~How is Chinese Medicine Different?~
A famous example of how Chinese medicine is practically different from
orthodox medicine was demonstrated in a research project on patients with
ulcers. First, the patients were seen by an MD and given a diagnosis; then
the same patients went to a Chinese medicine doctor who diagnosed according
to the theories and practices of Chinese medicine. While the western
physicians gave all the patients a diagnosis of ulcers, the Chinese
medicine practitioners discriminated six different types of patterns of
disharmony treated very differently; sometimes one pattern directly the
opposite of another; for example, using warming methods for one and cooling
for another.
The diagnostic differentiation is based on 10 different independent
theoretical approaches all of which the practitioner is mindful during the
basic 4 exams of looking, listening & smelling, questioning, and
palpation. Makeup or brushing the tongue could skew the looking exam and
fragrances can interfere with the smelling exam. The theories are used as
they fit into the diagnostics and when they don’t particularly fit they
aren’t considered in the diagnostics and treatment principles. This is a
very different viewpoint than western medicine which has a more linear type
of thinking and in which theories dovetail into each other. This is why
frequently Chinese medicine concepts are difficult to articulate to a
western audience. The Chinese view is more circular and situational.
Some of the theories may appear familiar as other disciplines have
"borrowed" ideas from Chinese medicine. Space only allows a
listing of the ten basic theories. The Yin Yang Theory, The Eight
Principles, The Five Elements, The Theory of Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids;
The Bowels and Viscera, The Six Exogenous Pathogens, The Shan Han Lun (Cold
affecting the Six Channels), The Wen Bing (Febrile Contracted Diseases
affecting the Four Levels), The Three Jiaos (Burners), and Disease Cause
Theory.
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~How is Chinese Medicine Used?~
There are eight branches of health in Chinese medicine. Meditation,
Exercise (T'ai Chi & Chi Gong), Diet / Nutrition, Astrology (1998 is
the year of the Tiger), Geomancy (Feng Shui), Massage (Tui Na), Acupuncture
+ Moxibustion (a heat therapy), and Herbology. These branches of health are
contained in the major classics in Chinese Medicine dating from the Nei
Jing, about 200 BCE (Before Christian Era) to the Ching Dynasty (1700 CE).
Each of these branches has three attainment levels:
The Yogic which has very strict disciplines are not for the
average person; the unusual regimes can change a persons physiology;
The Preventive level in which one lives harmoniously within
change patterns; and
The Remedial in which one requires a lot of help to reverse a
disorder/disease.
Historically it was expected that all of the first six of the eight
branches were to be practiced at the remedial level, and if disease
persisted only then remedial acupuncture and herbology would be used.
The end result of this medical practice is the body is strengthened;
this is a key concept as the value of the practice is above and beyond
curing illness. It is about balancing the mind, body, and spirit so the
innate intelligence of the body heals itself. After an acupuncture session
one frequently gains a sense of clarity and acuity of the senses as well as
a sense of well being.
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~How is Chinese Medicine Practiced?~
In the US, Chinese medicine is mostly practiced in private clinics
seeing a general clientele with internal medicine issues. Some of these
clinics have herbology only, acupuncture only, or a mix of herbology and
acupuncture. Some teach t’ai chi/chi gong, Chinese nutrition, feng shui
for health, meditation, perform massage and/or use Chinese astrology to
guide the patient in lifestyle adjustments as an adjunct to the acupuncture
/ herb practice. Because of the completely different approach to health and
disease Chinese medicine works especially well in tandem with orthodox
medicine. For example, Chinese medicine methods work to decrease the side
effects of orthodox medicine for chemo or AIDS patients. And it works
together with traditional modalities like physical therapy and occupational
therapy in the rehab of a stroke or spinal cord injured patient.
There are also specialized clinics in large cities which cater to a
specific specialty such as addiction detox clinics, pain clinics, AIDS
clinics, Neonatal clinics to teach Moms how to work towards reversal of
fetal alcohol syndrome or for "crack babies" Moms; carpal
tunnel/repetitive strain injury clinics; neuro clinics for stroke patients;
or GYN clinics. There are more specialties; this is to name only a few. As
Chinese medicine becomes accepted in the USA, there are more and more
hospitals and doctors willing to collaborate with Chinese medicine
practitioners in providing health care to patients.
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~Is it Accepted?~
As consumers of medicine become more aware and expectant of a variety of
available services, more insurance companies are willing to reimburse
patients the health care costs for Chinese medicine care. Consumers need to
pressure insurance groups, sometimes.
The US government has funded more than $1 million in research for the
study of acupuncture’s effectiveness in many areas of internal medicine.
In 1995 12 million Americans received acupuncture treatment and the number
of persons seeking acupuncture increases substantially every year.
The World Health Organization, the medical branch of the United Nations,
issued a list of 41 diseases suitable to be treated with acupuncture. Thus
it is very common to see a long list of treatable diseases in the ads of
acupuncturists. The practitioners want to convey the wide variety of
treatable internal medicine conditions that has gained world recognition.
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~How is Acupuncture Done?~
Acupuncture is commonly performed with sterile disposable needles. Those
who don’t use disposable needles are required to conform to strict
resterilization procedures regulated by each state. It is acceptable to ask
your practitioner if he/she uses disposables if this is a concern to you.
Thin needles are inserted into a number of acupuncture points; the
selection is based on the client’s diagnosis, pattern discrimination, and
treatment principles. Practitioners from different theoretical backgrounds
have different methods of insertion or stimulation or use a differing
number of needles, but they always use a prescription method based on the
treatment principles. Some acupuncturists use only body points, some use
only ear points, or hand points, or only scalp points; some use a
combination of the entire set of all body points.
Sometimes a practitioner will use electric stimulation with acupuncture
needles for a specific desired effect. There is microamp and milliamp
stimulation used for different effects.
A lot of information is available now regarding the electromagnetic
field of the human body and it is found that acupuncture needles and their
manipulation are affecting this electromagnetic field even without the
electric stimulation apparatus. Sometimes moxa is used to warm the needle
for a more tonifying effect.
