Eastern Therapeutics 

 QI (pronounced chee) Is another fundamental concept of Chinese medicine. It is the life energy of the universe. It is the invisible vital force that creates and animates life. We are all born with inherited amounts of Qi.  During our life we also acquire chi from the food we eat and the air we breathe. The level and quality of a person's Qi also depends on the state of physical, mental and emotional balance. A person's state of health is influenced by the quality, quantity, and balance of Qi. 

 In the Chinese system, there are twelve main energy pathways. Each of these pathways is named for an organ: the lung, large intestine, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, urinary bladder, kidney, liver, gallbladder, pericardium, and the "triple warmer," which represents the entire torso region. Each organ has Qi energy associated with it, and each organ interacts with particular emotions on the mental level. As there are twelve organs, there are twelve types of chi which can move through the body, and these move through twelve main channels or meridians. Chinese doctors connect symptoms to organs. That is, symptoms are caused by yin/yang imbalances in one or more organs, or by an unhealthy flow of chi to or from one organ to another. Each organ has a different profile of symptoms it can manifest.

According to Chinese philosophy, the universe and the body can be described by two separate but complementary principles;  yin and yang. For example:   in temperature, yin is cold and yang is hot. In gender, yin is female and yang is male. In activity, yin is passive and yang is active. In light, yin is dark and yang is bright; in direction yin is inward and yang is outward, etc.

Nothing is ever completely yin or completely yang, but always a combination of the two. These two principles are always interacting, opposing, and influencing each other. The goal of Chinese medicine is not to eliminate either yin or yang, but to allow the two to balance each other and exist harmoniously together.

For instance, if a person suffers from symptoms of high blood pressure, the Chinese system would say that the heart organ might have too much yang, and would recommend methods either to reduce the yang or to increase the yin of the heart, depending on the other symptoms and organs in the body. Thus, acupuncture therapies seek to either increase or reduce yang, or increase or reduce yin in particular regions of the body.

Another Chinese theory is that the world and body are made up of five main elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These elements are all interconnected, and each element either generates or controls another element. For instance, water controls fire and earth generates metal. Each organ is associated with one of the five elements. The Chinese system uses elements and organs to describe and treat conditions. For instance, the kidney is associated with water and the heart is associated with fire, and the two organs are related as water and fire are related. If the kidney is weak, then there might be a corresponding fire problem in the heart, so treatment might be made by acupuncture or herbs to cool the heart system and/or increase energy in the kidney system.
The Chinese have developed an intricate system of how organs and elements are related to physical and mental symptoms, and the above example is a very simple one. Although this system sounds suspect to Western scientists, some interesting parallels have been observed. For instance, Western medicine has observed that with severe heart problems, kidney failure often follows, but it still does not know exactly why. In Chinese medicine, this connection between the two organs has long been established.



Acupuncture is a key component of  Chinese Medicine (TCM) Acupuncture balances Qi and encourages it to flow If Qi is able to reach and nourish every cell, tissue, and gland in the body, then the body will have the natural ability to heal itself.

Acupuncture needles are disposable, sterile, and hair-thin.

People experience Acupuncture differently, but most feel little or no discomfort.

Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel very relaxed.

Yes, relatively few complications have ever been reported.

The FDA requires that only sterile, non-toxic, "single use" needles be used.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to address a variety of medical problems because it works with the body's own natural ability to heal itself.

During your first office visit, we will have you fill out an extensive Health History Questionnaire to obtain a complete picture of your needs. Christian will want to work with you in a joint effort to effectively diagnose your condition and structure an appropriate treatment plan.