Acupuncture Treatment

The term “Qi Gong” usually refers to a systematic practice done to help one cultivate and strengthen their Qi. This “practice” helps to improve the circulation of Qi inside your body. There are different types of Qi Gong practice, or to be more accurate, one might say there are different levels of practice. Qi Gong practices for cultivating and moving Qi are done through breathing techniques, meditation practice, the use of imagination, or a guiding technique via body posture and movement. Usually these systems and practices are created from the experience and the understanding of the Qi. Some methods might have existed for thousands of years already, while some methods might have come about or have been slightly modified within just the past one hundred years.

Auriculotherapy, or Auricular therapy, or Ear Acupuncture, is a form of alternative medicine based on the idea that the ear is a microsystem which reflects the entire brain as represented on the auricle (the outer portion of the ear). Conditions affecting the physical, mental or emotional health of the patient are assumed to be treatable by stimulation of the surface of the ear exclusively.

Cupping therapy is an ancient Chinese form of alternative medicine in which a local suction cup is placed on the skin. It is used to mobilize and stimulate the flow of both blood and energy in order to promote healing. Suction is created using heat (fire) or mechanical devices (hand or electrical pumps).

Gua sha is a traditional Chinese medical treatment in which the skin is rubbed in order to pool blood and energy at specific spots on the body. It is believed that gua sha releases unhealthy elements from injured areas and increases blood and energy flow, thus stimulating and quickening the body’s natural healing process.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy using moxa (downy material) made from dried mugwort. It plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China (including Tibet), Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Mongolia. Suppliers usually age the mugwort and grind it up to a fluff. Practitioners burn the fluff or process it further into a cigar-shaped stick (a “moxa pole”). They can use it indirectly, with Acupuncture needles, or burn it on the patient's skin.

Practitioners use moxa to warm regions and Acupuncture points with the intention of stimulating circulation through the points and inducing a smoother flow of qi and blood. Moxibustion is effective in treating cold and dampness in the body, and can also serve to turn breech babies. It is also very good for treating chronic problems, particularly in “deficiency conditions” or a condition of weakness.

Tuina is a Chinese style of bodywork that goes back thousands of years. This form of massage is governed by Oriental medicine and follows many of the same guidelines as acupuncture. Tuina can be used to treat a variety of musculo-skeletal issues. It's a powerful (and relaxing) form of healing. Tuina usually uses more finger pressure and stretching techniques and is done with oil.

Trigger points, also known as trigger sites or muscle knots, are described as hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers. Some of these points are exactly the same as Acupuncture points.

The trigger point model states that unexplained pain frequently radiates from these points of local tenderness to broader areas, sometimes distant from the trigger point itself. Practitioners claim to have identified reliable “referred pain patterns” which associate pain in one location with trigger points elsewhere. There is some variation in the methodology for diagnosis of trigger points and a dearth of theory to explain how they arise and why they produce specific patterns of referred pain.

Compression of a trigger point may elicit local tenderness, referred pain, or the “local twitch response”. The local twitch response is not the same as a muscle spasm. This is because a muscle spasm refers to the entire muscle contracting whereas the local twitch response only involves a small twitch to the entire muscle but not contraction of the entire muscle.

Among MDs, many specialists are well versed in trigger point diagnosis and therapy. These include physiatrists (physicians specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation), family medicine, and orthopedics. Osteopathic as well as chiropractic schools also include trigger points in their training. Other health professionals, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists and structural integrators are also aware of these ideas and many of them make use of trigger points in their clinical work as well.

The “Dao” or the “Way” is a focus on being harmonious with the things surrounding you. This can include everything from your job, your family, your friends and daily events that come up in one’s life. A Daoist attitude encourages one to stay calm and observe the circulation of everything in the world. This “content observation” allows you to live a more relaxed, satisfying, happy, and healthy life. It is said to be the basic self-training for longevity. Understanding some of the key concepts of Daoist Medical Arts can help many people who are suffering from illness; particularly mental related issues.