"When we release the tension in the body and align ourselves with gravity, we take a new
stand in life. This allows us to be at ease with ourselves and in harmony in our relationship to others and to our planet"
-Joseph Heller
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) incorporates this style of acupuncture to diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions and restore balance to different constitutions. Practitioners of this style develop a course of treatment based on different theories of excesses and deficiencies (like yin and yang, hot or cold, and superficial or deep) by measuring pulse, observing a person's appearance and demeanor, examining the tongue, and asking questions. Beyond acupuncture, TCM treatments can include herbs, nutrition, Qi Gong, electro-acupuncture, acupressure/Tuina, Gwa Sha, and cupping.
TCM can also incorporate the Five Element philosophy based on elements found in nature: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each element corresponds to different organs of the body, emotions, color, time of day, flavors, and seasons, and there are dynamic relationships between them. For example, too much water element can douse the "flame" of fire; too little might put a patient at risk for fire burning too hot and possibly creating fever or anger. The practitioner works to restore balance to the elements so that they relate harmoniously and enable optimal health.
This acupuncture style seeks to use the least amount of stimulation possible to affect the greatest amount of change. Practitioners use thinner and fewer needles, fewer acupuncture points, and shallower needle insertion. Abdominal palpation and other diagnostic tools are used to determine the underlying imbalance and course of treatment.
Korean acupuncture contains some techniques and philosophies from TCM and Japanese acupuncture. In this particular style, the hands are seen as a microcosm of the entire body. Fine needles are inserted into specific points on the hand.
In this style, the ears are seen as a microcosm of the body, and treatment is administered via fine needles, ear seeds, and ear tacks on various points on the ears. Ear seeds and tacks may be left in the ears after treatment to apply continuous stimulation. Auricular acupuncture is widely used in substance abuse programs across North America. It is often used in conjunction with other styles of acupuncture.
Here the scalp is seen as a microcosm of the entire body. This style is especially helpful for the treatment of motor-impairment and spinal conditions.
While practitioners of acupuncture and TCM complete from 2,000 to 3500 hours of study, most medical acupuncturists study a simplified version of TCM and become licensed to practice after 200–500 hours. Many physicians study medical acupuncture to incorporate into their Western protocols.
Animals of all kinds can receive the same health benefits from acupuncture as humans. The acupuncture points on their bodies correlate closely with human point locations, and a veterinarian or acupuncturist trained in this modality will often use similar techniques to those used in TCM with people.
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