Other Treatments

A glass, plastic, or bamboo jar is attached to the skin surface via negative pressure.  Cupping warms and promotes the free flow of qi and blood in the meridians, dispels cold dampness, and diminishes swelling and pain.  It can be used for pain, gastrointestinal disorders such as stomachache, vomiting, and diarrhea, and lung issues such as cough and asthma. 

Moxibustion applies heat to acupuncture points or certain locations of the body via “moxa-wool” in the form of a cone or stick.  Acupuncture and moxibustion have been combined in TCM for centuries, and they are usually termed together in Chinese.  It requires a good ventilation system in the treatment room, so it is not currently done in the clinic.  However, patients can be instructed  to perform it at home if desired. 

In TCM, there  is no clear cut boundaries between nutrition and   medicine since  they share the same source - herbs.  A patient’s condition may be improved or reversed with just nutritional therapy or lifestyle changes.  For example, feeling bloated could be treated by simply avoiding eating cold food in some patients.