Do Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dates back five thousand years. Unlike in Western medicine, where doctors focus on the body part giving you trouble, in TCM your body is seen as an integrated web of systems that can get out of balance, and health problems arise when your flow of energy, or chi, is blocked. TCM emphasizes healing with herbs, diet, Tui Na massage and acupuncture. Tai chi and Qigong are also closely associated.

TCM uses the opposing forces of yin and yang as the fundamental way of understanding the body and health. Yin and yang represent dark and light, male and female, hot and cold. When yin and yang get out of balance, you get sick. There are five different changing aspects within yin and yang, which need to be in harmony: Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. Each interacts with the other in a complex system.

TCM can be helpful for many health problems, such as chronic pain, allergies, colds and flus, skin conditions, digestive problems, infertility and lack of energy.

As part of the initial exam, the TCM doctor will check your pulse and look at your tongue. The color and shape of your tongue give the doctor an insight into the health of your internal organs, as each part of your tongue correlates to an area or organ in your body.