Ficus Acupuncture
Chloé Tissot-Daguette
Acupuncture according to Traditional Chinese Medecine
Chinese medecine
Origins
Chinese medecine finds its roots around 2'000 years BC, and has evolved and grown over time, modelled by different movements, whether cultural, philosophical, technical or scientific, religious or political.
Due to China size and history, different techniques and approaches have been defined and developped.
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In the middle of the 20th century, China formalised a harmonised way of teaching Chinese Medecine through the creation of Chinese Medecine Universities
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Principles
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Chinese medecine rests on a few concepts, amongst which the main ones are the concepts of Yin and Yang and the 5 phases (also called elements, or movements : Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).
These concepts were born out of the observation of nature and the different elements that constitute it. They aim at describing and explaining in a dynamic way all univeral phenomena.
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Because Chinese medecine considers the human body as a microcosm functionning similarly to the universe, it sees the physiological and pathological phenomena through the same lense, using those same concepts.
It considers each patient and their pathologies as a dynamic system, and the practionist will determine, for each individual, which mechanism is behind the illness.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the different domains of Chinese medecine, along with phytotherapy, tuina massage, dietary therapy and qi gong.
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Through the insertion of fine needles in specific places on the body, it aims at regulating the flow of "vital substances" circulating through our body. These "vital substances" are the Qi (often referred to as "energy"), Blood and Organic fluids.
The fluid and proper flow of these substances is what keeps us in good health. Illnesses are the result of disturbances of this flow.
Our health is also a result of the condition of our internal organs as seen by chinese medicine. And as these are subjected to dysfunctions, illness may arise.
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The goal of acupuncture is to reestablish the correct flow of vital substances and promote the functions of our organs in order to treat the illness.
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The points used during an acupuncture treatment are located on the pathways of Energy and fluids, called Meridians.
These meridians run through our body and form a network, connecting to each other and to the different areas of the body, its organs and its tissues.
Thanks to this network, the acupuncturist may use points located on the feet to treat a headache!