Understanding Qi

When we talk about electricity, we are usually speaking in terms of watts and amps.  When we talk about heat, we express it in terms of BTUs or degrees Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin for you science purists out there.  When we talk about automobiles, we speak about brake horsepower (bhp), bhp to weight ratios, and miles per gallon (though, recently, we're also talking about electricity, batteries, and distance to next charge!).  So, what is the common denominator? 

Power.  Fuel.  Energy.  Without dusting off the Physics textbook, we are discussing the Energy being transformed from one form to another in order to perform work.  Machines do this, and so do our bodies.

In Chinese medical theory, we can relate the body's energy that is being transformed in order to do work as the energy that animates your body, and indeed the world around you.  It has been given the name "qi" or "chi" (pronounced "chee"); in Japan it's called "ki" (pronounced "kee"). 

All of the Eastern medical philosophies differ slightly in treatment techniques (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more), however, they all center around one principle:  we contain energy, and this energy flows through the body in certain directions and has specific actions which allow us to function within normal parameters, very much like a machine.  To extrapolate further, pathologies, disease, and/or pain that we experience in our lifetime are all due to the body's energy being manipulated in a manner that is opposite or different from what it normally does.

Now, this manipulation can be due to many factors; some examples are:

1) trauma, which includes overwork and over use
2) poor diet or too much of the wrong foods
3) lack of or too much exercise
4) stress
5) invasion and retention of external pathogens (acquired illnesses)

For example, a person who has a lot of stress in their lives may have symptoms such as headaches, angina, shortness of breath, and/or high blood pressure.  The stress is causing an upset in the balance of the machine that is his body, and you see it as these symptoms.

Our internal and external environments affect Qi, much like an engine is affected by the cold, or by putting the wrong type of fuel into it.  Our job as acupuncture physicians is to get a broad and detailed snapshot of your current condition and put together a treatment plan that will put the Qi back into balance so that your symptoms are alleviated.  You will be asked to be an active participant in your own health, such as stretching or exercises for sore joints, or diet modifications for inflammation.  We become your "body mechanics," helping you find your individual path to better Qi, better health, and improved quality of life.

--Marissa Byrum, AP, DOM, Dipl. Ac., is an associate at Ideal Balance Center for Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine in Temple Terrace, FL.