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Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China and has evolved over thousands of years. TCM practitioners use herbal medicines and various mind and body practices, such as acupuncture and tai chi, to treat or prevent health problems. In the United States, people use TCM primarily as a complementary health approach.

 

 

The primary techniques we use include:

Acupuncture​

 

A safe and effective holistic treatment backed by thousands of years of practice and research, Acupuncture is practiced worldwide for a wide range of conditions. It is based on inserting extremely fine needles at particular points on the body along meridians to promote the smooth flow of Qi, the essential life energy, to balance the opposing forces of Yin and Yang.

 

Meridians are energy pathways that run throughout the whole body and connect to specific organs. When Qi flow is weak or blocked, Yin and Yang fall out of balance and disease ensues. Stimulation of the correct acupuncture points and meridians unblocks stagnant qi and balances the Yin and Yang. 

Cupping

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At Hoops Chiropractic, we use Cupping therapy, which is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin; practitioners believe this mobilizes blood flow in order to promote healing. Suction is created using heat (fire) or mechanical devices (hand or electrical pumps).

 

Through either heat or suction, the skin is gently drawn upwards by creating a vacuum in a cup over the target area of the skin. The cup stays in place for five to fifteen minutes. It is believed to help treat pain, deep scar tissues in the muscles and connective tissue, muscle knots, and swelling.

Herbal Medicine

 

Chinese herbal medicine takes a holistic approach to understanding normal function and disease processes and focuses as much on the prevention of illness as on the treatment.

 

Most diseases or illnesses present with a core set of recognizable signs and symptoms, but the actual presentation of a particular disease or illness will vary from person to person. For this reason, people with similar health conditions may be provided with quite different Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions.

 

A qualified practitioner is able to prescribe a Chinese herbal formula that specifically matches and treats your individual health problem. As your condition changes and improves with treatment, the Chinese herbal treatment is also adjusted and modified until the desired health outcome is achieved.

Acupressure/Ear Seeds Therapy

 

Acupressure is an alternative medicine technique similar in principle to acupuncture. It is based on the concept of life energy which flows through "meridians" in the body.

 

In treatment, physical pressure is applied to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing blockages in these meridians. Pressure may be applied by hand, by elbow, or with various devices.

 

In Chinese medicine, the ear is seen as a microsystem. Microsystems use one part of the body to treat conditions present anywhere in the body, similar to foot reflexology. Stimulated points trigger electrical impulses from the ear via the brain, to the corresponding part of the body being treated.

 

In modern times, western research has shown that auricular therapy stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s own feel good hormones. Ear seeds are particularly effective in treating headaches, addiction, obesity, food cravings, and more. 

 

 

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