Individuals interested in alternative health care and medical treatments are often drawn to traditional or ancient Chinese therapies, treatments and approach to medical care. With a 5,000-year-old history, Chinese medicine offers therapies and remedies for treating illnesses or symptoms ranging from stomach upset to mental illness. Ancient Chinese medicine offers healthy benefits, according to Chinese Medicine, a website dedicated to education and resources regarding traditional, and ancient, Chinese medical practices.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine that uses fine needles in various areas of the body to help restore the flow of qi, or energy, through the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. The practice is also believed to help restore and improve circulation of blood and lymph fluid throughout the body, restoring balance and harmony. In the West, acupuncture is believed to offer stimulation and activity to connective tissues, nerves and muscles, and is often pursued to reduce pain and encourage circulation of nutrient-rich blood to damaged or diseased tissues.
Cupping
Cupping is an ancient form of medical practice in China, recorded as far back as the fourth century, according to Acupuncture Today, an online alternative medical news resource. Cupping used animal horns in the old days, but today uses hollow cups of various materials from bamboo to glass and pottery. The cups are heated and a vacuum is created inside the cup, which is then placed mouth-side down against the skin in a method called dry cupping. As the cup cools, it evaporation purportedly draws toxins from the skin and restores circulation to areas of the body, restoring the balance of qi.
Cupping remains a popular form of medical treatment in China and in some areas of the West today for treatment of chest and respiratory illnesses or chronic diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. Methods of cupping also include wet or air cupping. In this method, a small puncture in the skin prior to placement of the cup allows blood to be drawn upward into the cup for the removal of toxins.
Herbal Remedies
Chinese herbal medicine uses a variety of natural herbs and plant-like substances to blend formulas designed to treat conditions ranging from arthritis to anxiety to constipation, according to Holistic Chinese Herbs. Chinese herbal remedies are often created using a combination of 10 to 15 herbs of warm, hot, cool or cold natures to treat illnesses, according to Asia Recipe.com.
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