Traditional Chinese Medicine
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at Akasha Center is an invaluable component of the integrative medicine care offered at the clinic. The highly trained Chinese medical practitioners at Akasha can provide expert care for their patients independent of any other modalities, or they can work seamlessly together with the staff allopathic doctors and psychotherapists. This is a tremendous advantage for patients since well-facilitated communication between practitioners under the single Akasha roof means that practitioners are always on the same page regarding patient care. Instead of being pulled in different directions by practitioners at different facilities, at Akasha you can benefit from receiving expert Chinese medicine care while knowing that coordinated conventional western medicine care is also always available.
The Chinese medical practitioners at Akasha are all licensed acupuncturists in the state of California where they are regarded as primary care providers.
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the oldest and professional, continually practiced literate medicine in the world. This medical system’s written literature stretches back almost 2,500 years, and currently one-fourth of the world’s population makes use of this medicine. One can say that modern Western and traditional Chinese medicines are the two dominant medical systems in the world today. TCM is comprised of different modalities that includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional counseling, taichi and qigong breathing exercises, and massage. The Chinese medical practitioners at Akasha are trained in all of these modalities.
Is traditional Chinese medicine just a system of folk healing? No. This system of medicine has been created by some of the best educated and brightest doctors and scholars in Chinese history. These doctors have recorded their theories and clinical experiences from generation to generation in literally thousands of books. It is estimated that there are between 30-40,000 existing books on Chinese medicine written before 1900. Since then, thousands of additional books and articles in professional journals have been written and published in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
What can traditional Chinese medicine treat? Chinese medicine is a complete medical system used to treat the full range of diseases, whether acute or chronic, trauma related, infectious, or internally generated. That being said, if a disease is extremely virulent or far advanced, and especially if there are serious changes in organic tissue, Chinese medicine by itself may not be powerful enough or not sufficiently fast acting. Chinese medicine is a particularly excellent and effective choice at the beginning of any disease or for diseases which modern biomedicine either does not understand or treat effectively. The World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health both recognize that acupuncture can potentially treat many different ailments. Examples of conditions for which traditional Chinese medicine provides excellent results include the following:
- Pain (back, neck, joints, etc.)
- Headaches
- Fatigue including chronic fatigue syndrome
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol levels
- Hepatitis A, B, and C
- Stress, anxiety, and depression
- Insomnia
- Women’s health issues
- Gastro-intestinal disorders such as IBS, GERD, and constipation
- Allergies
- Skin conditions
- Colds and flu
- Much more
Is traditional Chinese medicine safe?
Very safe. When practiced correctly by qualified licensed professional practitioners, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are extremely safe. In fact, when practiced correctly, acupuncture and herbal medicine have no side effects and produce no iatrogenic or doctor-caused disease. If a patient reports side effects from a Chinese medical treatment, the practitioner modifies the treatment until there is healing without side effects. This is because Chinese medicine seeks to restore balance to the entire person, not simply focus on eliminating a single symptom. Side effects indicate imbalance which need to be corrected.
How does traditional Chinese medicine work?
Chinese medicine works by re-establishing balance and harmony within the body. This means balance between Yin and Yang forces in the body, balance in the five major organ energy systems, and balance in the qi (energy), blood, and body fluids. This balance can be re-established by using acupuncture and herbal medicine. Although these concepts may sound abstract, these ideas can be discussed more in-depth during your visit to the clinic.
How does a Chinese medical practitioner determine what is out of balance?
Practitioners of Chinese medicine diagnose what is out of balance in a person’s body by employing four basic examinations. The first examination involves asking about one’s signs and symptoms, medical history, and course of disease. The second is visually inspecting one’s face, body, and especially one’s tongue and its coating. The third is listening to one’s voice and sound of breathing, as well as noticing any bodily odors. The fourth is palpating various areas of the body, and in particular the pulse at both wrists. Using a combination of one’s signs and symptoms, tongue diagnosis, and pulse diagnosis, the practitioner can determine the pattern of disharmony which requires rebalancing.
How is rebalancing accomplished?
If something in the body is too hot, the practitioner seeks to cool it down. If something is too cold, the aim is to warm it up. If something is too damp, it must be dried, while if it is too dry, it must be moistened. If something exists in excess, it is reduced, while if there is a deficiency, it is supplemented. If qi or blood are not flowing well, the practitioner will help improve their circulation. If qi is traveling in the wrong direction, the direction of flow is corrected.
The main methods of re-establishing balance are acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, which form a powerful synergistic healing combination. Acupuncture seeks to regulate the flow of qi and blood in the body through the insertion of fine, sterile needles at certain acupoints. Chinese herbal medicine formulas in the form of an herbal tea are generally customized for each patient according to his or her condition. In addition, Chinese medical practitioners may also use Chinese massage or prescribe remedial and preventive exercises such as qigong breathing exercises or taichi. They will also counsel patients on diet and lifestyle, all according to the theories of Chinese medicine to promote optimal health.
Does traditional Chinese medicine only work for Chinese people?
Chinese medicine has worked for thousands of years on literally billions of people. Because of the diverse population in China and its varied geography, Chinese medicine has proven itself effective for many different ethnic groups in a variety of climates and lifestyles. In fact, Chinese medicine is so universally effective that the World Health Organization has selected it for worldwide propagation. At this time, thousands of practitioners around the world are proving everyday that Chinese medicine works no matter where one lives or to what race one belongs.