Modalities of Chinese Medicine
TCM practitioners utilize multiple modalities, which are used individually or in combination to achieve general and specific health care objectives. Amongst these modalities acupuncture has captured the attention of the world and is fast becoming one of the most popular natural treatment methods today. Following are the modalities of Chinese Medicine:
Medical Qigong Therapy
Energetic modulation applied to the body to cleanse, gather, circulate, balance and strengthen the body's energetic system.
- Self-regulation - This aspect involves the instruction, guidance and monitoring of practices individually designed to meet specific needs.
- Qi emission - This aspect is applied as energetic bodywork through touching or non-touching methods to rebalance patterns of energetic dysfunction.
Involves a number of different techniques such as Tui Na, Acupressure, and An Mo to manipulate the soft tissue and influence the flow of energy in the body throughout the meridian system.
Fine, disposable, sterile, one-use needles are used to open or close specific points grouped along certain lines of energy flow called meridians, which go deep into the body. Disease, for example is prevented or treated by stimulating or reducing the flow of vital energy of "chi" through specific points in the body. Vital energy then is strengthened or sedated, monitored, and balanced to achieve the desired result.
Programs restore balance within the body using food therapy which recognizes the energetic properties of food specific for individual constitutions with the seasons.
Considered "special foods", herbs can be taken in various forms such as: teas, tinctures, powders, liniments, extracts, plasters, capsules, pills, etc. They are very effective in nourishing, strengthening and regulating the flows of energy throughout the body.
Other modalities commonly used with the above:
- Moxabustion - a form of herbal heat therapy
- Cupping - suction cups are used for the purgation of pathogenic factors as well as stiffness and pain
- Scraping - sometimes called "coining" has similar use as cupping as well as deep massage
- Magnets - used to influence the polarities of the energetic flow to manage pain and other ailments