What Is Eastern Asian Medicine?
Eastern Asian Medicine is a whole medical system that has been used for thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. It is based on the concept that Qi (the body’s vital energy, prounounced “chee”) flows along meridians or channels throughout the body and keeps a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health in balance.
The framework of Eastern Asian Medicine has evolved over 2300 years into a comprehensive, internally coherent philosophy. Polar opposites which are bound into balanced union are the basis of this philosophy: Yin and Yang, Earth and Heaven, night and day, cold and hot, wet and dry, inner and outer, body and mind, are some examples. When these pairs are balanced and in harmony, health flourishes. When the healthy balance of this energy is disturbed due to trauma, poor diet, medications, stress, hereditary conditions, environmental factors, or excessive emotional issues, the result is pain or illness.
Eastern Asian Medicine focuses on correcting these imbalances, thereby stimulating the body’s natural ability to heal itself. In other words, Eastern Asian medicine focuses on treating the factors that cause disease.
Eastern Asian Medicine includes Acupuncture, Diet Therapy, Herbal Therapy, Meditation, therapeutic/restorative physical exercise (such as Qi-Gong and Tai Qi), Moxibustion, and Massage. Eastern Asian Medicine is also called Traditional Chinese Medicine or “TCM.”
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the major treatment methods used in Eastern Asian medicine. Like all healing techniques used in this ancient medical system, Acupuncture works with the body’s inherent vital energy, or “Qi” (pronounced “chee”). Early practitioners of Eastern Asian medicine discovered that this vital energy flows along specific pathways called “meridians” or “channels”. Acupuncture points are specific locations on the meridians which, when stimulated with either finger pressure or acupuncture needles, are able to affect the flow of energy through the meridians. Though no one knows precisely how this happens, modern research has been able to demonstrate that the acupuncture points are indeed physiologically different from non-acupuncture points in that they
are areas on the body which have increased electrical conductivity. Researchers have also found that the slender needles induce the release of endorphins and cortisone which are the body’s natural pain killers.
When performed by a trained professional, acupuncture is a very safe procedure. Acupuncture needles are sterile and are very fine – only about the diameter of a human hair. The acupuncturist first inserts these fine, flexible needles to their proper depth, which depends on the area of the body being treated and the thickness of the patient’s body tissue. The practitioner then stimulates the needles either by manipulating them manually or by attaching them to a small electro-acupuncture device which uses a 9-volt battery to produce a small electrical pulse.
Stimulation of the acupuncture points acts to clear blockages of energy, balance any excesses or deficiencies of energy, and promote the normal flow of Qi through the meridians. Restoring the proper flow of Qi through the meridians helps the body mobilize and enhance its own natural self-healing mechanisms, thus treating or preventing illness. After the initial stimulation of the acupuncture needles, the patient then typically rests with the needles in place. During the treatment, heat may be applied to certain areas of the body or specific needles through the use of far-infrared (or “TDP”) lamps or the use of moxibustion. While the patient rests, the acupuncturist may also check the patient’s pulses to determine if the desired therapeutic effect has been achieved.
A typical acupuncture treatment lasts anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the condition being treated. Most people don’t find the insertion of the needles or their stimulation painful, though they may experience sensations of heaviness, achiness, fullness or tingling in the area where the needle is inserted. They may also experience a sensation of Qi flowing along the meridians. Most people find acupuncture to be quite relaxing and some even fall asleep during treatment. At the conclusion of the treatment, the needles are removed and discarded. The practitioner will then review any home care, herbal formulas, exercises or therapeutic diet recommendations with the patient.
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine a major treatment method used in Eastern Asian Medicine. Herbal preparations are most often taken internally, though there are some that are used externally in poultices, washes and liniments. The Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia includes hundreds of substances from the plant, animal and mineral kingdoms that have medicinal effects. Each herb has unique properties such as temperature (cooling, warming or neutral), flavor (sour, bitter, acrid, sweet or bland), and action (lifting, sinking or harmonizing) and exerts its unique effects on specific meridians and internal organs. There are categories of herbs which have similar properties much as there are classes of drugs in Western medicine which have similar functions.
There are many differences between Western drugs and Chinese herbs
that are important to understand, however. Drugs are highly refined, concentrated chemical substances that are often synthesized in laboratories (though some are highly refined plant or animal substances) and usually have a very narrowly focused effect aimed at alleviating a particular symptom. They tend to be quite strong and quick in their actions and may have significant side effects associated with their use which might require the use of additional drugs to control.
Chinese herbs, on the other hand, are generally raw substances found in the natural world. Though there are a few herbs that have the potential to be toxic if misused, overall, herbs are generally much milder, gentler, and slower acting than drugs and have few side effects. Many foods are even considered to be “herbs” in Eastern Asian Medicine. Sometimes people turn to herbal medicine because they cannot tolerate the side effects of certain prescription drugs, and may find that the use of herbs under the guidance of a knowledgeable licensed practitioner can even decrease or eliminate the need for certain prescription drugs. However, your primary care provider should always be consulted before altering the dosage of, or discontinuing the use of, a prescription drug, to ensure that this is safe.
Chinese herbs are nearly always prescribed in formulas rather than singly. A formula typically contains from three to fifteen herbs. These formulas are designed to address multiple symptoms and patterns of disharmony at the same time. The combination of herbs used in each formula is chosen very carefully and is specifically tailored to match both the unique combination of symptoms you are experiencing and your underlying constitutional picture.
Usually, a formula will have several different types of ingredients in it. There is always at least one “chief” herb which is aimed at treating the major symptom or pattern of disease. Additionally, there may be one or more “assistant” herbs that reinforce the actions of the chief herb, deal with secondary symptoms or patterns of disease, or eliminate potential side effects of other herbs in the formula. There is also often a “guiding” herb in the formula that serves either to focus the effects of the formula on certain meridians or areas of the body, or to harmonize and integrate the actions of other herbs in the formula.
There are several different ways that formulas can be given to patients. You may be given raw herbs to take home and boil into a tea to drink, or to use as a topical poultice, wash or douche. Granules are a powdered form of the herbs which can be simply reconstituted with water or other liquid to drink, or put in foods such as applesauce or yogurt to eat. Both decoctions and granules are advantageous in that the practitioner can choose the specific herbs to be included in the formula based on your individual symptom and constitutional picture. There are also pill forms of various classical herbal formulas (often called “patent” medicines) that many patients find very effective and convenient to take. Most of the classical Chinese herbal formulas have been used for thousands of years under careful observation with few, if any, significant side effects noted, when prescribed by a well-trained, knowledgeable and experienced practitioner.
When prescribing an herbal formula or patent medicine, the practitioner pays careful attention to any other prescription drugs, vitamins, or supplements you are taking, and known allergies, so as to avoid drug-herb interactions or other side effects. The provider will also take into account your overall constitution, level of health, lifestyle, and temperament in choosing which preparation will likely provide the best result for you. Because herbs generally take longer than prescription drugs to have the desired effect, you may take your herbal preparations for several weeks or months. And, because Eastern Asian Medicine strives to treat the underlying cause of the problem, this length of time may be required in order to effectively address the contributing factors of the disharmony.
The manufacturers of the herbal products we sell in our pharmacy are carefully chosen for their attention to strict quality control standards, and regular monitoring to avoid contamination, adulteration or substitution of incorrect plant species, and are recognized as leaders in the field. Several combine the latest biochemical research with traditional formula actions to provide the best possible synthesis of ancient traditional knowledge with modern scientific research.
Please note: Herbal preparations may not be purchased from our pharmacy without your first consulting with one of our independent practitioners.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion (also called “Moxa”) is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of a dried herb, Mugwort, to promote healing. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years. In fact, the Chinese character for “Acupuncture” when translated literally means “Acupuncture-Moxibustion.” The purpose of Moxibustion is to balance disharmonies, stimulate the flow of Qi, and maintain and promote optimal health.
There are two types of moxibustion: direct and indirect. In the United States, direct moxibustion is occasionally used, though indirect moxibustion is more common. With indirect moxibustion, an acupuncturist lights the moxa stick, roughly the shape and size of a cigar, and holds it close to the area being treated for several minutes until the area turns light red, and a pleasant warming sensation is felt by the patient.
What is Moxibustion used for?
Moxibustion therapy is used for people who have a cold or stagnant condition as diagnosed in Eastern Asian Medicine. The burning of moxa is used to expel cold and warm the meridians, which leads to smoother flow of Qi and blood.
In Western medicine, moxibustion has been successfully used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women with breech presentation babies, and who received moxibustion at a specific point on the Bladder meridian, had their babies rotate to the normal position.
Other studies have shown that moxibustion increases the movement of the fetus in pregnant women, and may reduce the symptoms of menstrual cramps when used in conjunction with traditional acupuncture.
Why do acupuncturists use mugwort?
Mugwort, also known as Artemisia vulgaris, or “Ai Ye” in Chinese, has a long history of use in folk medicine. Research has shown that it acts as an agent that increases blood circulation to the pelvic area and uterus and stimulates menstruation. This could explain its use in treating breech births and menstrual cramps. This herb is also unique in the Pharmacopeia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in that it is the only herb said to go to all twelve major acupuncture meridians or channels.
Are there any precautions I should be aware of?
Although moxibustion has been safely used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, it is not for everyone. Because it is used specifically for patients suffering from cold or stagnant constitutions, it should not be used on anyone diagnosed with pronounced heat symptoms. Burning moxa also produces a pungent odor, and some smoke. Patients with respiratory problems may request that their practitioner use smokeless moxa sticks as an alternative.
Who can perform Moxibustion?
Moxibustion is usually taught as part of a qualified acupuncture or Traditional Chinese Medicine degree program. Although there are no licensing or accreditation requirements associated with the practice of moxibustion, in the United States, a practitioner must have an acupuncture license to be allowed to perform moxibustion. In Oregon, moxibustion is specifically included in the scope of practice for Licensed Acupuncturists, according to state statute.