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China Spring Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine

What is Herbal Medicine?

The term "Herbal Medicine" makes reference to a number of practices, especially acupuncture and herbal formulas and their theoretical basis. China was one of the first countries to have a medical culture. In comparison with Western method, Chinese medicine takes a far different approach. With a history of over 5,000 years, it has formed a deep and immense knowledge of medical science, theory, diagnostic methods, prescriptions and cures.

Relative Properties - Yin and Yang

The Physiology of Chinese medicine holds that the optimal human body's life is the result of the harmonious of yin and yang. Yin is the inner and negative principles, and yang is the outer and positive principles. The key reason why there is sickness is because the inner balance was disturbed. Seen from the recovery mechanism of organs, yang functions to protect from outer harm, and yin is the inner base to store and provide energy for its counterpart.

Basic Substance

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physicians believe that vital energy - moving and energetic particles, state of blood, and body fluid are the essential substances that compose together to form the human body, and the basis for internal organs to process. They are channeled along a network within the body (Meridian) as their channels. On the physical side, vital energy serving to promote and warm belongs to the properties of yang, and blood and body fluid to moisten possesses the properties of yin.

Four Methods of Diagnosis in TCM

It is a wonder that Chinese medicine doctors could diagnosis and cure countless patients without the use of many fancy assistant apparatus. The four methods of diagnosis consist of observation, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, pulse taking and palpation.

  • Observation indicates that doctors directly watch the outward appearance to know a patient's condition. As the exterior and interior corresponds immediately, when the inner organs run wrongly, it will be reflected through skin pallor, tongue, the facial sensory organs and some excrement.

 

  • Auscultation and olfaction is a way for doctors to collect messages through hearing the sound and smelling the odor. This is another reference for diagnosis.

 

  • Interrogation suggests that doctors question the patient and his relatives, so as to know the symptoms, evolution of the disease and previous treatments.

 

  • The taking of the pulse and palpation refer that doctors noting the pulse condition of patients on the radial artery, and then to know the inner change of symptom. Doctors believe that when the organic function is normal, the pulse, frequency, and intension of pulse will be relatively stable, and when not, variant.

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What conditions can be treated with Herbal Therapies?

Herbal therapy can be a powerful tool if used correctly. Herbal Therapy can be effective as the only treatment used, or as an adjunct to other treatments in many medical and surgical disorders. Almost all conditions can be helped with proper herbal therapy. The only safe way to find out if herbs could help with a particular problem is to consult with a trained professional. Together you can discuss the pros and cons of herbal therapy and of possible drug interactions.  

Is Herbal Medicine Safe? 

Herbal Medicines are safe when taken by the instruction of a competent practitioner. Herbs have been used in almost all cultures for centuries to fight illness and promote health. Even today in America we are using a form of Herbology without even realizing it, for example, when you season your food with various aromatic herbs and spices, many times you are not only making the food you eat taste better, but also improving it’s digestibility and nutritional value. Some herbs can have a very strong action on the body, so discretion has to be taken when using them. When used correctly under the supervision of a trained professional, herbs can be extremely successful without any or very minimal side effects. The reported harmful implications with herbs were primarily from improper employ at excessive dosage, without proper medical supervision. 

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