Introduction to Oriental Medicine
Eight-week Series

Next Class Begins Soon - Apply Today!
Tuesdays, June 2 through July 28, 2009
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Have you been curious about acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and Oriental medicine? Are you interested in learning about this venerable healing system? Now you can learn the basics in eight weeks. Take our Introduction to Oriental Medicine class and learn all about the underlying philosophy and its practical applications, the how and why of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, and deepen your own understanding of health, as we introduce the dynamic healing potential of this increasingly popular healing system.

Week 1: Philosophy, Theory, and Modalities
The course opens with a thorough look at the various theories, philosophies and medical modalities of traditional Oriental medicine. We begin with the fundamentals of Yin/Yang relationships, Qi (also called Chi), and the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). We’ll continue with the relationships of our mind, body and spirit, and review various factors that impact our health.

Week 2: Art & Science of Acupuncture
Here we move from the basics to the art of acupuncture. Where did the concept of needling come from? Why does it work? How does Oriental medicine map out the acupuncture meridians and how does this fit into the Western medical paradigm? Bring a notebook and your open, inquisitive mind

Week 3: Chinese Herbal Medicine
The primary health care modality for half of China's 1.3 billion people—learn 20 of the most useful herbs in one night. We discuss and taste some common culinary spices, as well as some of China's more exotic medicinal agents.

Week 4: Tongue Diagnosis
Your tongue can reveal everything about your health. At birth the tongue is usually perfect: light red, thin white coating, smooth edges, not too big, not too small ... But a lifetime of living changes this picture of health, for “the tongue tells no lies.” Here we discuss some of the various aspects of reading the tongue that make this skill so revealing to the Oriental Medicine diagnosis.

Week 5: Pulse Diagnosis
The six pulses of Chinese medicine (yes, six) will tell you almost everything yo need to know about a person’s health. Chinese medicine practitioners use 27 different adjectives to describe the qualities of a patient’s pulses. These pulses provide fascinating insight into the health of the internal organs. In this evening's course we cover the basics of pulse taking, including the positions of the pulses on the wrist and common qualities you may observe in the pulses. This is a hands-on session that highlights some of the common pulses that we often find in each other.

Week 6: Oriental Medicine Diagnosis: The Common Cold
We discuss the common cold as a template for the patterns used in differential diagnosis (identifying conditions by certain characteristics). After basic patterns are outlined and discussed, you will see that the same cold symptoms may reveal very different patterns from one person to the next. You will never look at a cold the same way again!

Week 7: Headache and Migraines
We discuss the common but problematic conditions of headaches and migraines. We incorporate concepts from previous weeks to better understand headaches, from causes to ways to treat these conditions. We will discuss both acute and chronic conditions, and select a case that may arise from the class participants.

Week 8: Case Studies
In this final session we review select cases from the instructor's practice. This presentation may include topics such as insomnia, low back pain, sciatica and PMS.

Instructor Bio:

Dennis Von Elgg, MSTCM LAc DiplAc
Dennis has been practicing and teaching Oriental Medicine since 1999, and last studied at the International TCM program at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He supervises student interns in the Berkeley Community Acupuncture Clinic, teaches Oriental Herbology and Acupuncture classes at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medical College, Berkeley and has a private practice in Berkeley, California. He is the 2008 recipient of the East Bay Express' Best Acupuncturist award.

Course Cost: $85.00/series (missed sessions can made up when the class is offered again the following term)

Course Location:
Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College, Berkeley
2550 Shattuck Ave., at Blake St.
Berkeley, CA 94704

For more information contact Sara Szmodis:
510-666-8248, x106
sszmodis@aimc.edu