What is Chinese Medicine and can it help?
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Chinese Medicine is one of the oldest healing systems still in practice today, with roots tracing back more than 3,500 years ago. Deeply influenced by Daoist philosophy, Chinese Medicine views all things in the universe as interconnected — from the vast rhythms of nature to the intricate workings of the human body and mind. Within this view, body, mind, and spirit are not separate entities— but interwoven aspects of a single whole. Just as a shift in swell or wind can change the flow of the sea, disharmony in one area of our lives can influence our whole being.
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One of the most well-known concepts from Chinese Medicine in the West is Qi (pronounced “chee”) — the vital life force that animates and regulates every function of the body. The name Sea of Qi comes from QìhÇŽi (REN-6), an acupuncture point located in the lower abdomen that represents the body’s reservoir of life energy — the place where Qi is gathered, stored, and renewed. Qi warms, protects, transforms, and moves through the body much like tides and rivers nourishing the landscape. When this flow is open and balanced, we experience vitality and harmony; when it becomes blocked, depleted, or turbulent, imbalance and illness can arise. Through practices such as acupuncture, moxibustion, bodywork, movement, herbal medicine, and dietary therapy, Chinese Medicine helps restore the natural rhythm of Qi — clearing what is excessive, replenishing what is lacking, and harmonizing the yin and yang of body and mind.
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There are eight major branches of Chinese Medicine, with acupuncture being the most well-known in the West. Acupuncture involves the gentle insertion of sterile, single-use needles — as fine as a cat’s whisker — into specific points along the body’s channels. Each treatment is individually tailored, based on a detailed assessment of your health history and current patterns, to address both the root imbalance and your primary symptoms.
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From a Western biomedical perspective, several theories attempt to explain acupuncture’s effects. One suggests that many acupuncture points lie near nerve pathways, and that stimulating them influences the nervous system directly. Another proposes that acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins — the body’s natural painkillers — promoting relaxation and well-being. While research continues to explore these mechanisms, what’s clear is that acupuncture consistently helps the body return to a state of balance in a gentle and noninvasive way.
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At Sea of Qi Acupuncture, treatments are designed to awaken the body’s innate capacity for healing. We address underlying imbalances alongside your main concerns to help your system “remember” how to restore its own equilibrium. Whether you’re seeking relief from physical pain, emotional distress, or chronic health conditions, Chinese Medicine offers a flexible and integrative approach to healing, designed to work in harmony with other forms of care. It helps guide the body back toward its natural state of balance and vitality.
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