|
The concept of Qi in Chinese Medicine
describes the life energy of a human being. When
the Qi flows freely and strongly throughout the body,
a person feels health, harmony, and joy in their
life. When Qi flow is deficient, impaired, blocked,
or forced out of its regular circulatory tract, pain
and disease ensues.  When Qi is deficient for a prolonged
period of time, the body’s health also declines.
The concept of blood in Chinese Medicine describes
the nutrition and substances the body needs in order
to nourish, repair, and restore proper tissue functioning.
This ensures the health of the internal organs as
well as all structures in the body.
The concepts of Yin and Yang describes the balance
of action and inaction. Yang Qi gives the body and
the spirit the ability to commit action to satisfy
thoughts, emotions, needs, wants, and desires as
well as the basic survival mechanisms. The Yin Qi
provides the physical substances needed to nourish
Yang to enable it to perform its duties.
Depending on the Chinese Medical diagnosis, the
intention of the acupuncturist is to use acupuncture,
herbal medicine, and its related therapies to restore
proper Qi flow or supplement Qi, Blood, Yin, and
Yang.
Acupuncture has
a history in Chinese medicine dating as far back
as 5,000 years ago.  Earliest versions
of the first acupuncture needles used in medicine
were made of stone. As technologies of the time
improved, doctors moved on to make needles out of
bone, gold, and silver. Today’s needle technology
uses stainless steel.
There are twelve regular meridians,
two extra meridians, and extra points (acupuncture
points that do not fall into the above meridians)
that is used in acupuncture. Each point on each
meridian has different indications for healing the
body.
In an acupuncture treatment, meridian points are
selected for the appropriate condition and sterile
needles are inserted and stimulated to encourage
“the arrival of Qi.” This is necessary in order
to activate the body’s natural healing system. Once
Qi arrival is achieved, the patient is left to rest
for anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending
on the condition).
Acupuncture may be used for a host of health problems.  Pain management is a well known issue that can be
treated by acupuncture. The theory of pain in the
body is that Qi and blood is stuck or stagnated in
the body. The body’s way of bringing our attention
to the problem is producing pain, numbness, tension/discomfort,
tingling, or a feeling of weakness. Anxiety, stress
reduction, headaches, migraines, digestive issues,
constipation, diarrhea, UTI, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia,
asthma, common cold, flu, and allergies; all these
conditions may be treated by acupuncture and or in
conjunction with related therapies.
For
thousands of years, the Chinese have used herbs for
healing the ailing body. Through the years of experimentation
and disease outbreaks, we have inherited a vast pharmacopoeia
of herbs to treat many conditions we encounter in
present times. Throughout the history of the Chinese
herbal pharmacopoeia, medicinal substances have been
used to expel invading pathogens from the environment,
thin out the blood, build blood/nutritional/immunity,
unblock internal congestion, and increase the overall
health of an individual.
Moxa therapy uses dried Chinese herbs in a burning
form to warm an area of the body. The purpose of
this is to expel cold, warm the tissue, and increase
energy and immunity. Moxa maybe used in conjunction
with acupuncture & herbs to treat cold invasion,
weaknesses, and certain types of pain related to
Qi/yang deficiency disorders. |
Moxibustion