What is Chinese medicine?

Chinese medicine, often called traditional Chinese medicine, is a form of healthcare centered on the concepts of harmony, balance, and energy. While Chinese medicine incorporates many concepts, the practice is based on two central ideas: qi and the relationship of yin and yang.

Qi

Traditional Chinese wisdom holds that qi is the vital life energy that sustains your body and helps to run its every function. Poor nutrition, lifestyle, injury, and illness can damage the body’s qi and prevent the body from optimal healing or wellness.

Yin and yang

While these opposites are often described in black and white terms, the relationship between them is one of interdependence and generation. Drawn from early Chinese observations of the cycles of night and day, the interaction of these two forces was used to explain certain functions within the body that were invisible to the human eye. When yin and yang become imbalanced, these functions may begin to be thrown off manifesting as hormone issues, thyroid issues, insomnia, and mood disorders.

Much of Chinese medicine focuses on correcting the flow of qi and the balance between yin and yang to restore health. 

What Chinese medicine treatments are available?

Chinese traditional herbal medicine is one of the best options to provide symptom relief and help to restore long term balance to the body. Although acupuncture can help with so much, the vital substances (including qi, yin, and yang) cannot be restored by needles alone. Chinese remedies and herbal formulas developed and refined over the past two thousand years specifically address the individual presentations of these issues. Austin Quan Yin offers a variety of Chinese herbal supplements sourced from companies that maintain the highest standards in terms of ingredient quality and safety.

Cupping Therapy

Cupping is an ancient alternative medicine modality that uses negative pressure and suction to move qi and reduce stagnation. It can help to improve your circulation, relieve inflammation, calm your nervous system, enhance relaxation, and decrease pain. There are many different types of cups including glass, pump, and silicone specialized to help with different issues. Chinese cupping therapy uses the meridian system as a way of guiding treatments.

Tuina

An ancient Chinese form of bodywork, tuina utilizes the same diagnostic theories as Chinese medicine to treat internal organ and musculoskeletal disorders. Tuina uses manual pressure techniques including kneading, pressing, grasping, and stretching to work on the musculoskeletal system, the meridians, and acupoints. While acupuncture uses needles to improve the flow of qi, tuina uses targeted manual pressure and Chinese acupressure techniques.

Gua sha

Gua sha is another of the remedies used in Chinese folk medicine. This technique uses a special tool with flat, smooth edges to scrape and rub the skin in long or short strokes to stimulate microcirculation. Massage oil helps the tool glide across the surface of your skin. Gua sha is often used as a treatment in Chinese medicine for inflammation and is especially effective in helping with chronic pain conditions.