Eastern Medicine

At White Oak Animal Hospital, we like to take an integrative approach to medicine.  We use the best that Western science has to offer and combine ancient Eastern principles and therapies in order to achieve the best possible recommendations for our patients. There are five core principles to Chinese medicine.

Food therapy

is the art and science of combining foods based on their inherent energetic properties. Unlike Western medicine, food is an integral component of treating and preventing disease in Eastern medicine. Various food combinations can be used to maintain and support the balance of yin and yang and thus maintain optimal health. When disease occurs, certain food combinations can be employed to return the body to a balanced state.

Acupuncture

is an ancient form of medicine using small filiform needles placed at predetermined points on the body. The goal of acupuncture is to move Qi—the force that makes us alive. Western medicine has no equivocal term to describe Qi. Qi flows throughout the body along meridians, or paths that interconnect the external surface of the body with the internal organs. When needles are placed in points, Qi moves freely. As Qi moves freely, the body maintains its balance, or homeostasis.

Herbal Therapy

is the use of therapeutic medicines derived from plants, animals, and substances occurring in the natural environment. Herbs are used to move Qi as well as tonify Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are equal yet opposing forces that occur in all naturally occurring phenomena. For instance, Yin corresponds to nighttime, cold, or resting of the body. Yang, on the other hand, corresponds to daytime, heat, and activity of the body. Whenever Yin or Yang becomes deficient or excessive, the balance of the body is lost, and disease results. Herbs are used to restore this natural balance. The Western equivalent to Chinese herbs is pharmaceutical drugs, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicines. Both Western drugs and Chinese herbs are prescribed based on a medical diagnosis. Lately, Western herbals have become popular in the United States. However, distinct differences exist between Western and Chinese herbs. Western herbs are used in a singular form to treat symptoms of disease without a medical diagnosis. Chinese herbs are often a formula or mixture of herbs prescribed according to a medical diagnosis. Generally, in treating a patient, acupuncture is used in conjunction with herbal medicine.

Tui-Na

is medical manipulation with the hands much like the modern versions of Western chiropractic and massage therapy. Various techniques are employed to massage the meridians and enhance the flow of Qi throughout the body. Certified Tui-Na practitioners often teach owners several techniques to use at home to enhance the treatment of disease.