Where to Find Traditional Chinese Medicine in Denver, CO

In today’s demanding, fast-paced world, it can be easy for anxiety and stress to be the culprits in a quick take down of our over all health. It is additionally extremely prevalent for people to be both diagnosed and living with chronic conditions or even auto-immune diseases.  These very real health challenges have caused a significant decrease in quality of life, including the inability to function in a steady work environment, has pushed people to look for alternatives to help them find relief and improve their overall health. YAO Clinic’s staff is both trained in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to support your desire to learn and seek more out of your health. YAO Clinic, which includes our Denver Chinese herb store, invites you to keep reading as we talk about where to find Chinese Medical options in the Denver area.

Finding Chinese Medicine in Denver

Chinese Medicine has been in the Western hemisphere for many years. Due to its lasting results over years of practice, Chinese Medicine has proven to be a powerful tool that can be used to treat many different ailments and conditions no matter the context of worldly life circumstances. Its impact on modern society has made millions of people feel better and convinced many others that this fresh approach to medicine can be useful and yield great results.

There are a variety of terms in the Chinese Medical field that may seem contradictory or confusing.  The terms Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Classical Chinese Medicine and the many branches of Chinese Medicine. Let’s take a moment to clear some of this up!  The historical medicine that many reference as thousands of years old is actually Classical Chinese Medicine and is based in Taoist theory and philosophy.  Classical Chinese Medicine was considered by the revolutionary Chinese government to be backwards as their desire was to westernize China.  When the government realized that using western Medicine exclusively was ineffective for their population and also unsustainable, they created a system  based on Classical Chinese Medicine that was organized in a more westernized fashion – basically Chinese Medicine for Westerners and called it Traditional Chinese Medicine.  This is often abbreviated as TCM.

A very experienced practitioner of Chinese Medicine will not only have received their training and passed licensure exams based in TCM but will also have gone on to study the Classical ancient texts which were the basis for TCM and are referenced by many in TCM marketing literature (the medicine that has been here for thousands of years, etc).  Understanding the classics provides not only a scholarly level of understanding of Chinese  Medicine but also a multi-dimensional understanding of its application. Basic TCM practitioners education has been likened by many worldly classically studied practitioners having received a great degree of understanding in Chinese medicine as a great technician’s degree. It has an approach of “if this, then that” and does not look at the more complex expressions of the human being within their environment which of course, is very much embraced in the Classical Taoist studies of Chinese Medicine.

Not only do we have more than 20 years of practice behind our Chief Clinician, Daniel Hudson but he has trained in TCM receiving his LAc and additionally completed his Doctorate in Acupuncture in Oriental Medicine with great honors.  Dr. Hudson has delved deep into the art of Feng Shui as approached with his background in Chinese Medicine therefore using this technique as a healing modality.  He is a distinguished lecturer at many Chinese Medical colleges and schools of Feng Shui.  Additionally, he has also trained in Chinese Astrology adding another element to our patients’ healing modalities at YAO.  Of course he didn’t limit himself to only studying Chinese Medicine in depth, he has studied in depth functional medicine, a four year study in Homepathy and more.  Though you will meet a variety of support staff at YAO clinic, you can rest assured that this deep respect for the true nature of Chinese Medicine is transmitted through all that is provided at YAO Clinic.

So if you were wondering where to find a Chinese Medical practitioner in Denver, Colorado be it one trained in TCM or in Classical Chinese Medicine, you need look no further as you will find both at YAO. We will provide you with nothing but the best Chinese Medicine has to offer. YAO Clinic is able to provide healing techniques, energizing massages, highly skilled formulations of the best Chinese medicinal herbs, and lets not forget fabulously delicious teas. Give yourself the opportunity to experience Chinese Medicine in a friendly, stress-free environment.

Examples of Chinese Medicine You Can Find at YAO

Chinese Medicine has many branch modalities.  We referenced a few above: Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology – which are exceptional and very cutting edge; however, let’s learn a bit about some of the standards you might find utilized that can improve your life:

Herbal Formulations

Classical Chinese Medicine truly holds firm that nature and the balance of duality within it holds the key to alleviating discomfort and improving our health. Chinese herbal formulations are really the practice of Chinese Internal Herbal Medicine and can be as comprehensive and as complex as seeing an Internal Medicine Doctor.  Often we may find that a patient will be more responsive to herbs than they will to another modality.  It can more accurately target the imbalance that is presenting ,and therefore, can help improve a wide range of conditions affecting the lives of many people every day. Herbal formulations have been an essential cornerstone of Chinese Medicine.

Though we do sell a number of whole herbs at YAO, our pharmacy is generally composed of granular herbs which can be thought of as herbs cooked down, extracted, dried and turned into granules that dissolve in warm water. They are generally colored a light to dark brown and many of our patients will refer to it as their “mud”, their “tea, their “dirt” or for the more refined – their formula! Some formulas have a better taste than others.  That being said, we do encourage our patients to respect the plants they came from and attempt to refrain from expressing any repulsion of the flavor.  Some patients enjoy adding a little honey, stevia or the like to make them a tad bit more palatable.

Your formula will tell you exactly how many grams to take per dose and will be easily broken down by spoonful so that there is no question as to how to take it. All of the herbs are printed on your receipt. Many of the formulas that our Chief Clinician comes up with are based on a Classical Formula and then further refined based on present day circumstances or the patient’s presentation.  Other formulations are curated entirely by the physician himself based on vast knowledge and experience.  The blend of herbs will serve as a vehicle for healing and improving health outcomes.

At YAO Clinic, when you book an appointment that is either an Initial Physician Visit  (need to book this first as a new patient) or a Standard Visit or even a short 15 Medicine Consult our physicians will be able to formulate some Chinese botanical teas custom made for you and your health situation using Chinese Medical diagnostic criteria (pulse check and tongue check among other things).

Gua Sha

Gua sha, also called coining or spooning, is a Chinese Medicine technique used to improve specific health issues. Unlike common treatments such as acupuncture, which requires inserting needles into the affected area, gua sha requires the use of a unique tool to scrape the skin and improve flow in stagnant areas. Most of the time, gua sha is sought after by people looking to improve chronic pain or stiffness in places such as their back, arms, legs, and other parts of the body affected by everyday stress or poor posture. One of the main benefits of gua sha is its ability to provide pain relief with hardly any side effects besides tenderness and redness of the skin. Gua sha is a great alternative for folks also dealing with an illness that is causing excessive coughing as coughing fits can make it difficult to receive moxibustion or acupuncture.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is another common type of Chinese Medical treatment. It utilizes moxa or mugwort, an herb that is lit on fire and placed either directly or indirectly on the affected area. Indirect moxibustion employs a combination of moxa and acupuncture needles. The moxa is lit and placed on top of an acupuncture needle. The heat travels through the needle, reaching the affected area and causing healing to take place in a more amplified manner. Direct moxibustion, as the name implies, employs the use of lit moxa, which is placed directly on top of the skin without an acupuncture needle. Those that are applied to the skin have a buffer to prevent burning. This modality of Chinese Medicine is used to improve blood circulation, digestive problems, and symptoms of conditions such as osteoarthritis – Also great at improving circulation on scar tissue that is numb, thus restoring proper feeling on the skin’s surface.

Cupping

Cupping is a standard Chinese Medicine modality that can help you improve, again, a variety of conditions. This bodywork technique is used to help improve blood flow and circulation, liberate stagnation, and alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, among other maladies.

As the name suggests, cupping employs the use of small cups and a non-invasive, flammable substance. Generally, your therapist will light the flammable substance in the affected area and place the cup over it. As the flame consumes the oxygen within the container, it will create a vacuum effect that will pull the skin upward. This is where cupping’s healing effect kick in. This process has few side effects, though some will experience bruising, redness, and tenderness in the treated area. Most everyone feels tremendous relief from cupping and you also get a cool Instagram post out of your bizarre looking cup marks!

Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic Serving Denver, Colorado

If you or a loved one is looking for a fresh new approach to their health and medicine, we can help. YAO Clinic utilizes the knowledge and experience passed down over thousands of years of tradition to provide relief to all of our patients. Thanks to more than two decades of hands-on experience with Chinese Medicine, we are able to find the perfect combination of herbal medicines and bodywork modalities to bring you the relief you are seeking. To learn more about all of our services and how they can improve your life, call YAO Clinic today at (303) 777-7891.