What is traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese medicine is a medical system based on the flow of energy in your body. This energy, called Qi, connects major organ systems as it continuously flows in specific pathways (meridians) throughout your body. Qi keeps your physical, mental, and emotional health in balance. Illness develops when the flow of energy becomes unbalanced or blocked.
What are the four key principles of traditional Chinese medicine?
As a doctor of oriental medicine, Dr. Jones follows the four key principles of traditional Chinese medicine:
Your body is an integrated whole
Your mind, emotions, spirit, and physical body are interconnected and must work together to keep you healthy.
You are connected to nature
Because your energy is connected to nature, changes in the seasons, your geographical location, and the time of day affect your body’s energy.
You were born with natural healing ability
Your body has the built-in ability to regenerate and heal.
Prevention is the best cure
While preventive medicine has become a common practice in Western medicine, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have followed this principle for thousands of years.
What types of treatments are used in traditional Chinese medicine?
Dr. Jones uses numerous natural healing modalities to treat the full scope of illnesses and relieve pain. These are a few examples of the primary therapies used in traditional Chinese medicine:
Acupuncture
When your life energy, Qi, flows freely, your body is in a state of balance and good health. If it becomes blocked, disease and illness develop. Acupuncture uses thin needles to restore the normal flow when Qi becomes blocked. This is accomplished by inserting the needles into specific acupuncture points (acupoints) along targeted meridians.
Acupressure
Acupressure, called tuina, stimulates the same acupoints and meridians as acupuncture, but instead of using needles, Dr. Jones uses hand techniques or other tools to place pressure at the acupoint. Like acupuncture, the goal is to release Qi so it can flow freely.
Herbal medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine uses the active ingredients in plants to heal illness and disease. Dr. Jones may use premixed formulas or develop a customized mixture of herbs designed to heal the underlying cause of your condition.
Qigong
Qigong is a mind-body-spirit practice that combines slow, physical movements and postures with breathing techniques and a concentrated focus to improve your physical and mental health. Qigong promotes the circulation of your blood and body fluids, and balances your Qi.
Qigong is one of several types of therapeutic exercises used in traditional Chinese medicine. Examples of other mind-body exercises include Tai Chi, Baduanjin, and Yijinjing.
Food for healing
In addition to using food to get the nutrients needed to support your health, traditional Chinese medicine considers each food to have a healing essence that targets specific organ systems.
If you have questions about how traditional Chinese medicine may improve your health, call Kevin Lance Jones, OMD, LAc, or schedule an appointment online.
