Traditional Chinese Medicine

Tuina Anmo

The chirotherapy of TCM: comparable to massage and manual therapy in Western medicine. Tuina (tui = to push, na = to grasp) uses not only massage techniques and mobilization, but also cupping and guasha. Acupuncture points are activated by pressure instead of needling. The treatment can be very intensive and sometimes painful, but is always tailored to suit the individual constitution. Suitable for all indications in Chinese medicine.

Acupuncture

The form of Chinese medical therapy best known in the West. After an initial Chinese anamnesis, very fine needles are inserted into certain points (known as acupuncture points) and left in place for up to twenty minutes. An acupuncture session generally has a deeply relaxing effect and many patients fall asleep during the treatment. The main indications are pain syndromes, tension (stress), as well as vegetative issues such as digestive or sleep problems.

Qigong and Taijiquan

The active exercise aspect of TCM:

Qigong or “working with Qi” are essentially the physiotherapeutic or remedial gymnastic exercises of TCM. There are exercises for every aspect, i.e. flexibility, strength, coordination, balance, and also, if performed intensively enough, endurance.

Taijiquan translates roughly to “the highest form of unarmed combat” and is a synthesis of Qigong and the martial art of Gongfu. In a fixed sequence, all fighting techniques are practiced as if in slow motion with an imaginary opponent. This approach is highly effective for enhancing strength, flexibility, and balance and is also extremely meditative. Taijiquan is meditation in motion, performed to perfection.

Chinese Herbs / Medicinal Therapy

After an initial Chinese anamnesis, it is determined whether herbs are indicated and desired by the patient. Therapy with Chinese herbs and minerals corresponds to Western therapy with medication. This treatment accounts for the largest proportion of all TCM treatments worldwide. A special feature is that most prescriptions are put together individually for each patient and only very rarely are individual substances given. In Germany, we only use ingredients that have been checked for compliance with European standards, including species protection, and tested for heavy metals and toxic ingredients. TCM herbal treatments are administered as decoctions of raw herbs, powders, granules, tablets, or tinctures. For common indications, however, there are also more and more ready-to-use medicinal products in order to reduce the amount of work involved for patients.

Five Elements Nutrition (TCM Dietetics)

In contrast to Western dietetics, Chinese nutritional theory places great emphasis on the digestibility of food. Cooked meals that are eaten in peace and chewed thoroughly. In addition to digestibility, the specific temperature effect of the food is particularly important: foods with a high water content such as cucumber, tomato or melon cool the body and are therefore particularly suitable in summer and unsuitable for patients who constantly feel cold. Foods with a high fat and protein content, such as fatty meat, hard cheese and many hot spices such as chili, pepper, ginger or garlic are very warming and are perfect in winter, but unsuitable for patients who suffer from heat symptoms (a lot of sweating or stomach problems such as gastritis).

Power soups are the superfood of TCM. You can even eat them three times a day.