Traditional Chinese medicine is gaining popularity in the U.S.,
as more and more people are learning the benefits of
acupuncture, acupressure, deep massage, Qigong, and the herbal
medicines. Westerners are the new kids on the block when it
comes to receiving these treatments, as over a quarter of the
population of the world practices TCM, also known as Oriental
medicine.
The National Institute of Health and the World Health
Organization believe TCM to be a viable alternative to Western
medicine, and now many health insurance companies will cover
acupuncture as a treatment for various ailments. Very exciting
for those of us who find acupuncture to be a great help in
lessening pain and improving circulation.
Acupuncture
originated in China around 3,000 years ago and is the most
common form of medical procedure in the rest of the world,
because the same treatment not only relieves immediate pain, it
is a preventative procedure because it realigns the Qi (
pronounced "Chee.")
The Qi is the body's vital energy,
all things rise from Qi and it flows and connects a person to
the earth and sky. It is also the source of the body's natural
healing, all disorders can be traced to a Qi imbalance, and the
acupuncture points on the body release the bound Qi and allow it
to flow naturally-the body can then begin to heal itself.
Diagnosis in acupuncture involves the practitioner asking a long
list of questions, some usually considered by Americans to be of
a private nature. The questions consist of everything from
listing sleeping patterns to a typical day meals to how many
times the patient has a bowel movement in a 24 hour period.
These are necessary questions, as the more information the
acupuncturist has, the better to tell where the Qi is blocked.
The patient typically will then lie down on a massage table (in
the East acupuncture is usually done in the sitting position)
and the practitioner will insert very thin needles into some of
the 2,000 plus points in the body which connect to 14 pathways,
or medians. The insertion of the needles does not hurt, and
contrary to what you may have heard, he/she does not twist or
bore them into the skin. They are inserted just underneath the
surface and the patent is left in a soothing, dimmed room for
about an hour. There are different sizes and lengths of needles,
each for a specific ailments and point. The needles are made of
super thin stainless steel and are pliable; they are discarded
after each use.
Another form of TCM is herbal remedies;
these are often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Because
all things are interconnected, pains and conditions in the body
have a lot to do with one's emotions and thinking process. That
is why people who experience chronic pain are also frequently
depressed. TCM practitioners will often give the patient herbs
to help relax or calm them along with the acupuncture sessions.
This is called tonic herbalism, and some popular herbs used are
probably already in your kitchen. Green tea and ginseng are two
of the most well known herbs used in TCM, but here are some
others-considered ''warm" foods which will help maintain good
health and restore balance to a depleted Qi: Rice and noodles,
broccoli, egg whites, fish and chicken. It is no coincidence
that these are some of the main ingredients in all Eastern
cooking.
In order to get a holistic view of TCM, we have covered
acupuncture (prevention and treatment), herbal remedies and
diet, it is only right that we should touch on exercise. Enter
Qigong (Pronounced Chee Kung.) Qi, of course, still means
energy, and gong means work or practice. The art and practice of
Qigong involves practicing posture, breathing, meditation, and
slow regulated movement of the limbs. Qigong is a great
exercise, and because of its popularity, you can usually find
classes in your area simply by opening the phone book.
About the Author:
Traditional Chinese medicine is gaining popularity all over the
world. More and more people are learning the benefits of
acupuncture, acupressure, Qigong or about herbal medicines. To
find out more just visit:
http://chinese-medicine.publicdomainprogress.org