Why Should I Use Traditional Chinese Medicine?

By Ming Xu, LAc, DOAM

Monterey Institute of Natural Medicine

. https://www.montereyinstituteofnaturalmedicine.org/

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Why Should I Use Traditional Chinese Medicine?

A simple answer to that question is because I need and want to improve my health and maintain that indefinitely. But, as with anything else, the total answer is more complicated.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been healing bodies and minds for 2,500 years. It is the oldest and longest-standing health care system in human history. TCM is based on 5,000-year-­old studies which came to be known as “The Law of the Universe.” Perhaps you know this better as Yin-Yang theory.

Use of TCM’s holistic approach to personalized health care has rapidly grown since the onset of the 2019 pandemic – and for good reason! TCM, with its yin-yang balance, treats the whole person through focusing on mind and body. It treats acute and chronic diseases by addressing the underlying causes, leading to the restoration and sustainment of body-mind wellness (Yin-Yang harmony). Test yourself on how many of its forms you already know: herbal medicine, acupuncture, tuina massage, cupping, medical qigong, taiji and nutrition.

Acupuncture is a technique that stimulates specific points on the body with needles to raise the flow of Qi, thereby rebalancing Yin-Yang. It provides drug-free, noninvasive, and natural healing procedures. If you haven’t already received acupuncture, you will be pleasantly surprised at how well (and often quickly) it works. It has been approved clinically and can treat not only those who have pain conditions, but those who want to maintain wellbeing in general. If you have tried medications or surgery that did not work well, acupuncture may be the right health choice. Most insurance plans cover it, and you don’t need a referral. Of course, talk to your healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment.

So, what conditions does TCM, and in particular acupuncture, treat?

• Pain conditions, (most common are low back and neck pain). But these also include cancer patients who need pain management during chemotherapy, etc.
• Neurological dysfunction
• Women’s health
• Weight loss

TCM is effective, affordable, and accessible. Your mind and body need it, and you deserve the wellness it brings.