Chinese Medicine is a complete system of health care involving several modalities to address health concerns and maintain health and wellness. Traditionally there are 5 branches of Chinese medicine: acupuncture (the use of needles to stimulate acu-points), moxibustion (the burning of mugwart, or Ai ye, over an acu-point to create warmth in that point, channel or area), herbal and dietary therapy, tui na (clinical massage) and qi gong (excersise, movement and meditation to keep the body, mind and spirit healthy).
An intake and consultation in Chinese Medicine involves an in-depth interview known as the "10 Qustions", inquiring into the systems of your body, which give the practitioner an idea about a dominant pattern that stands out, representing your constitution and how your body metabolizes fluids and manages stress. Additionally, a visual assessment of your tongue and palpation, or feeling, of the pulses on your wrists also help the practitioner to get an idea of how fluids and blood move around your body. Palpation of the abdomen, channels on the body, and painful or affected areas may also be used for diagnostic purposes in Chinese Medicine.
