Acupuncture diagnosis is completely different from Western Medicine diagnosis.
Chinese Medicine is holistic. We always go back to the root of your problem and treat your whole body. We never just treat symptoms. We determine which organ is out of balance and how, and treat that organ. We use both acupuncture and Chinese herbs for this.
If you combine acupuncture and Chinese herbs, you will recover more quickly. You can do either one separately, but to combine them is usually better.
Typically you will get acupuncture at least twice a week and take herbs home with you. The herbs will treat you just like the acupuncture does. It is kind of like getting an acupuncture treatment every time you take Chinese herbs. You usually take the herbs three times a day. Even if you just take them once a day, you will improve. It is possible to get better with once weekly treatments in combination with herbs. However, it will take longer and you need to be willing to accept the longer time frame.
If you very sick, you might want to get acupuncture more often, as you will usually get better faster. In Chinese hospitals, you get acupuncture twice a day and have herbs prescribed for you that you take two to three times a day.
Here is how the diagnosis is made:
- We look at your tongue- we are looking for the color, shape and coating. This tells us a lot about what is going on in your body
- We will take your pulse- We get the general speed and quality as well as information about specific organs
- We put together all your symptoms into a picture. You will get a holistic treatment. It is important to treat the underlying cause of your problem to make sure the symptoms do not come back
Below is one pattern of Chinese Medicine diagnosis
Stress causes liver stagnation in Chinese Medicine. Here are the symptoms of liver stagnation:
Stagnation of Liver Qi
- Feeling of distention of hypochondrium and chest, hypochondriac pain, sighing, hiccup
- Depression, moodiness, fluctuation of mental state
- Nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, poor appetite, sour regurgitation,
- Belching, churning feeling in stomach, abdominal distention, diarrhea
- Unhappiness, feeling wound up, feeling of lump in the throat, feeling of difficulty in swallowing
- Irregular periods, painful periods, distention of breasts before the periods
- Pre-menstrual tension and irritability
Key symptoms
Herbal formula
Bupleurum and Peony, also known as Free and Easy Wanderer
Acupuncture points
Gall Bladder 34 – regulates liver Qi (energy)
Liver 3 – regulates liver Qi
Pericardium 6 – regulates liver Qi
Spleen 6 - tonifies the kidneys and spleen, regulates the liver, regulates hormones, drains excess fluid, calms the mind.
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