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ACUPUNCTURE Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into the skin at specific
points in order to affect the flow of energy. Although acupuncture
is the practice most often associated with Traditional Chinese
Medicine, it is not limited to the Chinese culture. The Japanese
and Koreans developed their own form of acupuncture with
modifications, such as needle-less and
trigger-point acupuncture
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THE FIVE ELEMENT THEORY
The five element theory,
also called the five-phase theory, holds that everything
in the universe, including our health, is governed by
five natural elements: wood,
fire, earth, metal
and water. This theory underscores the
Chinese belief that human beings, both physically and
mentally, are intertwined with nature. Although it is
difficult for Westerners to relate this philosophy to
the Western approach to medicine, it is fundamental to
the understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
In the five element
theory, each of the five elements has a season and
particular organs and senses associated with it, such as
taste, color, sound. The wood element, for example, is
associated with spring, the liver, and the gall bladder.
Similarly, the fire element is associated with early
summer, the heart, and small intestines; the earth
element corresponds to late summer, the stomach and
spleen; metal is associated with autumn, the lungs and
large intestine; and water is associated with winter,
the kidneys and bladder.
In contrast to Western
medicine's teaching of a separation between the mind and
body, TCM views each organ as having particular body and
mind functions, as illustrated in the belief that the
liver is involved in planning, and in the storage of
anger, while the gall bladder is the organ of
decision-making.
To determine a
patient’s composition of the five elements, a TCM
practitioner asks many detailed questions that will
provide clues as to the nature of their imbalances. They
will ask about the person’s occupation, stress
associated with it, what they like to eat, what physical
problems they are experiencing, etc. Although a person
may be oriented towards a particular element -- a person
who is aggressive might be described as having a "wood"
personality -- the Chinese believe that aspects of each
of the five elements are present in every person at
different times
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THE EIGHT GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
In addition to the theory of the
five elements, TCM practitioners employ the Eight
Guiding Principles to analyze and differentiate the
energetic imbalances in the body or the nature of a
patient’s condition. The eight guiding principles
actually consist of four polar opposites:
yin/yang, cold/heat,
deficiency (xu)/excess (shi), and
interior/exterior.
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Cold/Heat:
This principle is used to
determine the overall energy of the patient. A
cold condition would be one marked by a slow
metabolism, chills, pale skin, and a low-grade
fever, while a hot condition would be
characterized by a heightened metabolism,
sensations of heat in the body, high fevers, and
a flushed complexion. |
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Interior/Exterior:
This principle
describes symptoms in terms of the location of
the patient’s problem. Exterior conditions are
those caused by the invasion of the body by
pathogens, and are usually acute and
superficially located with a short duration.
Exterior symptoms are those that affect the
hair, skin, muscles, joints, peripheral nerves
and blood vessels. Interior conditions result
from pathogens that enter the interior of the
body. Interior symptoms affect the organs, deep
vessels and nerves, brain, spinal cord, and
bones. |
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Deficiency/Excess:
This principle
describes the strength of an illness. In TCM, a
deficient condition would be viewed as a lack of
blood (such as in anemia), energy (Qi), heat, or
fluids. Chronic illness would fall in this
category. An excess condition, by contrast,
means that the body has too much of something,
such as Qi or blood. In TCM, an acute condition
would be seen as an excess condition.
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Yin/Yang:
These principles are the generalization of the
above principles, and a condition can be
categorized in terms of the relative dominance
of either yin and yang. In Chinese medicine,
all organisms have both yin and yang qualities
and a balance of the two is necessary for good
health. In general, yin energy is associated
with cold, female energy, and represents the
solid organs. Yang is associated with hot, male
energy, and represents the hollow organs.
Chronic illness is seen as yin, while acute
illness is seen as yang. |
According to TCM,
the combination of these principles determine the nature
or quality of the three constituents of the body, which
are energy (Qi), moisture,
and blood. As described above,
Qi is vital life
energy. Moisture is the liquid medium which protects,
nurtures, and lubricates tissue, and blood is the
material foundation out of which we create bones,
nerves, skin, muscles, and organs.
TCM practitioners
diagnose health problems using various combinations of
the eight guiding principles. For example, a patient
might be diagnosed as having an "internal cold" or
"external heat" condition. Used in conjunction with the
five element theory, the eight guiding principles give
the TCM practitioner a more complete picture of a
patient’s energy imbalances and determine the treatment
to be pursued through acupuncture, herbs, diet, and
exercise. |
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