tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6147497203597886194.post2853169493508247162..comments2023-05-20T16:18:41.048+01:00Comments on Tom the acupuncturist: Acupuncture for 'excess', herbs for 'deficiency'?Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11877892487956299931noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6147497203597886194.post-33470100105626564892012-02-06T14:37:26.937+00:002012-02-06T14:37:26.937+00:00Hi Tom, good post and some interesting ideas.
I t...Hi Tom, good post and some interesting ideas.<br /><br />I think in the west there is an over emphasis on tonification in general, while in clinical reality regulating Qi, Blood and Body Fluids is often a much more effective strategy. I totally agree that just putting something into a patient and nourishing them is not always effective. When i first started in practice I would tend to think a lot in terms of deficiency and stomach/spleen but have had a real change in approach in the past year or two.<br /><br />I think in the west herbs are often perceived to better at nourishing, but interestingly two of the (many) herbal schools of thinking are to do with the treatment of damage from heat and damage from cold, and there are a much larger number of herbs that clear heat and toxic heat for example than tonic herbs.<br /><br />I'm particularly interested in styles of chinese medicine practice (acupuncture and herbs) that focus on regulating the body's internal mechanism or qi dynamic and a well crafted herbal prescription does exactly that, for example there is a concept of increasing the bodies yang qi not by adding yang tonic herbs but by using a light touch and gently draining excess fluid from the body through the urine, in effect using something to drain to actually strengthen by allowing the yang qi to circulate more freely.<br /><br />I also think acumoxa practice rooted in well developed palpatory skills can achieve the same results or regulating the qi dynamic.<br /><br />SimonSimon Planthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16854465489861456893noreply@blogger.com