Chinese Medicine 101
Chinese Medicine is a system of medicine that literally dates back thousands of years. This comprehensive medical system has been developing in practice, theory, application in what are today China and the surrounding lands. Some of the earliest written accounts date from the first century A.D. The appearance of Chinese Medicine in America came with the Chinese Immigration of the 1800’s throughout North America but mostly clustered in areas of highest Chinese populations like the American West and China towns. At this early stage most of the practice of the medicine was done in the Chinese communities but in certain regions, people from outside the Chinese community also used the medicine. This was particularly true in the Eastern Oregon town of John Day, where a Chinese Medicine practitioner known as Doc Hay served both the Chinese and White communities. This special piece of Oregon history is persevered through the Kam Wah Chung Museum. Currently there is a National Historic site and museum that acts like time capsule of early frontier life and medicine in the American West. After the passing of Doc Hay it took about another fifty years until the 1970’s when the wider non-Chinese populations began to try Chinese medicine.
Chinese medicine is a complete system of medicine that can be compared to a tree with roots, branches and a central trunk. The roots of this tree/medicine draw from a very close relationship with nature and natural systems. The ancient Chinese were very astute observers of the natural world and were able to draw parallels in what they saw in nature to what was also observed in the human body.
In nature there were systems that were in balance and also systems that could get out of balance. Balance or harmony is one of the core themes of Chinese medicine. A body or system in balance will prosper with good health and function and a body out of balance will suffer with disease and sickness. This notion of a dynamic balance can be considered as the roots of the tree. As for its central column or trunk there is the notion of a subtle current of life moving through the body which is referred to as Qi (pronounced as chee). This notion of life energy has been found in countless cultures throughout the world under different names, the ancient Greeks called it Pneuma (breath or air), the Romans called it spiritus, the Hebrews called it ruach, and in India it was referred to as prana. This life current or energy is flowing and moving throughout the body at all times through channels and pathways which are called meridians similar to the channels or pathways that form the circulatory or nervous system but as of yet have not been found to have a physical counterpart. This may seem odd that modern science cannot prove the existence of these subtle energy pathways but all throughout modern medical history things which were once unknown like germs have come to be commonly accepted. The central theme of the medicine is to restore balance to the body’s natural energy through multiple different practices and this brings us to the branches of the tree.
There are five main branches to the tree of Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chinese Nutritional therapies, Qigong, and Asian body work or physical therapies. The first branch mentioned is by far the most recognized form of the medicine and this involves the use of acupuncture needles inserted into the body. The functions of the needles are many and their methods and techniques are also varied but overall the needle is used to help restore balance to the body. The needles are single use and are not hollow like a hypodermic needle and much smaller.
The next branch of the tree is Chinese Herbal Medicine. This branch is also very ancient and well developed in China where there are doctors who do nothing else but work with Chinese Herbal medicine as a means to treat various diseases and conditions. This well developed system includes not just an understanding of herbs individual, but also how their functions change when used in different combinations, or formulas. Herbal medicine is used to bring harmony to the body when it has gotten out of balance. These herbal formulas are used internally and externally to treat different conditions. Often the use of Chinese Herbal formulas works in conjunction with Acupuncture and other branches of the medicine. The next branch, nutritional therapy is related to the herbal medicine but is more closely related to food remedies instead of medicinal plants and minerals. Another branch which is gaining more popularity is Qigong which can be roughly translated into Energy Work. Qigong is similar to yoga in that it works to bring greater health and vitality through body movements, breath work and visualizations and meditations. Lastly we come to Chinese body working therapies which use stretches, movements and massage techniques to bring greater health and balance to the body.
This is a basic picture of Chinese Medicine, its roots, branches, and central trunk. We at Mountain Lake Wellness look forward to sharing with the community this precious system of wellness. For commonly treated condition look on our “About Us” page. Feel free to contact us with any further questions.
Dan Pappas & Leslie Huddart
Chinese medicine is a complete system of medicine that can be compared to a tree with roots, branches and a central trunk. The roots of this tree/medicine draw from a very close relationship with nature and natural systems. The ancient Chinese were very astute observers of the natural world and were able to draw parallels in what they saw in nature to what was also observed in the human body.
In nature there were systems that were in balance and also systems that could get out of balance. Balance or harmony is one of the core themes of Chinese medicine. A body or system in balance will prosper with good health and function and a body out of balance will suffer with disease and sickness. This notion of a dynamic balance can be considered as the roots of the tree. As for its central column or trunk there is the notion of a subtle current of life moving through the body which is referred to as Qi (pronounced as chee). This notion of life energy has been found in countless cultures throughout the world under different names, the ancient Greeks called it Pneuma (breath or air), the Romans called it spiritus, the Hebrews called it ruach, and in India it was referred to as prana. This life current or energy is flowing and moving throughout the body at all times through channels and pathways which are called meridians similar to the channels or pathways that form the circulatory or nervous system but as of yet have not been found to have a physical counterpart. This may seem odd that modern science cannot prove the existence of these subtle energy pathways but all throughout modern medical history things which were once unknown like germs have come to be commonly accepted. The central theme of the medicine is to restore balance to the body’s natural energy through multiple different practices and this brings us to the branches of the tree.
There are five main branches to the tree of Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chinese Nutritional therapies, Qigong, and Asian body work or physical therapies. The first branch mentioned is by far the most recognized form of the medicine and this involves the use of acupuncture needles inserted into the body. The functions of the needles are many and their methods and techniques are also varied but overall the needle is used to help restore balance to the body. The needles are single use and are not hollow like a hypodermic needle and much smaller.
The next branch of the tree is Chinese Herbal Medicine. This branch is also very ancient and well developed in China where there are doctors who do nothing else but work with Chinese Herbal medicine as a means to treat various diseases and conditions. This well developed system includes not just an understanding of herbs individual, but also how their functions change when used in different combinations, or formulas. Herbal medicine is used to bring harmony to the body when it has gotten out of balance. These herbal formulas are used internally and externally to treat different conditions. Often the use of Chinese Herbal formulas works in conjunction with Acupuncture and other branches of the medicine. The next branch, nutritional therapy is related to the herbal medicine but is more closely related to food remedies instead of medicinal plants and minerals. Another branch which is gaining more popularity is Qigong which can be roughly translated into Energy Work. Qigong is similar to yoga in that it works to bring greater health and vitality through body movements, breath work and visualizations and meditations. Lastly we come to Chinese body working therapies which use stretches, movements and massage techniques to bring greater health and balance to the body.
This is a basic picture of Chinese Medicine, its roots, branches, and central trunk. We at Mountain Lake Wellness look forward to sharing with the community this precious system of wellness. For commonly treated condition look on our “About Us” page. Feel free to contact us with any further questions.
Dan Pappas & Leslie Huddart
