Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture, Herbs, Bodywork
Chinese Medicine at Acorus
Chinese Medicine is a holistic medical system and collection of techniques to treat disease. The central to Chinese Medicine is the movement and regulation of Qì (氣). Biological research has interpreted Qì as a reference to the entire body’s electricity and metabolic activity.
This means that Chinese Medicine looks at relationships. Relationships between organs, organ systems, and body tissues. How do organs and tissue communicate, among themselves and with each other? These questions let us treat a patient by strengthening and maintaining these relationships against disease and as a preventive treatment.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture stimulates specific points in the body that have a particular biochemical or physical reaction. This allows us to work on all body tissues and systems, including the nervous system, facial and muscle tissue, the immune system, and more. Some acupuncture appointments include moxibustion, a controlled and precise application of heat to acupuncture points using an herbal cone or stick. The cones and sticks are mainly composed of the herb artemisia vulgaris, but other herbs can be mixed in for use.
Chinese Herbs
Chinese herbal medicine is a system of medicinal substances, including plants, animals, and minerals. There are 300-400 single herbs and over 600 formulas in the current Chinese Medicine pharmacopeia. Our clinic uses both traditional and modern combinations in bulk, powder, pill, and topical forms.
Bodywork
Bodywork includes cupping and gua-sha.
- Cupping is a manual therapy using glass or silicone jars on the skin to create negative pressure that releases surrounding fascia adhering to surrounding body tissue. Cupping can loosen tissue and move fluid in areas of pain, swelling, or tension.
- Gua Sha is a manual therapy, a controlled scraping the skin with a tool to encourage the release of shā, a classical description of what is now termed as petechiae or pinpoint red/purple dots. This redness is microcirculation of blood and movement of nutrients throughout the body and cellular waste into the lymphatic system for proper disposal.
Our practice begins a Chinese medicine visit by discussing the patient’s story and what they’ve been through. We want to know their experiences and what health and wellbeing mean to them. Next, we perform physical and mental assessments to determine specific testing and treatment needs. Acorus always performs acupuncture and herbal medicine prescription together. Some patients may not have manual therapy because of their medical profile.
When lifestyle behaviors such as diet and digestion are examined with environmental factors and patient health journeys, a complete physical and mental health profile allows for precise lifestyle modifications that promote long-term wellbeing instead of masking symptoms for short-term relief.