Traditional Chinese Medicine is an umbrella term that encompasses several treatment modalities. In my practice, I am licensed to utilize Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Lifestyle Therapy, Dietary Therapy, Cupping Therapy, Gua Sha, Face Reading, Massage, Moxibustion, and Auricular therapy.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves the use of very thin, sterile needles that stimulate certain areas of the body to help bring the body into a harmonic state by:
- balancing the flow and movement of qi* (there is no one word in the English language to translate this Chinese word) in the channels (also known as meridians) of the body that flow into the Organs
- calming the mind
- the myofascial release of trigger points
- improving circulation
* The Chinese word qi as translated by Paul W. Kroll in A Student’s Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese:
- effluvium, vapor(ous); fumes.
a) Exhalation; breath(e). - vital breath, pneuma, energizing breath, life-force, material force. The force, characterized by a blending of yin and yang, that animates each living creature and also runs through the inanimate universe; regarded as hybrid or dual in nature, described as neither just matter nor just energy, or rather as matter-energy. Different compositions of qi from the most light and rarefied to the most heavy and substantial, make up the “myriad things”(wanwu 萬物)) that exist; Qi is the basic constituent element of the universe.
a) vitality, energy; zest, spirit; zeal, gusto
b) inspiration, aspiration
c) power, strength; impelling force. - air, aura atmosphere; climate, weather
a) any of the 24 fortnightly periods, or nodes (jie 節) of the solar year
b) flavor; smell, scent - disposition, mood, spirit; temper(ament); mettle, fortitude
a) style, manner, mode of writing or behaviour, esp. as revealing of individual character.
Cupping Therapy
Cupping is a wonderful tool that feels like a deep muscle release in areas of stagnation and tension. Different areas of the body can have cupping applied depending on the condition being treated: back, neck, arms, legs, stomach, and face. Some forms of cupping I use in my treatments are:
- sliding cupping (moving the cups along the back or other part of the body lubricated with oil)
- static cupping (cups remain in one spot for a length of time)
- pop style cupping (cups quickly pop on and off in a sequence along the sides of the spine)
There are many benefits to cupping therapy:
- Increases qi and blood circulation in the body
- Clears phlegm or fluid congestion in the lungs
- Oxygenates muscles
- Draws inflammation out of the body
- Releases the fascia and muscles in areas of tension
Herbal Medicine
I hold a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner Licence which qualifies me to prescribe TCM herbal medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal formulas are made up of one or more medicinal ingredients (herbs, roots, flowers, leaves, branches, seeds, mushrooms, shells, minerals, etc.) used in a synergistic combination depending on a person’s unique constitution and imbalance.
I use herbal formulas that are vigorously tested, made in Taiwan, exceed the current GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards, and are checked once more upon arrival in Canada by Eastern Currents where they do identity testing and a rotational testing program.
Herbal formulas can be used to help treatment for many different conditions such as:
- Arthritis
- Colds
- Constipation
- Coughs
- Digestive issues
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Infertility
- Insomnia
- Lowered immunity
- Menopausal symptoms
- Menstrual cycle issues
- Seasonal allergies
Lifestyle Therapy
TCM is a holistic medicine, taking into consideration how we live our lives each day:
- How do we sleep and restore?
- What kinds of foods, supplements and/or toxins do we ingest?
- What is the flow between movement and resting?
- Is there cultivation of spiritual practices or lack thereof (i.e., meditation, journaling, chanting, mindfulness, etc.)?
- What kind of work do we do and do we enjoy it?
- Is there a history of trauma, injuries or accidents?
- How much attention is paid to environmental toxins, hundreds of which are endocrine disrupting chemicals through our skincare, sunscreen, hair, makeup, packaging, or cleaning products?
- How is our connection to family, friends and community?
- How is our connection to nature?
Face Reading
Face reading has been a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, dating back thousands of years, and can be used as an effective diagnostic tool. By observing the colour, plumpness, hollowness, certain wrinkles, or changes in the face, it is possible to detect imbalances in health- sometimes before they have manifested. Wrinkles can lighten or even disappear by learning lessons from our past, releasing emotional trauma, cultivating creativity, nourishing and nurturing our lives and bodies, and regulating emotions. The face also helps us to understand personality, natural talents, or abilities and marks the trauma and difficult times that someone has gone through.
I was fortunate to have been trained in face-reading by the late Lillian Pearl Bridges who was world-renowned for her face-reading skill. She taught that the face is like a hologram, a three-dimensional projection of our inner selves. Her lifelong study of the face started at the age of five with her grandmother, transmitting the knowledge from a long line of Master Chinese practitioners in her Chen family lineage.
My favorite quotes from her book are:
“What is most important about the changing face is the growth of the individual’s spirit, essence, or soul.”
“There are gifts and lessons from every syndrome, disability, and disease. Sometimes it is important to be sick. The ancient Chinese had a marvelous saying, “Bless every illness because it has not killed you.” They believed illness taught you the right way to go from that point on, to correct you so you could steer yourself away from the dangerous direction that you were headed.”
-Face Reading in Chinese Medicine second edition, Lillian Bridges
Massage
I incorporate massage and touch into my sessions as this allows me to feel the areas of stagnation (blockage), tune into the energy of the body, and start to move the qi. Massage is a wonderful way to reduce pain and discomfort and helps with circulation.
Moxibustion
I use smokeless, infrared moxibustion in the clinic.
Moxibustion involves the use of the herb Ai Ye (Mugwort) to incorporate warmth and circulation into certain points along the channels (acupuncture points), over joints, or specific areas of pain or tension in the body.
The benefits of moxibustion are:
- Stimulates the flow of qi.
- Reduces pain
- Reduces inflammation for chronic inflammatory pain such as arthritis (especially the kind of arthritis that is worse in cold-damp climates)
- Nourishes Blood
- Can be used to turn a breech baby position
- Can help to stop abnormal uterine bleeding
- Increases energy and warmth of the body