Dr. Diana Joy Ostroff is trained in the fundamentals of oriental medicine and diagnosis, and incorporates these principles in diagnosis and treatment.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM,  the licensed acupuncturist, L.Ac., or Doctor of Oriental Medicine, DOM, (of which Dr.Ostroff has both distinctions), will look at the whole patient and utilize the five senses when formulating a diagnosis and treatment plan for the her patients.  A thorough tongue and pulse diagnosis are used to determine the state of health or disease in each patient.  Additionally, the emotional tone and tendencies of the patient are regarded as a significant and are often thought to be of a causal nature in regard to the basic state of health.  It is for this reason that Dr.Ostroff will take time to know you and learn how she can support you in attaining the health and life that you truly desire.

With tongue diagnosis, both the body of the tongue and the coating will be observed. Each area on thetongue is a reflection of a different organ system. In TCM, the body is separated by three segments - the upperburner - containing the heart, and lungs, the middle burner, which houses the stomach, spleen, liver and gall bladder, and the lower burner containing the urinary bladder and kidneys. Where as in a naturopathic diagnosis, the tongue coating will be a reflection of the stomach, in TCM there are many more note worthy characteristics including color, of both the body and the coating, otherwise called fur, the distribution of coating, the distribution of petechiae on the tongue, the pattern of lines in the tongue and the direction that the tongue points.

With pulse diagnosis,there are six pulse positions on each radial pulse, three superficial and three deep,  each corresponding to a different organ system.  By palpating the pulses at the six positions and determining the quality of the pulse, the practitioner is able to determine health and energy of the organs and the vitality of the patient.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the five element theory is employed as well as the yin/yang theory.  The goal of the acupuncturist is to restore the balance of the body. 

Some possible examples of a yang imbalance will be a patient who is hot, has excessive sweating, highblood pressure tendencies, hyperthyroidism, a big appetite, and bleeds heavily.  Their tongue might be dark red,have a thick coating and the pulses might be bounding.

In the case of a patient with a yin condition, they will tend to be cold, weaker, frail, thin, have alight menstrual flow, difficulty in conceiving, tendencies toward deficiency conditions like hypothyroid or low blood pressure.  The tongue will be pale, have a thin, geographic or absent coating.  The pulses will be difficult to palpate, hidden or light.

The acupuncture treatments will be determined by the tongue and pulse diagnosis, as well as other physical and emotional manifestations.  The goal is to restore balance, health and vitality in the individual.

For more information, please call 373-9966 and schedule your private consultation.