"The human condition is unique in that we are the embodiment of heaven(yang) and earth(yin). It is our job as humans to figure out how to embody heaven on earth."
East Asian Medicine also referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine combines Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Tui-Na (Chinese Massage), Moxibustion, Gua-sha, Cupping Therapy, Dietary Therapy and Qi Gong to promote and restore balance within the mind and body. These modalities are highly effective in the treatment of various disease patterns and have been used in China for over 2,500 years.
East Asian Medicine is based on the Daoist principal that when yin and yang are in right relationship or harmony with one another, health and wellbeing ensue. Yin and Yang are large concepts, but the basic tenant is that they are opposite forces and together they create life. In relation to the human body, the physical form is Yin and the body’s functions are yang. This creates a dynamic relationship whereby Yin and Yang are interdependent. The Yin/form and Yang/energy of the body are in direct relation to the universe as a whole. The human condition is unique in that we are the embodiment of heaven(yang) and earth(yin). It is our job as humans to figure out how to embody heaven on earth. And the job of the practitioner help that process happen.
Acupuncture is based on the premise that all living beings have a vital energy, called "qi", that circulates through twelve main channels in the body called meridians. Each meridian is associated with an organ system and all the organ systems of the body are connected through these meridians. Consequently, an imbalance in the flow of qi throughout a meridian may affect the whole body and is how disease begins. Imbalances within the meridians can be caused by a myriad of internal or external factors including emotions, weather changes, external trauma, diet and lifestyle.
The purpose of Acupuncture is to re-establish a balance of Qi flow (yang) within the meridians and thereby strengthen the functioning of the organ systems (yin) within the body. This Qi flow within the meridians can be compared to the water flow of a river. When river water is backed up due to boulders or other blockages, excess water collects on one end of the blockage and is unable to get downstream. This lack of water flow can lead to the malnourishment of plant and animal life on one end, while the excess water accumulation can lead to the erosion of riverbanks and unhealthy swamp like conditions on the other end. The same can be said of the human body. Stagnant Qi can exist in one meridian, while another is deficient. Removing the boulders can re-establish healthy water flow throughout the whole river, just as acupuncture can re-establish healthy Qi flow throughout the whole body.
Herbal Medicine is used in conjunction with Acupuncture or alone in order to treat a wide variety of conditions. Herbal formulas are given based upon the specific presentation of the patient. This means that formulas are individualized and no one formula is given uniformly.
Tui-Na, Moxibustion, Gua-sha, Cupping Therapy and Electric Stimulation (e-stim) are often used along side Acupuncture in relieving stagnation in the body. They are very effective adjunctive therapies in the treatment of pain. Please see the “Services tab” for more information.
ARTICLES
According to physician-scientists at the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, acupuncture offers potential benefits for fertility treatment, including the stimulation of increased uterine blood flow and fertility hormones. Continue to article.
Acupuncture and Fertility
This is the first big study that uncovered the benefits of receiving acupuncture before and after assisted reproductive therapy procedures. Continue to article.
Acupuncture and In Vitro Fertilization
A randomized controlled trial concluded that acupuncture was “more effective in improving pain than no acupuncture treatments in patients with chronic low back pain.” Continue to article.
Acupuncture AND Low Back Pain
A randomized controlled trial concluded that acupuncture seems to "provide improvement in function and pain relief as an adjunctive therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee." Continue to article.