Traditional Chinese Medicine and You

At Innerweave Asian Healing you can expect a highly personal approach that is truly "hands on" and where I seek to devote greater time to you as an individual patient.

On this page I invite you to explore the basic concepts and principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine or "TCM", and also the different choices in terms of Treatments, such as Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine ~
a little history

A 3,000 year-old tradition of healthcare, Traditional Chinese Medicine is empirically based on ancient Taoist teachings. It starts with the premise that the forces that balance the universe (Yin and Yang) are also present in your body. So think of yourself as a microcosmic reflection of the macrocosmic universe. Just like nature, your body can restore and maintain its inner harmony and health.

You and Your Qi ~
your vital life energy

Circulating through your body - via a web of pathways called meridians - is a vital life energy called Qi (pronounced "Chee"). When it's blocked, you experience symptoms of pain or illness. When it's flowing freely, you will experience a sense of inner harmony.

Creating a Healing Response~
totally unique to you

You and not your illness are the focus of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). A TCM healer will seek out a unique pattern of disharmony and help to create a healing response, with your body, that is totally unique to you, by making the appropriate adjustment to your Qi.

Treating Root Causes ~
restoring balance to your health

Adopting an "interconnected" approach to healing, TCM embraces the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of who you are. By restoring balance to your health before any symptoms emerge, TCM can be highly effective in disease prevention. It can also offer support for acute and chronic conditions.

A Powerful Partnership ~
take an active role in your well-being

An ancient Toaist tex states: "When doctor and patient are in the same state of harmony, the illness will not linger". So you are invited to take an active role with your TCM practitioner and the balancing process that leads to healthy recovery or simply to improved health.

TCM Treatments ~
a collaborative effort

As a patient you can:

• learn how to improve your diet and lifestyle
• learn supportive Qi Gong exercises

A practitioner can access and balance your Qi through:

• herbal medicine
• acupuncture
• a variety of hands on techniques (using no needles) such as gua-sha, Tuina, cupping, moxibustion and magnet therapy.

While in the US we think of TCM mainly as acupuncture, in China 85% of the TCM treatments are with Herbal Medicine alone.

Chinese Herbal Medicine ~
a delicate way to adjust your Qi

An individualized combination of up to twenty ingredients, Herbal Medicine uses the natural energetics of Chinese medicinals to adjust the body's Qi. Whether used alone or in tandem with acupuncture, any prescription will normally be shaped by identifying both your symptoms and your underlying condition.

When it is properly balanced, such a prescription will create no side effects. That said, it is important to be mindful of the potency of herbal medicines, and the risks inherent in taking them with out the advice of a qualified practitioner.

(See article by Kristin.)

Acupuncture ~
a safe and deeply relaxing solution

Some may be surprised to know that, during acupuncture, many patients generally report a pleasant feeling of deep relaxation. Acupuncture balances your flow of Qi by inserting hair-thin needles (which are sterile and disposable) into energetic points along your meridian pathways. Acupuncture is usually painless though some patients may feel a tingling or heaviness as contact is made with the body's Qi.

Acupuncture has no harmful side-effects and can safely be used in conjunction with other medical treatments to address a myriad of health conditions that include:

Anxiety ~ Asthma ~ Common cold ~ Depression ~ Duodenal ulcers ~ Earaches ~ Frozen shoulder ~ Gastrointestinal disorders ~ Gynecological problems ~ Insomnia ~ Lower back pain ~ Meniere's disease ~ Migraines ~ Osteoarthritis ~ Sciatica ~ Trigeminal neuralgia ~ Tennis elbow ~ and many, many more**

For centuries in China acupuncture has effectively treated most forms of disease. Acupuncture can also improve the quality of life for those suffering from today's levels of stress, chronic disease, various autoimmune disorders, and cancer.

** The World Health Organization lists 140 conditions treatable by acupuncture.

©2004 Kristin Whitfield all rights reserved.