Chinese medicine employs a holistic theory in which the physical body, emotions, and psychospiritual aspects of the self are one and the same. There is no distinction between the physical health of an individual and their mental health, as it requires that all aspects of a person be in harmony for health to be achieved. Since each and every person is unique in genetic makeup, life experiences, personality, and lifestyle, each treatment in Chinese medicine is specifically tailored to an individual’s particular needs. There are multiple treatment modalities that can be utilized to achieve this goal.
Chinese medicine is a complete medical system that has been in existence for thousands of years. It is the longest recorded medical history in the world, with case studies and instructional texts dating back to before the Common Era. Times may have changed, but our bodies have not. We remain reflections of nature even though our natural environments now include many modern conveniences and amenities. We are less likely to die of health hazards due to sanitation, for example, but the trade-off is that we are more likely to develop chronic illnesses that decrease our qualities of life over time. One of the fundamental aspects of Chinese medicine is to find that balance between good living and a long and healthy life. Finding that pivotal point for each individual is what we at Three Mountain are here to do.
There are many different facets to the medicine, all developed through time via different disciplines. One such avenue was through the practice of martial arts. With that said, Chinese medicine is extremely effective for acute trauma and chronic pain syndromes in both ameliorating the pain as well as promoting proper healing. Issues such as pain, inflammation, sprains, strains, sciatica, non-healing bone fractures, and various kinds of arthritis are all things that Chinese medicine can effectively treat.
Another branch of the medicine stems from epidemiology, and the treatment of early stage illnesses like colds and flus. Chinese medicine offers excellent alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs, especially for individuals with certain sensitivities, such as pregnant women or children, or those with weakened immune systems. Long-term use of certain medications can compromise the body’s normal response and healing mechanisms, and Chinese medicine has been shown to be a safe and effective way to moderate their unwanted side effects.
Being that Chinese medical theory posits there is no separation between the mind, body, and spirit, it is essential to note that treatment of the body results in treating the psycho-emotional self as well. This is one reason why acupuncture and herbs can affect such illnesses as depression, addiction, and anxiety.
The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as a proven therapeutic modality for many diseases, symptoms and conditions. They currently organize the list of illnesses into four categories: those which acupuncture has been proven through clinical trials to be an effective treatment, those of which the effects of acupuncture has been shown but further proof is needed, those for which acupuncture has been effective in individual trials but for which treatment with conventional and other therapies is difficult, and those which may be treated with acupuncture given the provider has special medical knowledge and monitoring equipment. For a full list of these diseases, symptoms or conditions, please go to the WHO website here for more information.
