What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the body at
specific points shown as effective in the treatment of specific
health problems. The Chinese has mapped these points over a period
of two thousand years. Recently, electromagnetic research has
confirmed their locations.
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How does acupuncture work?
Modern western medicine can not explain how acupuncture works.
Traditional acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese theories of
the flow of Qi(Energy) and Xue(Blood) through
distinct meridians or pathways that cover the body somewhat like
the nerves and blood vessels do. According to ancient theory,
acupuncture allows Qi to flow to areas where it is deficient
and away from where it is excess. In this way, acupuncture regulates
and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. In Chinese
there is a saying, "There is no pain if there is free flow; if there
is pain, there is no free flow".
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Does it hurt?
Acupuncture is "Bu Tong", painless. You might feel some
cramping, heaviness, distention, tingling, or electric sensation
either around the needle or traveling up or down the effected
meridian, or energy pathway while the needles get to the points.
That is called "Catch the Qi" or "Acupuncture feeling".
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Are the needles clean?
In Vital Source Traditinal Chinese Medicine Center is to
use sterilized, individually packaged disposable needles. Needles
won't be saved and reused for later treatments. This eliminates the
possibility of transmitting a communicable disease by a contaminated
needle.
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How many treatments will I need?
That depends upon the duration, severity, and nature of your complaint.
You may need only a single treatment for an acute condition. A series
of eight to fifteen treatments may resolve many chronic problems.
Some degenerative conditions may require many treatments over time.
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What problems can be treated by acupuncture?
The World Health Organization has said that acupuncture is suitable for
treating the following:
1. Ear, nose, and throat disorders
Toothaches; pain after tooth extraction, earaches, sinus
inflammation, nasal inflammation or dryness.
2. Respiratory disorders
Uncomplicated bronchial asthma in children or adults.
3. Gastrointestinal disorders
Digestive tract problems, hiccups, inflammation of the stomach,
chronic duodenal ulcers, inflammation of the colon, constipation,
diarrhea, dysentery caused by certain bacteria.
4. Eye disorders
Inflammation of the conjunctiva, inflammation of the central
retina, nearsightedness(in children), and uncomplited cataracts.
5. Nervous system and muscular disorders
Headaches, migraines, certain facial paralysis or nerve pain, partial
weakness after a stroke, inflammation of nerve endings, bed-wetting,
frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, and
osteoarthritis.
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Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China to treat many other problems, such as
knee pain, sprains and strains, and most gynecological complaints.
However, acupuncture is one treatment method of Traditional
Chinese Medicine. Sometimes it can't treat the problem alone.
You may need the combination treatment, such as acupuncture
and moxibustion, cupping, Tuina, Qigong, and herbs etc.
What's the difference between Western folk herbalism
and Chinese herbal medicine?
Western folk herbalism primarily treats diseases or symptoms,
such as headaches, runny nose, menstrual pain, etc. Chinese
herbal medicine, when practiced as a port of TCM, is based on an
individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis.
Your pattern is made up of your signs and symptoms, you emotional
temperament and the overall composition of your body. The TCM
patient receives a custom written herbal prescription designed
to treat their individual pattern as well as the symptom or
diseases.
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Are there any other differences?
Western folk herbalism usually focuses on one symptom or disease
at a time and use a single herb or groups of herbs for treatment.
TCM formulas are crafted to treat your entire pattern as well as
the symptoms or disease that prompted you to seek treatment.
TCM formulas may include six to eighteen herbs to treat the
symptoms or disease as well as your entire pattern.
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Are all the Herbs vegetable in origin?
Chinese herbal medicine may include vegetable, animal, and mineral
ingredients. However, the majority of ingredients are from
vegetable sources leaves, flowers, twigs, stems, roots, tubers,
rhizomes, and bark are among the part of the vegetable used.
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Do all the herbs come from China?
The Chinese adopted and incorated herbs from all over the world.
Fifteen to twenty percent of the 500 ingredients considered standard
originated from outside China. What makes these "Chinese" herbs
is that they are prescribed according to Chinese medical theory and
a TCM pattern diagnosis.
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Does Chinese herbal medicine work for western patients?
Yes, Chinese herbal medicine works as well for western patients
as it does for Chinese. Chinese herbal medicine has been used
successfully in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia,
New Zealand, and all throughout Asia.
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How are Chinese herbal medicines taken?
The most common method of taking Chinese herbal medicine is drinking
a liquid, prepared by boiling the selected herbs. There are also
herbal pills, tinctures, and powdered extracts for those who do not
have the time or taste for drinking the more traditional liquid form.
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What are the benefits of drinking
Chinese herbal medicine in liquid form?
This method allows the practitioner maximum flexibility in writing a
prescription. They can put in just what is necessary in just the right
amounts. The formula can be changed frequently if necessary and the
liquid forms tend to be more potent than other means of administration.
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Why do liquid herbal medicines taste so bad?
Chinese herbal teas tend to taste very bitter because they are
made mostly from roots and bark where the strongest medicinal
ingredients are found. The bitter taste may go away after a day
or two.
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What are the benefits of pills and powders?
Pills and powders are good for:
1. Prolonged administration, like for chronic disease.
2. Where formulas do not need to be very potent.
3. Where formulas do not need to be changed very often.
Pills and powders are also commonly used to continue therapeutic
results after a successful initial treatment with liquid herbal
medicine
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Do Chinese herbal medicines have side effects?
Most of the components of Chinese herbal medicine have a very low
toxicity compared to even common, over-the-counter western drugs.
When they are prescribed according to a correct TCM pattern
diagnosis, they should have few, if any, side effects, only
beneficial healing results.
If you experience any discomfort while taking Chinese herbal
medicine, tell your practitioner who will modify the formula until
there are no side effects.
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What is Chinese herbal medicine good for?
Chinese herbal medicine treats the full range of human disease.
It is used to treat:
1. Acute diseases, like intestinal flu and the common cold.
2. Chronic diseases, like allergies, gynecological disorders,
autoimmune diseases, and chronic viral diseases.
3. Degenerative diseases due to aging.
Chinese Herbal Medicine is especially good for promoting the
body's ability to heal and recoer from illness.
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Can pregnant women take Chinese herbs?
A professional TCM practitioner can write prescriptions those are
appropriate for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
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Can children take Chinese herbal medicine?
Yes again. Pediatrics is a specialty within TCM and children
can be given reduced dosages. There are also specially prepared
pediatric medicines in pill and powder form. Chinese herbal
medicine can treat colic, the fussiness of teething, earache,
diarrhea, cough, and fever in babies and children.
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How long does it take to see
results with Chinese herbal medicine?
In acute conditions, results may occur in a matter of minutes.
In chronic conditions, some results should be seen within two
weeks. Although chronic conditions may require taking Chinese
herbal medicine for a long time, signs that the medicine is
working should be apparent to the patient and practitioner alike
almost from the very start.
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