Brief Guide to Oriental Medicine

Do you suffer from chronic pain? Are you going through cancer treatment? Suffer from headaches or migraines? Interested in a different approach to your healthcare? Considering oriental medicine in Clearwater, Florida? At Dawn Potter Acupuncture we proudly offer a range of oriental medicine for our patients. Oriental medicine has been used throughout history and various studies have found it to be effective in treating a wide range of ailments.

About Oriental Medicine

Oriental medicine has been used over thousands of years, evolving as time has gone on. Oriental medicine practitioners use a wide range of body and mind practices (such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, manual therapies, nutrition, and more) to address a wide range of health ailments and diseases.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a form of oriental medicine that uses fine, sterile, one-time-use needles that are inserted into specific points around the body. Doing so regulates the flow of energy in the body, allowing the mind and body to re-balance and heal.

Nutrition Guidance

We’ve all heard “you are what you eat” and it couldn’t’ be more true. Nutritional guidance is another form of oriental medicine that focuses on the diet of a patient. When it comes to nutrition, having a healthy diet can provide the energy and nourishment your body needs to sustain and heal itself. Dawn Potter will work with you on your dietary needs to ensure your body has what it needs to function best.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been around for thousands of years and utilizes substances derived from mineral, animal, and even plant sources. These herbs can come in the form of tea, soup, extracts, tablets, lotions, creams, and more.

Manual Therapies

Manual therapies are another form of oriental medicine that can be used to heal the body. These therapies include massage, cupping, gua sha and moxabustion. These therapies improve circulation and can speed up healing.

Schedule Oriental Medicine in Clearwater Today

Ready to schedule Clearwater oriental medicine? Contact Dawn Potter Acupuncture today, we’d be delighted to provide a consultation and get you added to our schedule for an appointment.

Medical Qigong Treatment now Available!

In addition to the acupuncture, cupping, massage, herbs, nutrition and self-care guidance, I am now also offering Medical Qigong Treatment. This is a perfect and very useful complement to what I already offer. I am incorporating it into each acupuncture treatment, as well as offering it as a stand-alone treatment session.

What is Qigong:

Qigong, or Qi Gong (pronounced “Chee Gung”) is one of the 8 branches of Oriental Medicine. In Chinese, it means “Energy Cultivation”. This is the same energy that we work within acupuncture treatment. To learn more about Qi, visit my Oriental Medicine page.

Qi gong is a slow, meditative series of exercise movements. Its purpose is to deliberately move energy (Qi) through the body in specific ways, to benefit health on many levels. You may be familiar with Tai Chi and its many benefits for body and mind. In fact, Tai Chi is one form of Qi gong.

Here is a great article by a friend and colleague of mine which talks about the many wonderful benefits of Qigong. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-reasons-to-get-to-know_b_7942018

Qigong is quite easy to learn, as there are one or two movements that are repeated 5 to 18 times before moving on to another exercise movement. And each Qi Gong exercise has a very specific intention for building and/or moving Qi through the organs, body systems and energy meridians. (The same energy meridians used in acupuncture treatment.)

In many parts of China, it is very common for people to have a regular morning routine of Tai Chi or Qigong. In fact, you will often see groups of people practicing in the parks, on any given morning. This is because a routine practice will enhance all aspects of health and longevity, as well as help to balance the mind and emotions. In today’s modern world, full of stress-inducing elements, a regular Qi Gong practice can be a very valuable piece of self-care and health cultivation.

There are many great teachers of Qigong exercises…both locally and online. For instance, this is a very nice Eight Brocades practice that also describes how each movement is benefiting the energies of the body….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K-0JpiJu-o&t=23s

I also like many of the videos created by YoQi…

https://www.yoqi.com/free-videos/

What is Medical QiGong Treatment:

Practitioners of Qigong, in addition to self-care exercises, can also be trained to use the energies cultivated in their personal Qigong practice to assist others in balancing their own energy flow, to promote all aspects of health. Much like acupuncture, only without needles, this practice involves a practitioner performing energy treatments on a client, who is typically lying down on a massage or acupuncture treatment table. This is a practice that I’ve been studying with Qigong Awareness, LLC.

Because I have already noticed a big difference in my client treatments using the Medical Qigong, I am now incorporating 5 to 10 minutes of Medical Qigong into most acupuncture treatments, at no extra charge.

I am also offering 25-minute Medical Qi Gong treatments by themselves, without acupuncture included. These 30-minute treatments are $65.

What can you expect from a Medical QiGong treatment:

You are simply expected to lie on a treatment table, and to relax. You do not need to disrobe. If you are also receiving acupuncture treatment, I will do the Qigong once your needles are in place. I will ask you to take some deep breaths. You will hear me breathing deeply as well. I will touch various parts of your body, usually starting at your feet or ankles, and perhaps moving on to your torso, neck, shoulders, arms and/or legs.

Most patients fall into a deep relaxation on the table, and some fall asleep. The feedback I’ve so far received from patients is that the Qigong helps them relax more quickly into the acupuncture treatment, and more deeply. And that they sleep wonderfully after the evening after treatment!

If you are interested in Medical Qi Gong Treatments, reach out to us anytime for a consultation!