What is Acupuncture

Acupuncture: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are protocols acupuncture for treating or preventing a variety of conditions. See the many indications in the section Research on acupuncture .

Acupuncture, what is it?

The acupuncture is one of the five branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with the Chinese diet , the Chinese medicine (herbs), the Tui Na massage and energy exercises ( Qi Gong and Tai Chi ). Acupuncture is based on an energy approach and holistic. According to the Eastern medical thought, it acts on the Qi (pronounced chee ) which circulates in the body through the meridians . Needles inserted in the skin surface stimulates specific acupuncture points to regulate the Qi and physiological functions, organic and psychic targeted. In Western terms, we could say that it helps to strengthen the processes of self-regulation and healing that are normally in motion when the body undergoes an attack (caused by a virus, stress, injury, etc.).. There is a detailed map of acupuncture points and meridians as well as their role to restore the health and balance of the patient.

According to TCM, the acupuncture can treat, often in tandem with other practices, a variety of "imbalances" related, among others, musculoskeletal system ( arthritis , tendonitis , bursitis), respiratory ( bronchitis , asthma ), gastrointestinal tract (kidney, diarrhea ), nervous system ( depression , stress ), etc.. It also helps to relieve various common ailments ( headaches , colds , nausea), but it can not cure certain serious diseases or correct genetic defects.

The acupuncture could also play an important role in the prevention of disease. Maximizing the functional activity of the viscera and the movement of substances , it would balance all body systems. This would result in preventing the disease find fertile ground to implement.

If you are not familiar with the concepts Chinese energy , see our fact sheet on Traditional Chinese Medicine that will give you a good overview of the fundamental principles on which are based the acupuncture and TCM.



The first consultation
At the first visit to the acupuncturist , do not expect to see him appear needles in hands with a smirk ... Acupuncture is a highly elaborate and methodical discipline, based on thousands of years of practice. First, the therapist assesses the state of health of the person and detects its energy imbalances. To do this, it uses the observation , the palpations and questionnaires detailed. It may ask you or even climates the flavors you prefer - additional clues to corroborate his assessment. It takes note of your medical history and your characteristics (height, weight, complexion, breathing rhythm, tone of voice, movement, emotion, etc.).. It examines the pulse and tongue, listening to the sounds of the stomach, body odors and is auscultates sore spots associated meridians.

Tingling deep relaxation
In general, the treatment effect of acupuncture is relaxing. Even if the needles are, at first sight, uninspiring, they are rarely wrong. They are only 3 times bigger than a human hair and are designed to fit into the skin without resistance. Typically, the acupuncturist uses needles 1 to 15, it leaves on different points for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the problem at hand. We compare the sensation caused by the needle to a mosquito bite. But sometimes it is more pronounced, ranging from tingling to numbness light or an electric shock. Usually, these sensations last time, however, that insertion of the needle. In fact, some people fall asleep during the session!

There is not the needles
To enhance the effects of treatment, acupuncturists may use complementary processes. They can, for example, print movements rotation needles for amplifying stimulation. For more details, see our section 101 Chinese medicine.

- The moxibustion is to apply, on the needles or above the acupuncture points, the heat generated by combustion of a cone or a stick of moxa (mugwort), dried grass.
- The Ba Guan Zi are suckers that are fixed on a point or is dragged along a meridian.
- The Pi Fu Zhen , also called plum blossom resembles a small hammer with needles which strikes the surface lightly to the skin.
- The electrostimulation can apply a mild electrical current to the needles. It is often used to combat pain. But it is also used when you want to get stronger stimulation than that obtained by simple manipulation of needles.
- There are different schools of thought in acupuncture . Koreans, for example, insert the needles only the hands and feet, while other acupuncturists implanting only in the ears, especially when it comes to treating addictive disorders. In Japan, the traditional approach is to stimulate energy points more by touch ( acupressure ) with needles. Practice is constantly evolving and new styles emerge regularly.

If the sight of a needle makes you dizzy, acupuncture laser (which uses laser light directed precisely) could be an attractive alternative. This technique is particularly useful to people whose treatment requires prolonged stimulation and with children .

A long journey to the West
The Chinese medicine have been born 6000 years ago. It was the Jesuits who were the first to have brought Chinese writings on acupuncture at the end of the XVII th century. At the beginning of XIX th century France, the great names of medicine became interested. It is, however, under the leadership of Georges Soulie de Morant (1878-1955), Consul of France in Beijing for more than 12 years, acupuncture took a considerable growth in Europe from the 1920s.

In Quebec, acupuncture has gradually been introduced through European practitioners. It is a profession officially recognized since 1985. In the United States it was not until 1972 that the approach has caught the attention of the public in the wake of President Nixon's historic visit to China. In 1997, acupuncture has been officially recognized as a therapeutic option for safe and effective in the treatment of certain conditions at a conference organized by the National Institutes of Health U.S..

Therapeutic applications of acupuncture
Evaluate the acupuncture based on objective criteria and reproducible modern Western science has proved far disappointing process. The main reasons for this state of affairs are the difficulties of "standardization" of the disease, the overall effect rather than specific acupuncture, methodological problems of placebo acupuncture, the multiplicity of techniques and schools of thought the lack of funding, the fact that the majority of studies are published in Asian languages ​​and the low quality of much research. Several papers have also been published on this subject. For more details, see the article Acupuncture: the challenges of assessment "Western".

There is therefore a gap between what the acupuncture claims to treat, particularly in China and Japan, and has been evaluated so far in the context of scientific studies meet Western standards.

Research
Counter the nausea and vomiting associated with surgery and chemotherapy.since 1997, several research groups and committees concluded that the effectiveness of acupuncture for these uses, compared to placebo treatment.

Regarding nausea and vomiting post-surgery , the results are particularly well established. In 2008, a systematic review of 15 randomized clinical trials including 1,166 subjects, showed a significant decrease in the risk of nausea, vomiting and use of antivomitif following acupuncture treatment. In addition, a greater reduction in pain post-surgery was observed 8 and 72 hours after surgery in the acupuncture group compared with the control group.

Treat migraine. A systematic review published in 2009 and revised in 2011, has evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating migraine . Twenty-two randomized trials including 4419 subjects were included. The researchers concluded that acupuncture was as effective as conventional pharmacological treatments, while causing less harmful side effects. She also prove a useful adjunct to conventional treatments.

Dentistry: analgésier and postoperative pain relief . Acupuncture is widely used in dentistry and can be used as a primary or supplementary analgesic treatment. Results of randomized trials of its analgesic effects against pain post-surgery were positive. A systematic review of 16 controlled trials demonstrating a clear majority of positive results.
Moreover, according to the results of a systematic review of 14 randomized trials, acupuncture is effective for treating temporomandibular disorders.

Relieve pain epicondylalgia side (tennis elbow). Although acupuncture is widely used to relieve pain associated with various joint disorders , until recently the scientific data do not allow to rule on its effectiveness for treating ' epicondylalgia ( tennis elbow). However, in 2004, the authors of a systematic review of six randomized clinical trials involving a total of 282 patients found that acupuncture was effective in relieving pain associated with epicondylalgia side.

Relieve nausea and vomiting, especially those associated with pregnancy . The antiemetic general (against nausea and vomiting) of acupuncture is widely shown. More specifically, a randomized placebo-controlled conducted with 36 pregnant women showed that it was effective during pregnancy.

Relieve menstrual pain . In 2011, a meta-analysis of six clinical trials concluded that acupuncture relieves pain more effectively than did placebo, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or Chinese herbs 31 . However, the authors are cautious in their conclusions and believe that more studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of this approach. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States 2 and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize that there is some evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving menstrual pain .

Various
The World Health Organization (WHO) published in 2002 a list of conditions for which acupuncture was likely to be effective This list was based on controlled clinical studies identified in the literature. More than 300 systematic reviews have been published since that time.They identified new conditions for which acupuncture may be effective, but it has been scientifically established beyond any doubt.

Acupuncture: the challenges of assessment "Western"

Evaluation of acupuncture based on the criteria of Western science has been until now a considerable challenge. Many scientific articles have been published on this subject. We discussed the situation with Manny Pascal , Professor, Department of Acupuncture Rosemont College, and Denis Umbriaco , acupuncturist, Doctor of Neurological Sciences and founding member of the Scientific Committee of the Association of Acupuncturists of Quebec.

Here are the main reasons behind the low number of studies published confirming the efficacy of acupuncture for relatively few conditions.

The difficult standardization
For Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is no standardized disease as in conventional medicine where cause is isolated viral, bacterial or otherwise, we are trying to eradicate. In TCM , it treats the individual and not the disease. Thus, two people with flu like and apparently caused by the same virus will not necessarily be treated in the same way. Indeed, a person may have been victim of the virus due to cooling and the other due to a weakened immune system, for example. And a third, having been exposed to exactly the same virus, has successfully fought without even being noticed.

Thus, since for the MTC there is no standardized flu , we can apply a standard treatment to hundreds of people with the "same" flu to draw statistical results. In addition, the application of personalized treatment to each patient contrary to the principles of the "objective" assessment of a single treatment, which is the basis of scientific protocols Western. Hence the difficulty of designing studies that do justice to the fundamental principles of TCM while satisfying the criteria of scientific research.

Action baggy
Drugs and western medicine interventions are generally designed to cause a specific action and specific pathogen on a particular organ or function. The effect is direct and relatively easy to measure.

The acupuncture is more holistically and often indirect. To fight a virus, for example, the intervention of acupuncture will help to mobilize the vital force of the person or to stimulate its immune system . It is through this enhanced healing ability of the virus can be fought and that the balance will be restored.

Healing is not only due to the direct action of a drug or treatment, but is also a function of a set of physical and psychological factors (fitness, vitality, state stress , diet, quality of sleep , depressed or optimistic character, etc.).. We understand it is difficult to evaluate the specific role of acupuncture as it is often the trigger of a very complex process.

It's a bit like Western medicine lingered separately to each of the instruments of an orchestra, or strings of a violin, one by one, while the MTC taking into account especially the conductor or orchestra as a whole.

Placebo effect?
In Western science, it is very important to compare a real treatment with placebo (similar but inert) to determine the distinctive action of the real treatment. Despite many efforts in this direction (needle shallow, fake needles, bad acupuncture points), a sham treatment of acupuncture truly inert and effect does not seem to have been found 2 . Indeed, in many studies, real acupuncture treatments gave comparable results (or higher ) to conventional treatment, but were only slightly better than "fake" acupuncture treatments. For many researchers, this demonstrates that fake treatments are not really inert. The mixed results of several studies may be indicative of a methodological problem rather than therapeutic ineffectiveness of acupuncture.

All kinds of acupuncture
There are many forms of acupuncture (Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc..) and each comes in several schools of thought or style. In addition, training of acupuncturists can vary greatly from one place to another. It is therefore difficult to determine objectively the quality of therapeutic interventions. This lack of standardization makes it particularly dangerous comparisons between different studies.

In addition, most research scientists evaluate acupuncture from a fixed protocol, limited to puncture some predetermined points without considering the characteristics of each patient. This is not representative of how to actually practice acupuncture.

Lack of research funds
Research quality is very expensive, and acupuncture can lead to the marketing of products or treatments patentable. Because of this, apart from government agencies, few companies are willing to invest in such studies. In addition, there are still relatively few funds dedicated to education and academic research in acupuncture and TCM. But the situation tends to improve, particularly in the United States.

The number of studies is limited and they are often more or less good quality. Moreover, a finding that is frequently found in the following summaries of their studies or critical analysis is that it should make more high quality studies ... However, thanks to the creation of new standards for research (CONSORT stricta and, for example), it seems that the quality actually improves recent years 6 .

This is the Chinese
Many studies are written in Asian languages ​​(Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese), but few have been translated into English. In addition, the cultural differences that often are not considered valid by the Western scientific community.

The right questions?
As noted by a group of researchers, the reviews that conclude that "acupuncture studies provide no evidence of its effectiveness for valid any affection whatsoever " face the full brunt of the positive results observed yet daily around the world. They ask if we ask really good questions, including taking at all costs to create a placebo acupuncture . And it would not be more important to look primarily at how acupuncture compared with other conventional treatments.


See document Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Note. presentation of this form differs from other forms of therapies Guide. It describes briefly the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which are based on the specific practices of this medicine. For a more thorough throughout the MTC, please visit our section on Chinese Medicine 101.

Traditional Chinese medicine, what is it?
Old a few thousand years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a "system", that is to say a set of theories (explanations) and practices (techniques) on human health. Its relative complexity, for the West, primarily due to the following facts:

It has its own symbolic and philosophical basis.
She sees the body, heart and spirit as a whole.

It is not developed by dissecting the dead, but by observing the living. Therefore, nothing is seen as static.

It considers the phenomena not in itself, but from the relationships between them. Therefore, the health of a body or a person depends on many factors, all interconnected.
It uses several common terms in a different sense of what is usually understood in the West.
To ensure the well-being in humans, Traditional Chinese Medicine uses five main practices. Each is discussed in more detail in our data sheets.

The acupuncture
The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (herbs)
The Chinese diet
The Tui Na
Energy exercises
- The Qi Gong
- The tai chi
Trained individuals to practice five have the title of doctor of Chinese medicine . Formed only one or some of these practices, they carry a specific title, acupuncturist, herbalist, etc..

If Traditional Chinese Medicine's primary objective is to maintain health and prevent disease , it can also treat most health problems (occasional or chronic), including skin disorders, musculoskeletal, neurological, digestive, respiratory, reproductive, hormonal, as well as some infections and some emotional problems.

Here is a summary of the main theories - there are dozens of others - which are based on the MTC and each of its practices.

Qi, Yin, Yang and other major forces

The general principle of harmony
The Traditional Chinese Medicine seeks first to maintain the harmony of energy within the body and between the body and the outside elements. The health is linked to the body's ability to maintain the momentum needed to confront the attacks. In return, the disease occurs when the body has lost its ability to adapt.

Each individual has a particular constitution which different elements interact, according to a balance of its own. This is called the field . In two people, one symptom (headache or trouble digesting, for example) does not, a priori , a common cause, but an imbalance specific to each of them.

To maintain the health, harmony must reside in each of the elements of the set, and that between the different elements. And at all levels: in each organ of the individual, and between these organs in the individual, and between individuals and their environment. TCM does not treat the symptoms (as would the mechanistic medicine), but the person holistically.

The fundamental element: Qi
According to the Chinese view, which is both symbolic and practical , everything in the universe is driven by a fundamental force, an energy called Qi (pronounced chee ). This is the Qi that circulates the electrons in atoms. It allows cells to multiply, plants and living things grow. It also animates the movement of the wind and the stars. You can not see or touch. As is the case for electricity, we can only perceive its effects. Humans, as Qi supports the body's functions and the spirit walking, digest, think, feel are all manifestations.

This energy flow continuously circulates throughout the body via a network immaterial, but specific channels called meridians . The path of the meridian points are skin, called acupuncture points , where you can regulate the flow.

When Qi is sufficient and good circulation, the body is healthy, clear thinking and sharp reflexes. When stagnant, blocked or is forced, it feels weak, heavy and without vitality. Qi can be disturbed by many factors, internal or external (see Causes of diseases below).

Two poles: the Yin and Yang
The balance is never static, but constantly moving between the two opposing forces, which are complementary and interdependent Yin and Yang (represented in the symbol of the Tao).

The Yin represents the forces type passive , dark, cold, depth, moisture, etc.. The Yang -type forces means active , light, hot surface, drought, etc.. As a garden needs much rain (Yin) and the sun (Yang), all organizations need both forces. Yin and Yang are always in a dynamic relationship: when one increases, the other decreases. In all natural cycles, Yin and Yang succeed continually, as day follows night, the action at rest, inspiration to expiration and vice versa.

In a healthy individual, the movement of Yin and Yang are balanced . But when one comes to fade or fail, the other takes over and is manifested by symptoms of its own. A lack of Yang, for example, results in a pale complexion, the reluctance, loose stools (pallor, coldness, softness characteristics being Yin).

Note that, according to Chinese philosophy, the principles of Yin and Yang can be found both in nature (water / fire, night / day, contraction / expansion, etc..), in anatomy (internal / external, Liver / heart, left / right, etc..) and physiology (female / male, structure / function, descent / ascent, etc.)..

It is also important to know that for the Traditional Chinese Medicine , organs and elements represent phenomena that go beyond the mere function accorded them in our anatomy and our traditional thinking, which is why they are written with a capital letter.

The five movements: Metal, Wood, Earth, Fire, Water
In any phenomenon whatsoever, alternating between the state and the state Yin Yang does not happen instantly, but a constant process of transformation. The Chinese have identified five key phases (called movements) in this process. Each of the five movements has its own energy increase or decrease, it also bears the name of an element. When a phenomenon leaves the Yin Yang to enter, it is the movement of birth, dawn, spring, awakening, identified by Wood. At the top of Yang, is the entrance into adulthood (Fire). Then came the ripening (Earth) and aging (Metal). With death (Water), the phenomenon occurs again in the Yin.

The five movements give life in a specific order, according to the principle of generation : Water produces Wood, which generates the light, which generates the Earth, which produces Metal, which produces Water. As for the principle of control , it works in the same direction, but not linearly: Water controls Fire, which controls Metal which controls Wood, who control the Earth, which controls the water. Cycles of generation and control together form a balanced system. It is used to classify any natural phenomenon, but also for studying human tissues and relations between the elements.

5 movements theory also applies to the temperament of a person to his own behavioral dynamics. Wood temperaments, for example, have an expansive energy and are stimulated by the challenge and action. They are fed by water types and Fire types nourishing, but easily enter into conflict with the kinds Earth and Metal. As is the case in any other system of classification of temperaments, no individual corresponds to a pure type. It is a little of each in a special balance, with a predominance of more or less pronounced. To find your "temperament Chinese" made ​​our test Are you Metal, Earth, Fire, Wood and Water? .

Traditional Chinese Medicine, from the abstract to the concrete
The traditional Chinese medicine believes that the body contains organs and entrails , and 5 "vital substances".

The five vital substances
The first 3 are immaterial substances and called Three Treasures . First the Shen , which is consciousness organizes the individual creative spirit. It plays a role in mental health. Then Qi , then Jing , the essence, that is to say, features intimate and specific of every living being. A certain amount, limited and non-renewable, is transmitted to us by the parents: the innate Jing, the vital capital of the species. By cons, air and food we provide the Jing acquired, thereby maintaining the innate Jing.

To these are added Three Treasures 2 material substances, namely Blood and body fluids that nourish and moisten all tissues and organs.

Bodies
There are five bodies , each corresponding to a movement : Liver (Wood), Heart (Fire), Spleen (Earth), lung (metal) and Kidney (Water). The viscera are "full" kind of Yin. Together, they have the role of producing, processing and storing energy, Blood, Body Fluids, Jing and Shen. But each plays specific roles: for example, the house spirit (heart), or raise the "pure Yang" (Spleen).

The Guts
Gallbladder (Wood), Small Intestine (Fire), Stomach (Earth), Large Intestine (Metal), bladder (Water): Yang in nature, these Viscera 'hollow' joint role is to receive, process and excrete fluids. The Guts also have specific roles (the Small Intestine "sorts the clear and disorder").

The causes of disease in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Most of the time, the traditional Chinese medicine attempts to identify the causes of disease by describing the types of imbalances (Empty, Excess, Stagnation, etc..), and determining what Viscera or what functions they affect. The causes can be external (symbolized by climatic conditions), internal (especially emotional nature) or other.

5 external causes are wind , the cold , the humidity , the heat and drought . These conditions are due to diseases when they are excessive or when the body is too weak to endure. They then attack through the mouth, nose or skin tracks. Wind and cold combined, for example, can cause sneezing, fever, muscle stiffness, etc.. Of course, if we say that a disease is caused by Liver-Fire, for example, does not mean that the liver is physically hotter, but it is overly active, it takes too much space, that it "overheating".

7 internal causes are Anger, Grief, Sadness, Fear the, Joy, Fear and Concern. Indeed, Traditional Chinese Medicine has always believed that emotional factors strongly influence health. Body hurts every emotion which it is associated. For example, Anger hurts the liver, and Fear, Kidneys.

The other causes are all those which concern neither climatic factors or emotions. These are:
- a weak constitution;
- overwork;
- excessive or sexually frustrated;
- injuries and accidents
- parasites and poisons
- food (lack of balance in food hygiene) .

Methods of diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine

The practitioner in Traditional Chinese Medicine seeks not to diagnose but to perceive disturbances may lead to disharmony. The only way to determine these disturbances is to observe its manifestations. The practitioner therefore proceeds by comments, questions and palpation.

Observations. Complexion, eyes, nails, hair, breath, breath, his voice, emotional state, feces and other excretions, etc.. The language is a major source of information, both in its size, shape, color, texture, and by the characteristics of the white coating that covers it.

Questions. Upon malaise, family history, sleep, appetite, etc..

Palpation. texture, moisture, temperature and elasticity of the skin, muscle tone tissue excitability, etc.. The pulse is also a fundamental diagnostic mode, because it allows to examine the Qi . Indeed, it is through the power of Qi that blood circulates. The practitioner takes 3 different pulse with three fingers on each wrist artery. The first pulse provides information on the chest, the second on the upper abdomen, the third on the lower abdomen. Left wrist and Yin organs are right wrist, Yang organs. Different characteristics are attributed to pulse (fast floating-hitting, low, strong, fluid, drowned, etc.)., Each index. Some features can be combined.

To interpret the data, the practitioner should refer to the eight guiding principles : Yin / Yang, Hot / Cold, Empty / Excess, Interior / Exterior. With them, he can determine the characteristics (status, quality, location) of Qi in the body. These characteristics allow it to prescribe or most appropriate treatments, whether a change of diet, treatment of acupuncture or practice exercises Qi Gong , for example.

Chinese Medicine 101

Although this section is called Chinese Medicine 101 , it is not a course per se, but rather a broad overview that explains what modern Traditional Chinese Medicine. We chose acupuncture as a preferred angle to illustrate this, but the information also applies generally to other branches of Chinese medicine. The editorial work is the work of three professors acupuncture Collège de Rosemont, Quebec (see below).

6000 years old, Chinese Medicine is the result of a combination of theories and practices from not only China, but also Korea, Japan, Vietnam and other Asian countries. It therefore includes a variety of schools of thought among which we selected is now called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The West was discovered after the visit of U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1972, when mainland China opened to the world. TCM has been redefined by contemporary major Chinese institutions in the 1950s. At this time, we wanted to standardize its teaching, it can coexist with Western medicine and is validated by modern scientific studies.

Medicine full
TCM, as Western medicine is a complete medical system that has its own special tools and how to interpret the causes of disease, the diagnoses and devise physiology. For example, in the West, we tend to consider the organs, whether the heart, lungs or intestines, as well circumscribed entities that can dissect, analyze, weigh and measure accurately. Physiology China insists on these descriptions much less refined, but focuses more on the functional relationships between the organs .

It focuses on describing the relationship between bodies and the rest of the body as in the smooth functioning maintains health in the evolution of an imbalance which, from a certain sphere organic progressively disrupts other spheres. Traditional Chinese Medicine has five main disciplines (acupuncture, nutrition, Tui Na massage, medicinal and energetic exercises - Tai Ji Quan and Qi Gong), which are summarized in PasseportSanté.net sheets. These disciplines offer different modes of intervention, often complementary, which are based on the same grounds as in the design of the human body and its relationship with the environment, in their interpretation of the signs of imbalance in their policy guidance treatment.

These are the foundations, both theoretical and practical, we invite you to discover or deepen in this course. Thus we hope will help you understand why an acupuncturist wants to treat your back and bite you unlock the " Qi stagnates in your meridians , "or why an herbalist offers a decoction release area , disperse Cold or hunt Wind because a "Wind-Cold" gave you the cold symptoms.

Another World
It should be noted here that discusses how to think and understand the reality that is sometimes confusing and often miles away from our usual references. For our Western mind, some concepts may seem simplistic or offputting at first. But do not be discouraged. We designed the course with progressive levels, and interrelated. If concepts do not seem quite clear at first reading, continue, and soon, by dint of swimming in this context, a new understanding should install. The preferred structure is intended Cartesian little, but the round and organic Chinese.

To navigate smoothly

The course is organized into successive levels, with this entry as a starting point. (See the site map at the top of the page.) At each level, the information becomes more specific and complex. But you can always come back to the basic concepts presented in the first levels. It is possible to navigate linearly from the first to the fifth level, but you do not have to. So, you could immediately go to the fourth level, and consider the case for clinical headache, for example, then there, visit other sections as and when you need them (physiology, Yin and Yang , processing tools, etc.).. If you are not familiar with the MTC, we recommend you still read the three basic forms (Language, Holistic Qi - Energy) before your navigation. Foundations section (Yin Yang and Five Elements) could then be addressed to better understand the foundations of TCM. By clicking on any word dark blue , you will see the page where it discusses in more depth the concept in question. In addition, just drag the mouse over the words highlighted in light blue ( Meridian , for example) appear to see their definition or translation. You can also consult the glossary at any time by clicking on the icon at the top of pages. Successive levels The level 2 presents the foundations of the MTC approach holistic , its language and especially the basic concept of Qi , the universal energy. The level 3 summarizes six aspects of TCM that you can deepen your convenience to levels 4 and 5 : The foundations of TCM: Yin and Yang and the Five Elements dynamics. The physiology of the human body in the context of China's energy, and the description of the principal organs and their interrelationships. The causes of disease: they are internal or external, climatic or dietetic their pictorial representations are often surprising. The examination clinic such as an acupuncturist performed in his office. The tools for the treatment of acupuncture needle of course, but also the laser and vacuum. Of cases where the clinical invite you to accompany patients with common diseases, visiting their acupuncturist.