Originally published February 13 2006
Acupuncturist believes in the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Philip A. Simpson, a licensed acupuncturist and certified Chinese medicine herbalist, details the finer points of Chinese medicine and its traditions, including Tui-Na, the Chinese system of acupressure.
The book "Huang De Nei Jing" ("The Yellow Emperor's Book of Medicine") dates from that period and is one of the classics of Chinese medicine theory.
The intake that is used in Chinese medicine is based on a series of questions that are asked of the patient, as well as what the practitioner observes.
The practitioner observes the tongue, body and coat, of the patient (patients get to stick their tongues out at the practitioner!) and also takes the patients' pulses on both wrists, as these are thought to be indicative of the state of the internal organs, according to Chinese medicine theory.
This sequence of events dictates the diagnosis, the acupuncture points used, the herbal formula to be prescribed and also indicates whether acupressure techniques will be used on the patient.
A possible diagnosis, according to Chinese medicine, theory is that of "stagnation of liver and gall bladder energy" or "Qi" in the Chinese language.
Another point that might be used is Pericardium No. 6 (approximately 2 inches above the wrist on the medial side of the forearm between the tendons of flexor carpi radialis and palmaris longus) approximately 2 inches up from the major crease on the palmar side.
The most commonly used herbal formula for the condition described is Xiao Yao Wan (Sedate Liver Formula), which is designed to soothe the energy of the liver and gall bladder systems.
A common misconception about Chinese herbal medicine formulae is that they do not work.
This type of training and subsequent certification is the direct result of learning under highly qualified teachers and graduation from a nationally certified school, which takes at least three years.
Prospective patients should inquire of practitioner what their exact qualifications are, where they went to school, and if they passed the national exams for acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
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