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Dr. Maryam Mahanian, DTCM, RAc
What is Chinese Medicine & Why It's Effective!
Chinese Medicine is an effective system of healing that originated in China approximately 3000 years ago.
It was used as the sole source of medicine long before western medicine existed. It’s still used today by over one third of the world’s population.
Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine use tools including Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Massage, and Dietary/Supplement recommendations in order to restore balance and health to the body. A wide variety of conditions are treated and prevented with Chinese Medicine, which include:
pain management
stress
weight gain
menstrual disorders
menopause
digestive problems
insomnia
depression
fatigue
men’s disorders
migraine headaches
skin disorders, such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis
Acupuncture
According the World Health Organization (WHO), Acupuncture is the fastest growing health care segment in the world.
Acupuncture stimulates the flow of energy and blood while bringing the body back into balance. This is performed via the painless insertion of very thin, disposable needles into specific points in the body. It’s a wide misconception the sole use of acupuncture is to treat back pain, as it can treat a wide variety of internal conditions, such as constipation, insomnia, addictions, fatigue, PMS, and asthma.
A typical acupuncture treatment takes up to 45 minutes. If the problem presented is pain, acupressure massage may be incorporated. Most people find acupuncture to be a painless and extremely relaxing and comfortable procedure.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Very often I prescribe a “Chinese herbal formula” which consists of many Chinese herbs, combined together in small concentrations, personalized towards the unique diagnosis of each patient. This method provides better results than taking a single herb, and doesn’t involve any side effects.
The Chinese herbs I commonly prescribe in the clinic are in a powder form and the patient mixes the powder with hot water to make a tea; however, many other forms can be prescribed, including tinctures, capsules, or ointments. Some examples of these herbs are found in my Health Shop. Also, I will usually recommend that patients make specific dietary changes. This plays an important role towards re-balancing the body and promoting good health.
Electroacupuncture
Needles are inserted on certain acupuncture points along the body and then attached to a device that generates continuous electric impulses using small clips. These devices are used to adjust the frequency and intensity of the impulse being delivered, depending on the condition being treated. Electroacupuncture uses two needles at a time so that the impulses can pass from one needle to the other. Several pairs of needles can be stimulated simultaneously, usually for no more than 30 minutes.
According to the principle of Chinese Medicine, illness is caused when Qi (energy) does not flow properly throughout the body. TCM Doctors determine whether the Qi is weak, stagnant, or otherwise out of balance. This indicates which points should be used. Electroacupuncture is especially useful for conditions in which the Qi is stagnant and accumulated, such as chronic pain syndromes, or in cases where the Qi is difficult to stimulate. Electroacupuncture is used for a variety of conditions. It’s been effectively used as a form of anesthesia, a pain reliever for muscle spasms, and a treatment for neurological disorders.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a technique that involves the burning of an herb called mugwort to facilitate healing. Commonly known as “moxa,” this herb is burned above the skin at certain acupuncture points. The purpose of moxa, as with most techniques in Chinese Medicine, is to strengthen blood, stimulate the flow of Qi and blood, and maintain general health.
The practitioner lights one end of a moxa stick (roughly the size and shape of a cigar) and holds it close to the treated area for several minutes, usually until the area turns red. Another way of doing moxa is to wrap the moxa on the tip of the needle after it is inserted into the skin. This generates heat to the point and to the surrounding area.
Moxa is used on patients who have a excess cold or a stagnant condition. The moxa expels cold and warms the meridians, which leads to a smoother flow of Qi (energy) and blood. It has been used successfully to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women suffering from breech positions before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxa at a specific acupuncture point on the little toe. Other studies have shown that moxa increases the movement of the fetus in pregnant women, and may reduce the symptoms of menstrual cramps when used in conjunction with acupuncture.
Although moxa has been used safely in Chinese medicine for centuries, it’s not for everyone. Because it’s used specifically for patients suffering from cold or stagnant constitutions, it shouldn’t be used on anyone diagnosed with too much heat and dry symptoms. Moxa produces a great deal of smoke and a pungent odor, therefore the practitioner will use an alternative to moxa for patients with respiratory problems.
Cupping
Cupping is a method commonly used after an Acupuncture session or sometimes used instead of the Acupuncture.
It treats disease by causing local congestion. A partial vacuum is created in certain small plastic or glass jars, usually by means of heat (when glass cups are used), which are then applied to the skin, drawing up the underlying tissue/ muscle and forming blood stagnation. This method is very effective for injuries, arthritis, and many other common complaints.
Single cups may be applied to smaller areas and several cups to a wider region. The cups may be moved over large flat areas as well, (known as “moving cupping”). This process feels like a massage, though generally more effective.
Acupressure Massage
Acupressure is given instead of, or in addition to, acupuncture. Acupressure is essentially acupuncture without needles. Different massage methods are used with strong stimulation to specific acupuncture points on the body.
If a patient comes to the clinic with acute or chronic pain as their main complaint, I’ll always end the acupuncture treatment with massage. Acupressure works like acupuncture to stimulate the flow of Qi (energy) and blood along the meridians to heal the body. It’s very comfortable and relaxing, and is usually the patient’s favorite part of the treatment.
I am now pioneering self-acupressure treatments to help my patients take greater control of their health right in the comfort of their own home. Learn more here.
Diet Therapy & Chinese Medicine Food Cures
