Conditions We Treat

The Integrative Care Approach

Integrative Medicine works in various of ways to improve our health

A Holistic Approach

Traditional Medicine, with over 3000 years of evolution, encompasses a collection of practices originating from Far East Asia to the Western Hemisphere. These practices are utilized to diagnose and treat illnesses with a holistic approach, distinguishing it from conventional Western medicine. Traditional Medicine practitioners examine the underlying causes and imbalances behind diseases rather than simply focusing on symptoms. This method involves considering the individual as a whole to provide comprehensive healthcare.

In Natural Medicine, the assessment of patterns includes analyzing the interaction between pathogenic factors (disease-causing elements) and the body's innate resistance. Practitioners suggest targeted therapies based on a differential diagnosis that identifies the root cause of a disease and the resulting internal disharmony. Treatment not only eases symptoms but also addresses the underlying cause of exposure. Consequently, patients with similar symptoms may receive different treatments, while different diseases might be treated similarly if they result in the same syndrome. Pattern discrimination, being integral to Integrative Medicine diagnostics, is both crucial and challenging to master.

Diagnostics: Ausiculation, Olfaction, Pulse and Palpation

In order to differentiate between patterns, TCM practitioners rely on several diagnostic methods, including:

• Palpation of the wrist pulses. This is very different from taking the pulse rate. There are many qualities in a pulse that can indicate disease, more than 26.

• Palpation of the abdomen

• Palpation of the muscles, tendons

• Inspection of the face

• Mapping out the Tongue and it’s different qualities

• Listening for particular sounds, such as coughing, wheezing, pitch and tone of the voice.

• Smell of body odor

• Inquiry about individual functions with the patient, like bowel habits and urination

Pulse taking is the most important diagnostic skill. Through diligent papation, an experienced Doctor can accurately diagnose almost any medical problem. Eastern trained physicians feel for six pulses in each wrist: three superficial and three deep at specific points along the artery. The pulse is examined for several characteristics including rhythm, rate, quality, strength and volume. The quality of each pulse reveals underlying imbalances in specific internal organs and in turn, the body as a whole.

Therapies

Integrative Medicine emphasizes the practice of proper diet and nutrition, exercise and spirituality along with more specialized techniques. We use a wide range of therapies, including botanical medicine, Acupuncture, moxibustion , gua sha , cupping & Tui Na (Sports massage).

It is important to remember, Integrative Medicine should not be used to compete with efficacious treatment modalities that are already available in conventional Western medicine. Exploration of its clinical applications should focus on conditions for which conventional medicine can find no satisfactory remedy or conventional treatment has been unable to manage stubborn symptoms.