five tools of Chinese medicine

In Chinese medicine, prevention and healing go hand in hand – they knew just as we know: healthy people rarely get sick. It is why Chinese used to treat and charge for it when the patient was well and the patient would get free treatment if they got sick.

Every doctor in Chinese medicine uses needles. Acupuncture is the main tool as it can treat all conditions and problems that arise. Needles are placed into points that are located on 14 meridians – one meridian for each of 12 main organs and one Yin and one Yang meridian. Theory says that each point is used for a different purpose and is meant to increase a specific kind of energy and deliver it to the organ attached to that meridian.

Herbal medicine has different roots but matches the same principles as all other tools of Chinese medicine do. It has evolved over many centuries to include medication composed of all sorts of plant parts but also animal byproducts and body parts. Like western medication, it relies on assumption that patient’s digestive apparatus is capable of recognizing and absorbing the beneficial ingreedients.

Tai Chi is a martial art like routine designed to be performed every day for health maintenance. It incorporates moves and body positions are meant to increase the flow of blood and energy on every meridian thus serving all 12 officials.

Chi Gong is a set of body exercises designed to treat a specific organ when in distress. Chinese doctor prescribes these exercises, their frequency and intensity just like a western doctor would prescribe a pharmaceutical drug.

Lastly, Tui Na is Chinese medical massage meant to support the flow of blood and energy in the body. Experienced practitioners can also use it to heal different diseases as it uses same set of points and same meridians as acupuncture but adds different pressure and hand speed according to desired outcome. Where acupuncture uses a sterile needle to create an artificial emergency and fool the body into immediate response, massage offers same health benefits but it takes more effort and time to reach similar healing result.