Chinese Herbal Medicine has a sophisticated pharmacy. Most medicinal formulas are herbal, but some include animal or mineral ingredients. Unlike Western herbology, Chinese Herbal Medicine does not use single herbal remedies. As a consequence, formulas can have as many as 18 ingredients.

There are many ways to ingest herbs. For example, people traditionally boil the herbs to make a decoction. This method is time-consuming and can taste terrible. As a result, more CM formulas are available as liquid extracts, tablets, capsules, or granules. When a formula is used topically, it is available as a lotion, cream, salve, or poultice.

Moxibustion uses heat to warm acupuncture points. There are two ways to heat the points: direct and indirect. The direct method involves placing tiny cones of moxa (dried mugwort) on the skin. The moxa is lit, and the combination of the heat and its medicinal qualities stimulates circulation. In some cases, burning the skin is desirable as part of the treatment, and burns can be an unintended outcome.

The indirect method is the most popular technique. The practitioner can control the heat. A cigar-like moxa stick is lit and held near the skin until it is warm. Alternatively, acupuncture needles are inserted into the skin and warmed. This is the method of moxibustion that we utilize at this office.

Tuina is a medicinal massage. This CM therapy uses massage techniques to stimulate circulation. You wear loose, comfortable clothing and may be seated or lying down. The practitioner may use various methods during the treatment, from massaging the soft tissue, acupressure, herbal compresses, liniments, ointments, or heat.

While Tuina may reduce stress, relieve pain, or increase range of motion, the treatment may be uncomfortable. In short, many massage techniques can be vigorous and deep. The purpose of the massage is to restore circulation. The result is that you leave feeling lighter, freer,, and more energized.

In a cupping treatment, the practitioner uses suction to pull on skin and soft tissue, stimulating circulation and promoting healing.

There are two ways to create suction: with heat or a pump. In the first technique, the practitioner ignites a flame inside a plastic or glass cup the size of a baby food jar. The flame creates a vacuum inside the cup, which is immediately placed on the skin. The second technique uses a pump to create a vacuum inside a rubber cup. In both cases, the vacuum inside the cup pulls on the skin, which is the therapeutic effect of cupping.

Gua Sha is a CM therapy typically used to treat pain, remove toxins, and improve circulation.

In this treatment, the skin is coated with oil and rubbed or scraped. A rounded instrument (like a coin, spoon, or piece of buffalo horn) is preferred. Typically, the back, neck, or shoulders are scraped, but occasionally, the chest or abdomen are also scraped. The strokes follow the direction of the ribs and spine and leave distinctive, long, red patches on the skin.

There are many variations of acupuncture. Some techniques attach electrodes to the needles to deliver a small current to the acupuncture point. Other techniques focus solely on the points in the ears, hands,, or scalp. Some therapies even use sound to stimulate the body.