accessed and manipulated through the use of finger pressure (acupressure), massage techniques (tui na; literally “pinch and pull”), dermal friction (gua sha), cupping, moxibustion (a form of heat therapy), and, of course, acupuncture.

How does the practitioner manipulate Qi?

The successful manipulation of Qi begins by contacting the Qi in the channel at one or more of the points being needled. This is called “obtaining the Qi” and is heralded by the arrival of the “Qi sensation.”

Acupuncture on a hand The patient typically feels the Qi sensation locally around the needle site and then in adjacent areas, usually along the associated channel. It has been described as a dull, heavy, aching, or mildly electrical sensation that spreads in wave-like patterns. Most people do not find the Qi sensation to be painful or unpleasant, just unusual.

An experienced acupuncturist can usually feel the patient’s Qi through the needle once it arrives at the site. Once the practitioner has obtained the Qi and successfully manipulated it, the needles are removed. The entire process can take anywhere between just a few minutes to over an hour, depending on the condition of the patient. Most acupuncture treatments last about twenty minutes.

See a short acupuncture video [0].

What should I expect after the treatment?

Most patients feel pleasantly relaxed and refreshed after an acupuncture treatment. Patients who were experiencing pain before the acupuncture session are often pleasantly surprised to find their discomfort greatly reduced after the treatment.

When is acupuncture used?

TCM practitioners use acupuncture to treat a wide range of conditions. Some of the conditions for which acupuncture is commonly used include:

Pain
Injury
Trauma
Repetitive strain conditions like tennis elbows and carpal tunnel syndrome
Headache
Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis
Back pain and sciatica
Fibromyalgia
Dysmenorrhea and other gynecological conditions
Asthma
Post operative and chemotherapy nausea
Stroke rehabilitation
Patients undergoing recovery from addiction and substance abuse

What are the possible side-effects of acupuncture?

Side effects are rare. Patients may occasionally experience slight bruising at the point of needle insertion.

“Needle Shock”: a feeling of faintness, chilliness and perhaps slight nausea. Needle shock happens rarely, but when it does, it is most likely to happen in situations in which the patient is very nervous about the needles, is extremely exhausted or fatigued, or is experiencing low blood sugar from not having eaten for a long period of time before the acupuncture treatment.

Needle shock can be disquieting to the patient but is not considered harmful. Most states that regulate acupuncture require practitioners to provide informed consent forms outlining these possible side-effects.

When shouldn’t acupuncture be used?

The use of acupuncture is not as prominent or may even be contraindicated in the treatment of:

Infants and very young children
Very weak or very elderly patients
People with compromised immunity
Patients suffering with certain bleeding disorders or severe blood loss
Patients who are very weak, emaciated, who are suffering from low blood sugar, or who have collapsed due to fatigue and exhaustion
Patients with significantly low blood pressure
Patients who are suffering with extreme anxiety or who are very nervous about the needles
Pregnancy: while acupuncture is generally considered safe for most women during pregnancy, there are certain acupuncture points that are forbidden during pregnancy. Pregnant women should talk with their OB-GYN doctor and their TCM practitioner about these restrictions and any other concerns regarding their pregnancy before undergoing an acupuncture treatment.

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What is moxibustion?

Example of Moxibustion Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy in which dried plant materials called “moxa” are burned on or very near the surface of the skin. The intention is to warm and invigorate the flow of Qi in the body and dispel certain pathogenic influences.

Moxa is usually made from the dried leafy material of Chinese mugwort (Artemesia argyi or A.vlugaris), but it can be made of other substances as well.

What exactly does the practitioner do?

In the US, practitioners generally hold a burning moxa stick close to, but not touching, the surface of the skin.

In this method, the moxa material is compressed into a stick or pole, looking not unlike an oversized cigar that can be lit and allowed to smolder, producing a unique form of very penetrating heat.

The smoldering moxa stick is held over specific areas, often, though not always, corresponding to certain acupuncture points. The glowing end of the moxa stick is held about an inch or two above the surface of the skin until the area reddens and becomes suffused with warmth.

What can I expect to feel?

It is not uncommon for patients receiving moxibustion to report a sudden flooding of warmth that quickly radiates along a specific pathway (usually corresponding with the jing luo channel that is being treated) away from the site of application. This is a good result, as it indicates the arrival of the Qi and signals that the flow of Qi and xue has been freed in the channel.

See a short moxibustion video [0].

When is moxibustion used?

Moxibustion is used for:

Pain due to injury or arthritis, especially in “cold” patterns where the pain naturally feels better with the application of heat
Digestive problems and irregular elimination
Gynecological and obstetrical conditions, including breech presentation in late term pregnancy
Protection against cold and flu strains

Practitioners often do both acupuncture and moxibustion in the same clinic session when appropriate to the diagnosis and treatment strategy. Practitioners believe that the therapies increase each other’s effectiveness when used together.

Unlike acupuncture, which is almost always done by a trained practitioner in a clinic setting, moxibustion can be easily used at home. It is not uncommon for Chinese medical practitioners to train their patients to use moxa on themselves to strengthen the effect of the clinical sessions between appointments.

What does it smell like?

There is a small inconvenience associated with moxibustion: the smoke and odor. Although there are so-called smokeless varieties of moxa, the preferred true moxa (made from mugwort) does produce a lot of smoke when burned. Most TCM clinics are well equipped with a good ventilation and air purification system, so this is not a big problem.

However, the lingering odor produced from burning mugwort unfortunately smells somewhat like marijuana. Most TCM practitioners in the United States, place small signs around their office informing patients and visitors about the true nature of the odor that they may be noticing

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What is dermal friction?

Dermal friction (gua sha) Dermal friction therapy (called “gua sha” and pronounced “gwa shaw”) is a method that involves increasing circulation at the surface of the skin by means of “scraping” the skin vigorously with a blunt edged object.

TCM practitioners usually use dermal friction therapy on the back, neck and shoulders, or the fleshy part of the limbs. The practitioner will often first apply a lubricant, such as sesame oil, Vaseline, or tiger balm to the skin before scraping the area with the smooth, blunt edge of an object such as a coin or the lip of a juice glass (a ceramic soup spoon is traditionally used in Asia).

Dermal friction therapy is usually done along one or more of the acupuncture channels, in a direction away from the center of the body, in short brisk strokes until the surface of the skin is well reddened, but not broken.

See a short dermal friction video [0] .

When is it used?

Practitioners use dermal friction as a way of treating early stage colds and flu, muscle pain, headache, and fever. It is also frequently used as a home remedy in the treatment of fevers associated with colds and flu, and is especially favored in the treatment of children.

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What is cupping?

Cupping Cupping applies suction to the surface of the body to draw out pathogenic factors or to invigorate the flow of Qi at the surface of the body.

Cupping is usually done by inserting a flame into a small glass cup to remove the air and create a vacuum. The cup is then deftly inverted onto the surface of the body where the cup is held firmly in place by the suction created by the vacuum effect. This method is called “fire cupping.” There are also specially designed cups fitted with air lock valves that allow practitioners to remove the air with a hand-held pump.

Frequently, the practitioner will apply a lubricant to the skin before placing the cups, and then move the cups back and forth across certain area of the body. This combines the effects of cupping with dermal friction therapy (gua sha) and is called “sliding cup” technique.

See a short cupping video [0] .

When is it used?

Cupping is frequently used to treat early stage colds and flu, trauma, and muscle pain, especially in the back and shoulders.

Does it leave marks?

Cupping, like gua sha, leaves distinctive marks on the skin. While this is not harmful or painful, the markings are unsightly (resembling, as many patients describe them, “giant hickies and massive rug burns”). When cupping or gua sha is used on children, it is not uncommon for well-meaning child-care providers to mistake the markings as child abuse.

Understandably, TCM practitioners now provide their patients with informed consent information prior to the use of this therapy.

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What is therapeutic massage (tui na)?

The term tui na (pronounced “twee naw”), which literally means “pinch and pull,” refers to a wide range of TCM therapeutic massage and body work.

Tui na is not generally used for pleasure and relaxation, but rather as a treatment to address specific patterns of disharmony. As such, practitioners use it for many of the same reasons and according to the same principles as acupuncture. Like acupuncture, TCM uses tui na to harmonize yin and yang in the body by manipulating the Qi in the acupuncture channels.

Tui na includes what is popularly known as “acupressure,” where practitioners use finger pressure instead of needles to stimulate the acupuncture points.

See a short chinese massage video [0] .

When is tui na used?

Tui na is one of the most popular TCM treatment modalities and is frequently used in the treatment of superficial trauma and injury and a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems. Tui na is also often used when acupuncture is inappropriate, such as with children, when it is referred to as “Chinese pediatric massage therapy.”

TCM practitioners will frequently encourage and instruct patients to do self massage and certain exercises at home. This solidifies and expands the benefits created during treatment sessions.

Self massage and stretching are considered important aspects of self healthcare.

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What are dietary therapies?

Soup Dietary considerations have always held central importance in Chinese medicine. Sun Si Miao, the great Tang dynasty physician, advised doctors to tend first to their patient’s diet and lifestyle before considering other forms of intervention. He considered diet a precious opportunity for safeguarding good health and preventing disease. Diet has held center stage in Chinese medicine ever since.

By adjusting a patient’s diet, it is possible to influence the dynamics of yin and yang. This allows the TCM practitioner to use foods and other substances to help a patient maintain health and prevent disease, as well as to treat disharmonies when they occur.

It is very common for a practitioner to educate patients on how to use food. Dietary advice is always individualized according to the patient’s age, sex, and constitution, pattern diagnosis, activity level, environment, and the season of the year.

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What are herbal therapies?

Chinese Herbs Herbal therapy, next to dietary therapy, is perhaps the most widely used TCM treatment modality. TCM relies on herbal therapies both for the treatment of illness and in the optimization of health and prevention of disease.

There are 5,767 medicinal substances currently in use, including plant, animal, and mineral substances. The materia medica (book of TCM medicinal substances) includes information on the traditional uses, dosages, and contra-indications for each substance, as well as any available information on drug interactions, and any conventional medical research that has been published.

TCM assesses medicinal substances for their effects on particular vital substances, their resonance with particular zang fu organ systems, the channels of the jing luo system into which the substance is said to enter, and the pathogenic factors and patterns of disharmony that the substance is known to address.

How do TCM practitioners use formulations?

TCM practitioners most often use two or more substances in Chinese medicinal formulations to create a balanced, synergistic effect that reflects the holistic nature of the diagnosis.

Although there are literally thousands of traditional herbal formulas for just about every condition imaginable, a formula is almost always modified by the TCM practitioner to suit the subtle nuances of the condition and constitution of the patient, making each formulation highly individualized.

Chinese medicinal formulations are prepared in a number of different ways:

Chinese herbal decoctions. The most traditional method of preparing an herbal formula in China, decoctions can involve lengthy preparation and result in “teas” infamous for their strong taste and aroma. For these reasons decoctions are not as popular or as widely used in the west.

Herbal powders, which can be mixed with hot water to make a tea, are more convenient to prepare and use, and are not as pungent as traditional decoctions.
Chinese Patent Formulas are pre-made herbal formulations in pill or tablet form and are perhaps the most widely used form of Chinese herbal medicine outside of China.
Syrups, which are soothing preparations for coughs and sore throat, are also a convenient way to administer herbal formulations to children.
Liniments, salves, compresses and plasters, which are used for external application.

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What is qi gong?

Man meditating Most TCM practitioners would say that the most important thing we can do for our own personal healthcare is to cultivate a quiet mind. A quiet mind refers to a state of mind that is centered and focused in “the here and now” of present reality. This allows us to perceive our world more clearly, and respond to it more appropriately.

Qi gong practices are generally classified as either quiet or active.

Quiet Qi gong is what most of us think of as meditation. It is usually done seated or lying down, or in some other stationary posture and is primarily focused on regulating the breath and quieting the mind.
Active Qi gong consists of rhythmical physical movements that increase respiration and more vigorously move the Qi while at the same time maintaining a quiet and focused mind. Examples of active Qi gong practices include wu shu (martial arts exercises), and tai ji chuan (tai chi). However, any physical exercise that is done with a quiet mind, coordinated breathing, and focused intention could be considered to be active Qi gong.