Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an umbrella term used to incorporate the many elements used in this traditional healing art. Chinese medicine is a time honored tradition its origins can traced back over 5000 years.
What elements are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a term coined in modern medicine to incorporate to following elements: Chinese Acupuncture, Cupping, Remedial Chinese Massage (tui na), Chinese Herbal Medicine, Moxibustion (Moxa), Auricular Therapy (Ear Acupuncture), Exercise Therapy (qi gong), and Dietary Advice.
Its an exciting time as Traditional Chinese Medicine evolves with modern technology, TCM now also uses lasers, electro-stimulation, heat lamps and light therapy (blue, red & infrared light).
Chinese Acupuncture:
Modern Chinese Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into acupuncture points and sore (ashi) points of the body. These days with the quality of modern acupuncture needles most of the time needle insertion is not even felt. I hate to imagine what the needle quality would have been like thousands of years ago.
For more information on Acupuncture click here.
Traditional Chinese Remedial Massage:
Traditional Chinese Remedial Massage (An Mo Tui Na) involves many repetitions of deep massage techniques over the whole body and back. Deep pressure can also used to stimulate some acupuncture points, with the aim to balance the body and relieve pain.
Cupping
Whilst the origins of cupping is uncertain, traditionally Fire cupping is used as a component of TCM. Fire cupping is done with heavy round glass cups. With the evolution to cupping, cups can now be made of rubber, silicone, and hand blown glass with a pump. More Information on Cupping
Chinese Herbal Medicine:
Chinese herbal medicines are mainly plant based, but some preparations include minerals or animal products. Traditionally they were prescribed, hand picked then given to the patient to go home and cook up a soup like drink, you can still find herbalists that do this. However these days for modern convenience they can be packaged as powders, pastes, lotions or tablets, depending on the herb and its intended use. Different herbs have different properties and can balance particular parts of the body. TCM uses a 5 element theroy: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Herbs are broken down into 5 tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, pungent and sour, which correspond to the 5 elements.
Auricular Acupuncture:
Auricular Acupuncture (Ear Acupuncture) origins can been found early on in Chinese medicine. The modern Auriculo Therapy that is practiced today was discovered in France in the 1950’s by Dr Paul Nolier. The entire body can be found on the ear in the shape of a baby in the fetal position. Tiny needles and be used in a treatment or taped in the be left for 3-5 days for longer treatments. Its main areas of interest for study at present are chronic pain, insomnia and weight loss.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion (Moxa) is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy which consists of burning dried mugwort on particular methods. Moxa can be put on the end of needles and burnt. For bigger areas a moxa stick can be used to go over the area, or a moxa box on an area of pain like the low back or abdomen.
Excersise Therapy:
Tradisitona Chinese MEdincine uses Qigong, qi gong, chi kung, chi gung, ai chi (taiji), short for T’ai chi ch’üan, or Tai ji quan as an holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training. They were both practiced for their defense training and its health benefits. A philosophy of the forces of yin and yang, related to the movement.
Dietary Advice:
We have all heard that food is medicine, its not a new concept, in fact the properties of food have been incorporated into Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. Food can take of elements that can be used to help balance the body. Garlic can be used to warm a cold system, cucumber to cool. We even understand this in the west to some extent: Lamb is very heating to the system, but it is usually paired with mint, which is cooling.
Technology
Its an exciting time in Chinese medicine as it evolves with modern medicine, more in depth studies are being done to find out how it works and what it can be used for, but also a symbiosis is being formed with medical devices that enhance what Traditional Chinese Medicine can achieve. For people that don’t like needles, they can now have laser acupuncture. Pain patients can benefit from adding infrared heat lamps to their treatment. Electro stimulation can be added to help with soft tissue issues, just like a tens machine, but added straight to the needle delivering the current to an exact point. Low level light therapy (blue, red, and infrared) are now being used by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners to enhance acne, anti-aging and pain treatments. The benefits are endless.
To Contact Rebecca
Call 0411 676 554
OR
