Basarel Allenspach Turan

Chinese medicine(also known as TCM) is a comprehensive and independent medical system that has been developed in China over the last 3000 years.

Chinese medicine is a closed medical system that offers approximately 3000 years of experience and verification. Chinese life and thinking are based on a philosophy that is very closely connected to nature. The findings and forms of therapy in Chinese medicine are based on biological and/or psychological life functions and processes. In contrast to the purely physical and microscopic approach of Western medicine, Chinese medicine is a functional and holistic form of medicine. It always considers the whole person, in their physical, psychological, and mental state.

Yin and Yang

They represent two opposing and complementary dynamic forces in the universe. The ancient Chinese monad symbolizes the constantly changing balance between these forces – like day and night, activity and rest, inhalation and exhalation, giving and taking. Their interaction creates a kind of life energy known as Qi (tschi). It flows in clearly recognizable pathways (called channels or meridians) and connects the different regions and organs of the body.

Health and illness

Health is synonymous with the free flow and balance of life energy (qi) and the balance of yin and yang.
Illness, on the other hand, is described as a situation of imbalance in a person, either on a physical and/or psychological-mental level. Various internal (such as emotions) and external (such as the climate) factors can lead to internal imbalance. This disrupts the flow of qi.



diagnosisWhen making a diagnosis, the therapist focuses their attention on the individual as a whole and "gathers" all relevant information, signs, and symptoms. These are considered to be external manifestations of an internal state. The "picture" that emerges from them allows conclusions to be drawn about where and how the balance in the person is disturbed.

The most important diagnostic procedures are:

• Observation of the patient
• Questioning the patient
• Pulse diagnosis
• Tongue diagnosis

therapyThe therapy attempts to restore balance and harmony in the patient.

The most important therapy methods are:

• Acupuncture
• Nutrition
• Herbal medicine
• Tuina
• Qi Gong

PreventionThe subtlety and precision of Chinese diagnostics make it possible to detect even the earliest signs of internal imbalance, even if the person does not yet feel any symptoms. This is why Chinese medicine is also suitable for the prevention of manifest diseases.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a medical treatment that attempts to restore and maintain health through the body's own (self-healing) powers. By inserting needles into a small selection of over 360 acupuncture points located on the meridians on the body's surface, the Qi is influenced and certain organ systems are affected. The points are carefully selected according to the diagnosis in order to restore the flow of qi, remove blockages, and divert pathogenic external influences from the body.
For classical acupuncture, it is crucial that the treatment is preceded by a diagnosis based on Chinese medicine.

(No) fear of small needles

Acupuncture needles are very fine, normally with a diameter of approx. 0.2 mm, meaning that they would fit into the hollow of injection needles. As they do not contain a hollow (unlike injection needles), the body tissue is not actually injured when the needle is inserted, but rather displaced. This means that the needles are rarely perceived as painful.

Diseases

Acupuncture has certainly become well known for its use in treating pain and helping people quit smoking. However, limiting it to these areas would not do justice to the possibilities of acupuncture. It would be just as misleading to list the many diseases that can be treated with acupuncture—from acute illnesses to chronic conditions such as depression, hormonal disorders, headaches, etc. This is misleading because Chinese medicine always seeks out and treats the cause—the pattern—behind the symptoms of a disease.
Accordingly, two people with the same disease (according to conventional medical diagnosis) will be treated completely differently if, from a Chinese perspective, the disease has different underlying causes.



Thereis no upper or lower age limit. Even babies and children can be treated. They usually respond very quickly to acupuncture. Pregnant women can also be treated without side effects. Acupuncture during pregnancy can even be very helpful during this time and make childbirth easier.

How often

The duration of the illness provides a certain guideline: the longer the illness, the longer/more frequent the treatment. However, individual responsiveness can vary considerably and only becomes apparent after several (five to six) treatments. In rare cases, improvement in the condition only occurs after about the tenth treatment.



Cupping and moxatherapy These are related forms of therapy based on acupuncture. In cupping, the points are stimulated with cupping glasses. Cupping therapy is particularly suitable for treating the "outer layers" of the body, such as muscles and skin. In moxibustion therapy, acupuncture points are heated by burning dried leaves of a type of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) or with moxa cigars—sticks rolled from mugwort leaves.