Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

For more than three thousand years, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced. In the United States, many medical practitioners are integrating TCM with western medicine, generally referred to a Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM).

The mechanism of treating disease in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is different than that of western medicine. Western medicine focuses on the microcosm, or the local aspect while treating disease. Example: foot pain, the foot is treated, or with a headache, the head is treated.

TCM focuses on the macrocosm or the whole body when treating a disease. From the TCM point of view, the factors doing harm to the body (like bacteria, viruses, chemical toxins, wind damage, etc.) are called "pathogens". Factors that benefit the body (like nutrition, vitamins, oxygen, blood ,etc.) are called "vital Qi". If the vital Qi is strong enough, the pathogens have no way of entering the body. If the vital Qi is weak, the pathogens may enter the body and destroy the harmony of the body letting disease ensue.

Western medicine focuses on elimination of pathogenic factors. Each pathogenic factor is studied in order to formulate the appropriate pain killer, antibiotic, or pharmaceutical drug to treat or reduce the symptoms quickly. The practice of TCM and acupuncture is more focused on strengthening the vital Qi. Emphasizes is on the importance of recovering and promoting the body's own resistance and immunity to disease as well as it's self-healing power.

When an acupuncturist treats a disease, she would first regulate the Qi and Blood. Meridians and collaterals are the passageways through which the Qi and Blood of the whole body circulate. They transverse the interior and exterior of the whole body. Their physiological function is to transport Qi and Blood, nourish the tissues and organs and regulate the balance and harmony between the tissues and organs. When the flow of Qi and Blood are disrupted or blocked, the pathogenic Qi will enter the body and disease will occur. Along these meridians and collaterals are acupuncture points that regulate the smooth flow of Qi and Blood. When needles are inserted into these key points the patient may feel a "sensation" such as soreness, numbness, tightness, or heaviness. Acupuncture makes the Qi and Blood flow smoothly, strengthens the vital Qi, thereby strengthening the body's immunity and resistance, also creating a self-healing power so the disease will be cured naturally.

TCM has been used by millions of people for thousands of year every day in China and through the world. At Longevity MedSpa, we treat the following through acupuncture:

Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat Disorders Sinusitis Sore throat Hay fever Earache Ringing in the ears Dizziness Poor eyesight Macular Degeneration Circulatory Disorders High blood pressure High cholesterol Angina pectoris Arteriosclerosis Anemia Gastrointestinal Disorders Irritable bowel syndrome Spastic colon Colitis Constipation Diarrhea Food allergies Ulcers Gastritis Abdominal bloating Hemorrhoids Gynecological & Genitourinary Disorders Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) Irregular, heavy or painful menstruation Endometriosis Menopause Fibroids Chronic bladder infection Complications in pregnancy Morning sickness Impotence Infertility in men and women Sexual dysfunction Immune Disorders Candida Chronic fatigue Allergies Lupus MS

Addiction Over eating Smoking cessation Drugs Alcohol Emotional and Psychological Disorders Anxiety Insomnia Depression Stress Musculoskeletal and Neurological Disorders Arthritis Neuralgia Sciatica Back pain Body pain Bursitis Tendonitis Stiff neck Bell's palsy Headaches and Migraines Stroke Polio Sprains Muscle spasms Shingles Respiratory Disorders Asthma Emphysema Bronchitis and coughing Flu and common cold Miscellaneous Chemotherapy/radiation side effects Diabetes Dermatological disorders Weight control Facial Rejuvenation