Treatments & Therapies

Traditional Chinese Medicine

There are an infinite number of ways to name and describe the universe around us and our relationship to it. From these descriptions arise our philosophies, (our thoughts and feelings), and it is our philosophies, both personal and societal, which dictate what we can, or can’t experience; the relationships we can and can’t see; the possible from the impossible. Medicine, as a description of life, and as a philosophy of relationships, is no different.

The whole is more than the sum of its parts. The human body is not a machine, with separate parts that are replaced when broken. Nor is it a collection of random symptoms to be suppressed with drugs. Rather, it is the expression of fluid, physiological function, which may, or may not be in balance with itself, or its environment.

It is with this observation of natural processes that Chinese Medicine has evolved over at least the last 2500 years, to describe the human condition in all of its complexities; physically, functionally, psychologically, and philosophically. With this model, we can accurately describe, and thus treat, the “whole person”, physically, energetically, and spiritually.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a healing modality that uses needles, heat (in the form of moxa), cupping, electrical stimulation, or manual stimulation, on specifically chosen points on the body that have been shown to have a positive effect upon the symptoms and conditions presented by the patient. While this healing modality is documented in china as far back as 2,500 years, it has been suggested that its history is far older (perhaps 5,000 years), as demonstrated by such anthropological evidence as Oetzi the ice man.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is a rich tradition within the field of Chinese medicine, and has guided the majority of Chinese medical philosophy for the last 1,600 years. This system of medicine is based upon a complex and highly detailed observation of the symptomology and patho-mechanisms of disease states in contrast to a prototypically healthy individual. This observation, and the observations over the last several thousand years, of the effects of specifically chosen herbs, has allowed a highly detailed, effective, and thoughtful branch of medicine to arise. It is from this body of experience, that skilled practitioners can accurately tailor complex herbal formulas to the individual needs of the patient, with higher efficacy and fewer side effects than many conventional medicines.

Tuina Massage

Tuina is a type of massage in Chinese Medicine.   Unlike most forms of massage that are more commonly available, which are primarily focused on stress relief and relaxation, Tuina is a distinctly therapeutic.  It is not focused on patient relaxation, but rather upon effective and dramatic symptom relief.  The massage techniques are quite different than Swedish massage, or even Shiatsu, and involve pressure, manipulation, and plucking techniques.

Cupping

Cupping is the use of suction upon specific areas of muscle pain on the body.  It is a painless therapy that gently (but strongly) creates space between the muscle and fascia layers of the body, thereby encouraging blood flow to the area relieve inflammation, muscle contraction, and to loosen the musculature in the treatment of musculo-skeletal disorders.