Classical Chinese Medicine is a comprehensive medical science that has been used in a clinical setting for over 3000 years. Roughly one quarter of the world's population relies on this form of medicine as their primary form of health care. As a healing art, Chinese medicine has an elegant approach to the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Its roots come from the ancient Daoist medical texts of China and according its main theories, disease results from the disruption in the flow of “qi” (vital energy) and imbalance of the forces of “yin and yang.” Additionally, Chinese medicine views the body as a dynamic interplay between the 5 forces of nature: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.  These elements are both reflected in and represented by the “energetic” and functional organs of the human body.  It is the harmony, or disharmony, between these physiological elements or organs that creates health and disease.  Treatment modalities such as herbs, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, massage and the medicinal use of martial arts (Qi Gong and Tai Ji) seek to aid the healing process by restoring the yin-yang balance and freeing the circulation of qi in the anatomical meridians.  When balance is restored, the cause of dis-ease is eliminated, which in turn brings about resolution of the patient’s symptoms.

In Classical Chinese Medicine, the approach of the practitioner is based on holism, emphasizing the importance of treating the whole person and highlighting the connection and communication between mind, body and spirit.  During a typical treatment, the practitioner gathers relevant information about the patient thorough a detailed history including careful intake of symptoms, keen observation of signs, and traditional Chinese tongue and pulse diagnosis. Once a pattern of disharmony is identified, treatment is centered on restoring balance on all levels and ensuring that organ systems are communicating effectively.
>more