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Manuel Hong · 03-03-2005, 01:35 PM

OOps, I'm late! Sorry, I just found this thread.

While I'm not an acupuncturist, I do have a Chinese medical practice. There are two pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): herbal medicine and acupuncture.

Both traditions are 3,000 years old and have been continuing to develop in that time, much longer than conventional allopathic medicine which is about 150 years old at best. TCM uses techniques to bring the body back into a state of balance. The substances in the body are Blood, Qi (pronounced chee, it's your body's energy), Jing (sort of like hormones, but different), and Shen (like spirit). Acupuncture is a method of inserting needles on points along meridians (energy pathways) in the body. The needles serve to move obstruction (often manifesting as pain or other types of stagnation), enhace Qi to an area, and balance the internal organs.

More from my brochure:

TCM is a system of diagnosing and healing that is over two thousand years old. The theory developed from the most basic concepts of Eastern thought: Yin/Yang and the concept of Qi (chee). Qi is the Essence of energy that all things in our universe draw upon in every moment. Yin/Yang is a familiar symbol [ that represents forces that are equal and opposite. These forces create or destroy balance and harmony in the body. The tools used to treat disorders, such as herbs and energy manipulation, are used to achieve a balancing effect on each person in their individuality.

In TCM the practitioner will observe the client’s facial tone and color, the condition of their nails and flesh, their ease of movement, the brightness of their eyes as well as listen to the tone of their voice, what they say and how they say it. A practitioner of TCM will note any unusual odors and ask many questions surrounding not only the nature of the problem, but also regarding routine functions of the body such as diet, rest, exercise, menses, elimination and more. Essential to the diagnosis is the methods of pulse taking and the examination of the tongue. Both are ancient techniques that give an abundance of valuable information to the practitioner regarding the conditions of the vital organs, the blood, the Qi and other key pieces of information necessary for a complete and accurate picture of the client’s state of health. The goal of the treatment is to bring the body to a state of balance.

I don't want to make this too long or give a basic lesson on how TCM works or why as there is loads of info available on the net. Suffice to say, I'm very successful in my practice treating a wide range of problems that conventional medicine can't help. I've been blessed by brilliant mentors and teachers as well as extended study in Beijing. The docs over there are doing some amazing things!!!!! IMO, this form of medicine is far superior to anything modern med has to offer, and there are no side effects. As with regular doctors, you need to trust your practitioner and know that they received proper training and have put in many clinical hours. There are some MD's that practice acupuncture, but have only received minimal training and have no concept of the theories underlying the treatment protocol.

Did I miss anything? I hope I answered your questions...if not let me know what else you'd like to know.

03-03-2005, 01:35 PM	#15 (permalink)
Manuel Hong Addict Location: Land of the puny, wimpy states	OOps, I'm late! Sorry, I just found this thread. While I'm not an acupuncturist, I do have a Chinese medical practice. There are two pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): herbal medicine and acupuncture. Both traditions are 3,000 years old and have been continuing to develop in that time, much longer than conventional allopathic medicine which is about 150 years old at best. TCM uses techniques to bring the body back into a state of balance. The substances in the body are Blood, Qi (pronounced chee, it's your body's energy), Jing (sort of like hormones, but different), and Shen (like spirit). Acupuncture is a method of inserting needles on points along meridians (energy pathways) in the body. The needles serve to move obstruction (often manifesting as pain or other types of stagnation), enhace Qi to an area, and balance the internal organs. More from my brochure: TCM is a system of diagnosing and healing that is over two thousand years old. The theory developed from the most basic concepts of Eastern thought: Yin/Yang and the concept of Qi (chee). Qi is the Essence of energy that all things in our universe draw upon in every moment. Yin/Yang is a familiar symbol [ that represents forces that are equal and opposite. These forces create or destroy balance and harmony in the body. The tools used to treat disorders, such as herbs and energy manipulation, are used to achieve a balancing effect on each person in their individuality. In TCM the practitioner will observe the client’s facial tone and color, the condition of their nails and flesh, their ease of movement, the brightness of their eyes as well as listen to the tone of their voice, what they say and how they say it. A practitioner of TCM will note any unusual odors and ask many questions surrounding not only the nature of the problem, but also regarding routine functions of the body such as diet, rest, exercise, menses, elimination and more. Essential to the diagnosis is the methods of pulse taking and the examination of the tongue. Both are ancient techniques that give an abundance of valuable information to the practitioner regarding the conditions of the vital organs, the blood, the Qi and other key pieces of information necessary for a complete and accurate picture of the client’s state of health. The goal of the treatment is to bring the body to a state of balance. I don't want to make this too long or give a basic lesson on how TCM works or why as there is loads of info available on the net. Suffice to say, I'm very successful in my practice treating a wide range of problems that conventional medicine can't help. I've been blessed by brilliant mentors and teachers as well as extended study in Beijing. The docs over there are doing some amazing things!!!!! IMO, this form of medicine is far superior to anything modern med has to offer, and there are no side effects. As with regular doctors, you need to trust your practitioner and know that they received proper training and have put in many clinical hours. There are some MD's that practice acupuncture, but have only received minimal training and have no concept of the theories underlying the treatment protocol. Did I miss anything? I hope I answered your questions...if not let me know what else you'd like to know. __________________ Believe nothing, even if I tell it to you, unless it meets with your own good common sense and experience. - Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha) Last edited by Manuel Hong; 03-03-2005 at 01:38 PM..