ASIAN MEDICINE

The theory and practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine is based on Asian medicine (also known as Traditional Chinese medicine), a comprehensive natural health care system that has been used in Asian countries for thousands of years to preserve health and diagnose, treat and prevent illness.

Asian medicine uses a sophisticated and complex system of diagnostic methods that take into consideration the person as a whole, discerning the body’s pattern of disharmony rather than isolated symptoms. The aim is not only to eliminate or alleviate symptoms, but more importantly to treat the underlying cause, thereby increase the ability to function and improve the quality of life.

Pain and illness result when the flow of qi through the body is disrupted or blocked by many things, including disease, pathogens, trauma/injuries and medication and its side-effects, as well as lifestyle factors such as overwork, poor diet, emotional stress, lack of rest, physical trauma, environmental factors or genetic predispositions.

Even though Asian medicine has been predominant in Asia for thousands of years, it is one of the newest primary health care professions in California and the U.S. The potential benefits of acupuncture and Asian medicine are widely recognized, and it is increasingly being integrated with the Western healthcare system. Since the 1970’s, when acupuncture and Asian medicine first became available in the United States, more than 15 million Americans have tried it. The risk of side effects is low and the potential benefits are endless.