What Is Chinese Medicine? Chinese medicine utilizes acupuncture, Chinese herbology, massage, exercise and nutrition.  This medicine originated roughly 3000 years ago, and today is used by a quarter of the world's population. Chinese Medicine is based on the concept of Qi (pronounced chee) which is the life force or vital energy.  Qi is the animating force that serves to warm us, protect us from external pathogenic factors, promote the functions of the body and hold our organs and tissues in place. The goal of Chinese medicine is to guide the body back into balance.  Chinese medicine is holistic; it treats the whole person (mind, body, spirit), not just the illness. Acupuncture Traditionally, eastern medicine explains that energy flows in your body through channels called meridians. When these channels are obstructed pain will occur; acupuncture needles can be used to stimulate focal points, restoring the regular flow of that energy. Translated to modern western terms, acupuncture treatment causes your body to release hormones that regulate its various systems and promote healing. Using needles as thin as the hair on your head, acupuncture is relatively painless and totally safe. There are hundreds of acupuncture points and each point has a predictable therapeutic effect. Problems can be addressed by needling points close to and distant from the problem being treated, because the meridians run throughout the body. For example, a headache may be treated by placing needles in the head, hands and feet. From musculoskeletal pain, weight management, to stress reduction, to easing a common cold or flu, acupuncture can help you. What can I expect with acupuncture? Ordinarily, upon insertion of an acupuncture needle, people will experience varying sensations. This ranges from no pain at all, to a slight pinch, a feeling of heaviness, warmth and achiness or possibly tingling and an electric sensation during a treatment. The needles are retained for 20-45 minutes and people often become deeply relaxed and sometimes even fall asleep. After needle removal, you may feel energized, sleepy or lighter. You may notice immediate improvement of your symptoms. The needles used at Tiburon Wellness Center are the highest quality, individually packaged, disposable and sterile. Every needle is used once and discarded after a treatment. The number of acupuncture treatments depends on the duration, severity and nature of your problem. An acute condition may require only a single treatment. A series of 5 to 15 treatments may be necessary for many chronic problems. Some degenerative conditions may need many treatments and long-term maintenance. An acupuncture treatment can be accompanied by other modalities, such as: Moxibustion the burning of mugwort leaves, held a few inches from the body to bring warmth to the body. Cupping glass cups that create a suction on the skin. Electroacupunture a mild electrical stimulation of acupuncture points that reduces pain and speeds recovery from injuries. Massage shiatsu and acupressure. Chinese Herbology Chinese herbal medicine is as ancient as acupuncture and is a major aspect of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture treatments are best combined with Chinese herbs. Herbs enhance and augment the therapeutic effects of an acupuncture treatment. They are something you can take at home to support your healing between acupuncture treatments. Of course, herbs can be prescribed and taken on their own without having to have acupuncture treatments. Herbs are used especially to strengthen and build the body's constitution in deficient, weakened conditions. In addition, they also have many other actions on the body, such as helping to quickly fight a cold or stop bleeding, eliminate abdominal bloating or relieving constipation, as a few examples. Other Considerations of Chinese Medicine Chinese medicine is a general medicine. This means it is beneficial for a wide range of conditions. It is a catalyst for your body's innate healing ability. What conditions does Chinese medicine treat? Below are some examples: Colds and flu Addiction: smoking/alcohol/drugs Allergies/asthma Arthritis/back pain/sciatica Digestive disorders High blood pressure Immune enhancement Infertility/menopause Pain and injury PMS/menstrual problems Skin disorders Stress/anxiety/depression/insomnia. A Chinese medicine diagnosis is arrived at by interviewing the patient, checking the pulse, looking at the tongue and inspecting the body. From these procedures, the practitioner discerns patterns of disharmony and determines a course of treatment. Each person is unique and gets his or her own unique diagnosis. Therefore, the acupuncture treatment and herbal prescription will be tailor-made depending on your diagnosis. Ten different people can present with a migraine headache and each one may be treated differently, depending on their other signs and symptoms and health history. Where Western medicine is often at a loss, traditional Chinese medicine excels at treating chronic or degenerative problems. At the other end of the spectrum, traditional Chinese medicine can be used preventively to keep you in balance. For instance, if you have a tendency to catch colds or the flu frequently, regular acupuncture treatments and supplementing with specific Chinese herbs can lead to a reduction or cessation of those episodes. For health maintenance, some people like to come in for a "tune-up" anywhere from 2 weeks to every 3 months, around the change of the seasons.   Healing begins at the Center...

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