Herbs

Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years in cultures all over the world. Throughout history, people from various cultures have studied the gifts of nature thru the use of herbs.

Oriental people first started working with herbs to develop their longevity, as preventative medicine as well as to benefit their health and to resolve climactic issues of damp, cold, dryness, heat and wind. This went along with their thinking that we are healed by learning the secrets of nature and of life.

Today we use many of these same herbs for the same purpose. Chinese diagnosis is still based on climactic factors of wind, cold, heat, dry and damp along with too much of any of these or an imbalance therein.

Chinese herbs have many wonderful attributes. They can move out external symptoms of a cold, move and alleviate the pain and the stagnation from injury as well as build tissue and invigorate healing, soothe symptoms of digestive distress, build and tonify health in cases of deficiency and much more.

Chinese herbs are an excellent tool when used in addition to acupuncture or alone.

Cupping 

Cupping refers to the ancient Chinese practice , where a glass cup is applied to the skin and pressure in the cup is reduced so that the skin and superficial muscles are drawn into and held in the cup.

This treatment is similar to some massage techniques and is very useful for releasing areas where pain is deep in the tissues and the area needs to be stimulated to move the blood and bring the circulation to the area where there is pain and stagnation.

When the cups are moved along the surface of the skin, , this sliding breaks up stagnation. Medicated oils are  used with the cups, so there is some friction and heat warming the surface.

Cups are often left in place for 10 minutes. The skin will become red due to the congested blood flow. When the cup is removed, some bruising at the site of the cup can be expected.

Cupping is very effective for pain relief. As it is moving stagnant blood, there is usually a sense of relaxation in the muscle and in the body after the treatment.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a method of supplementing an acupuncture treatment by burning an herb named mugwort close to the acupuncture needle. In some instances, the herb is on a piece of cardboard and place next to the acupuncture needle. In other cases a cigar like stick is lit and the practitioner or the patient moves the moxa stick near the needle and the affected area.

Moxibustion works to strengthen or tonify the effect of the acupuncture needle on the area, where it is used by stimulating the movement of blood in that area. The effect is usually warming, and balancing to the rest of the body.

Moxibustion is a safe and effective method that is used to turn a breech baby. It is best to attempt this during the 33-36th week of pregnancy. After that, the baby may not have the room needed to move. Moxibustion is used for 15 minutes, 2 times a day for a week, if needed. Often less time is needed.

Electric Stimulation

On rare occasions, electric stimulation is used instead of moxibustion, for stimulation of acupuncture needles and for infertility. Often a probe is attached to an acupuncture needle to produce the desired effect or a patch is applied to an area which needs stimulation. The effects are similar to moxibustion, which is preferred.

If you’d like to find out which of these modalities will best serve you, call me at: 720-201-4101 or email: mbachia@yahoo.com