Back to Basics- What to expect in the treatment room

A lot of you are already familiar with the style of Chinese Medicine that I practice and know exactly what to expect, so I apologize for being redundant but hopefully you find something new to you in this post anyway. I want to explain some of the “whys” of what I do, and I need to start at the beginning just in case, so stay tuned for the next post that will expand upon Chinese Medicine diagnostics!

Classical Chinese Medicine is a particular school of Chinese Medicine based on the teachings and experience of specific Physicians, mostly originating from the Han Dynasty in Ancient China (Dr. Zhang Zhong Jing specifically), and expanded upon and adapted by many modern Doctors and Scholars. It is sometimes referred to erroneously as Traditional Chinese Medicine but is actually much more complex, with much deeper roots.

When you see a Clinician that practices Classical Chinese Medicine (such as myself) you can expect to have your radial pulse felt on each wrist and examined in great detail, as they will be able to detect subtle changes in quality of the pulse that will indicate where in the body there is an imbalance, and what type of imbalance it is. They will ask to see your tongue, and possibly examine your eyes to gain further insight into the disharmony in your body. Finally they will ask you a number of questions that will provide them with the necessary information they need to make a complete diagnosis within the framework of Classical Chinese Medicine. They will then be able to determine the best course of action to correct the core imbalance that is giving rise to the symptoms you are experiencing.

The physician may decide to use Acupuncture, a custom-made herbal formula or a combination of both to correct the imbalance. If Herbal medicine is determined to be the best treatment for you, the Acupuncture Physician will write a customized formula that may be comprised of anywhere from 2 to 20 carefully selected herbs or minerals, to address the exact underlying imbalance in addition to immediate symptoms you are experiencing. Chinese Herbal Medicine may be prescribed in a concentrated powder form to be mixed with water (the most common and accessible form, I usually prescribe this in my practice), or the physician may put the powdered herbs into capsules for you. Other forms of Chinese herbal medicine are what we call the “teapill”, which is essentially a concentrated, dried and powdered herbal formula mixed with a type of honey-like natural sugar and rolled and dried into small BB sized “pills”. Another common form of Chinese Herbal Medicine is the raw herbal broth that you would boil and prepare per your physician’s instructions, though this is generally reserved in the modern clinical setting for very serious conditions that may require a particularly aggressive herbal treatment.

These herbal formulas are designed to solve imbalances in your body, much in the same way acupuncture works. Some herbal formulas will be used to detoxify your liver or kidneys, some will be used to strengthen different organs that may have a weakness, and some may be used to restore balance amongst specific organs or systems. Sometimes all of these approaches may be taken, depending on the complexity of your health situation.

In Chinese Medicine we work in terms of Yin and Yang, Yin being the structure or anatomy of the body, and Yang being the function, power and physiology of the body. The concepts of Yin and Yang can be applied to nearly any aspect of the universe, from night (yin) and day (yang), to the health and balance of a human body. When either Yin or Yang is either in excess or is deficient, this disrupts the normal function of your body, and can create blockages or weaknesses. The beauty of Chinese Medicine is that using specific diagnostic skills such as detailed observation, palpation, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and asking certain questions about your body’s functions, we are able to detect the imbalances in organ systems, and of Yin and Yang when they are still very slight.

Often times these minor imbalances that will create subtle symptoms will not be apparent on lab tests until they have become so out of balance that they have escalated into a full blown disease or condition. When you are able to detect things early, when they are still just a minor imbalance that is giving you only slightly annoying or uncomfortable symptom, you are able to correct and prevent disease in the future. This is a very strong point of Chinese medicine that conventional western medicine cannot generally offer.

Chinese medicine is an invaluable tool for both maintaining and restoring health; it simply works with your body to allow it to function the way it was designed to. Your body is a perfect machine; modern medicine cannot duplicate the intricate workings of the human body, and thus cannot restore the original state of health you are meant to exist in with its current approach of replacing “pieces” as they break. For example- replacing the weakened pancreas’ function with artificial insulin to control blood sugar, or replacing the degenerated cartilage in the knee with artificial materials to alleviate pain, or the function of the deficient kidneys with diuretic medication to control blood pressure, all of these things ultimately lead to further deterioration of the original organ or body part’s respective function. This approach begins an endless cycle of side effects and new medications, but by restoring the balance of your body naturally, with Chinese Medicine, this “band-aid” approach is not necessary, and your body is allowed to maintain its own health, breaking that cycle.

Next I will talk more specifically about the diagnostic techniques I use in my clinic and how they can help prevent serious health problems down the road while resolving the symptoms you are experiencing now.

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