Traditional Chinese Medicine at HealthSpring
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is comprised of five main branches:
Acupuncture
Tuina Massage
Herbology
Chinese Dietary Medicine
Energetics
ACUPUNCTURE
A variety of techniques, including placing very thin sterile needles into specific points on the body to stimulate and improve your Qi flow by clearing blockages that can come from stress, trauma, emotions, and poor diet. The many benefits of acupuncture include:
- Pain reduction
- Stress and tension relief
- Increased energy levels
- Stronger digestion
- Relief from bad habits and addictions
- Greater sense of overall health and well-being
The following techniques below can be applied in conjunction with Acupuncture to complement the healing.
- Acupressure is based on one the most ancient principles of healing — that simply touching a specific point on the body will release stress and improve health in the body. In an acupressure session, firm pressure is applied directly to these “points” on your body, which relieves your muscle tension and improves your circulation. This simple and powerful technique has been shown to very effective in treating headaches, backaches, and even insomnia.
- Cupping has been a part of Chinese Medicine for over 2,500 years but has recently been highlighted at the Rio Olympics and Michael Phelps. A specialized “cup” is placed onto specific points on your body, and then use suction to draw your skin up into the cups. It simply draws fresh/stagnant blood to that area of your body, which facilitates the cleansing and strengthening of your Qi (energy). The result is a greater overall sense of health and well-being.
- Gua Sha is an ancient healing technique used by Chinese Medicine practitioners for thousands of years, it is relatively unknown in the West. It is recognized throughout Asia as a highly effective treatment for chronic pain conditions, stress, fatigue, and a host of other ailments. Gua Sha oil is applied to a specific meridian on your body, then a smooth round-edged object (such as a spoon) is used to apply short brisk strokes to that area. This creates red patches of skin (called “Sha”), detoxifying your blood and restoring the healthy flow if Qi (energy) to the area. There is typically no pain or minimal pain involved, and the Sha will fade in 2 to 3 days. But the sense of health and vitality you experience from it will last much longer.
- Electroacupuncture is a highly effective holistic treatment for pain, nausea, and chronic ailments. In practice, it is actually very similar to traditional acupuncture. Using the exact same system of Chinese Medicine, very thin and sterile needles are inserted into specific points along the meridians of your body, then a device that delivers gentle electrical pulses between two points restores the healthy flow of Qi (energy) through your body, removing any blockages and clearing out stagnant areas, creating an experience of health and well-being.
TUI NA
An ancient form of bodywork that is based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A variety of pressures and strokes along the meridians (energy pathways) of your body is used to both relax your muscles and also stimulate the flow of energy throughout your body. By treating both the physical (musculature) and energetic (Qi) levels of your body at the same time, results are both therapeutic and relaxing.
CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
The use of naturally occurring plants and substances to enhance one’s health and vitality. The foundation of this approach is to support the body’s natural self-healing mechanisms and abilities.
Since each patient has different needs, a variety of herbs are carefully chosen that will synergistically blend together to achieve optimal results for your unique situation. The prescribed herbs are of high-quality, professional-grade herbal medicines that are available only to qualified licensed professionals.
CHINESE MEDICINE DIETETICS
Every food item has different energy properties such as warm, hot, neutral, cool, and cold, as well as flavor properties such as sour, sweet, salty, bitter, bland, and pungent. Flavors are associated with certain organs so when you have a craving for certain flavors, it is an indication of which organ may be out of balance and need more support. Chinese Medicine uses the food energy and flavor properties to balance the body and keep it in harmony.
ENERGETICS
Qi Gong and Taijiquan (Tai Chi) are two main styles of exercise that heal the body through rhythmic breathing and body movements. Both can improve balance, core strength, memory, sense of calmness, and vitality.
Skilled Chinese Medicine practitioners will employ any combination of the five branches to release pain, stagnation, give patient’s hope, and sense of well-being and calmness.
Another Modality that employs Chinese Medicine principles includes NAET (Nambrudipad’s Allergy Elimination Technique)
This method was developed by Dr. Devi Nambrudipad who suffered from debilitating allergies and sensitivities since childhood. In search for answers to her problems, she studied and earned her degree in Acupuncture, Chiropractic medicine, and became an MD.
NAET works by resetting the brain and the body via the autonomic nervous system by using a combination of Acupuncture theory, acupuncture, and muscle testing.
Restore your optimal health with NAET to eliminate the underlying causes of most chronic illnesses. Learn more about NAET here.