TCVM: What, How and why?

 

Traditional Chinese (Veterinary) medicine (TC(V)M) is an Eastern medicine that was first practiced in China more than 2000 years ago. Since then it has been refined and improved generation after generation 

 

TC(V)M consists of 4 large branches.

 

Acupuncture:

By placing sterile needles at specific places on the body, the so-called acupuncture points, pain-reducing substances are secreted throughout the body. In addition, organs and organ systems are influenced to cure the disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine:

Each herb has unique properties that it has obtained by being picked at specific times during the day, depending on the season. Herbs can have cooling, warming, pain relieving etc... properties. Depending on the 'nature' of the disease (hot or cold), herbs with the approritate properties can be used to cure the disease. In addition, herbs have a strengthening effect on the acupuncture treatment. In TC(V)M, combinations of up to 20 different herbs are often used in so-called "Herbal Formulas".

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Tui-Na:

These Oriental massage techniques using the palms of the hands, fingers, knuckles and even elbows have the advantage of stimulating the different meridians and acupuncture points with great precision. This technique is excellent for musculoskeletal disorders such as muscle stiffness, limping and osteoarthritis. 

 

 

Food Therapy:

Not only herbs, but also vegetables, fruit, grain, meat and fish have specific properties that can remedy a disease or vice versa, just make it worse. For example, a disease that is naturally 'warm' will need to be supported with foods that have cooling properties. In this way the balance in the body is rebuilt. 

 

 

Diagnosis:

In order to obtain a correct diagnosis in TC(V)M, a practitioner will use an extensive anamnesis (questioning), pulse diagnosis, tongue diagnosis and palpating the Back-Shu/ Front-Mu points. 

 

Pulsdiagnosis s a unique method to assess the pulse based on its strength, speed and depth. 

 

Tongdiagnose: he tongue forms a unique microsystem that represents a simplified version of the internal organs. Different locations on the tongue correspond to a particular organ and/or organ system. 

 

Back-shu/ Front-mu points:

Palpation of specific acupuncture points on the body tell something about a location or organ in the body just like the pulse and tongue diagnosis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through the extensive anamnesis, pulse and tongue diagnosis as well as the palpation of the acupuncture points, the veterinarian obtains a Traditional Chinese Diagnosis, which is often very different from a Western diagnosis. 

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Western medicine usually treats diagnostic results with protocol-based treatment agents (antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and/or steroid hormones). TC(V)M treats individual cases where connections are made between different organs. The goal for the veterinarian is to restore the balance within the body.