Chinese medicine is not just a collection of dusty books or archaic techniques. It is a living medicine. An example of this is the use of far-infrared energy to promote healing.  Many of you may be familiar with the heat lamps (TDP lamps) used by our acupuncturists. These lamps emit far-infrared heat which penetrates deeply into the body to promote the healing of tissues.
Did this therapy begin thousands of years ago? No. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the history of the TDP lamp.

History of inventionTDP is an acronym for “Teding Diancibo Pu” which loosely translated means special electromagnetic spectrum.
The TDP mineral lamp was invented in China in 1978 and exhibited at the 1986 Zagreb International Fair in Yugoslavia in competition with 560 inventions from 18 countries by the inventor Mr. Gou Wenbin. It was also exhibited at the 1986 Brussels Eureka World Fair for Invention. Mr. Wenbin died in the late 1980s.
The story told about the discovery of TDP mineral lamp therapy begins in a black clay factory in rural China, where in spite of a work environment where workers were exposed to extremes of cold, wet, and heat, they had a very low incidence of illness. Upon further investigation, the differentiating factor was determined to be the beneficial far-infrared radiation from the hot clay. Analysis of the clay and later experimentation led to the development of the medical device now known as the TDP mineral lamp.
Experimentation with TDP mineral lamps started and by 1979, 36 universities, 45 graduate schools, 41 research institutes, 250 hospitals, and 3000 thousand medical doctors and researchers formed an international TDP society[1] for the purpose of performing clinical studies related to the effects of TDP mineral lamp therapy.
The state of research in 1985 showed TDP mineral lamp therapy to have been successfully used to treat over 30 different human and animal diseases and disorders. Thirty million people had received medical treatment from TDP mineral lamps. Clinical evidence[2][3][4] confirmed that TDP mineral lamp therapy would reduce inflammation, calm pain, and improve micro-circulation, and balance metabolism. Evidence was gathered substantiating TDP mineral lamp use promoted cell growth, reproduction, and repair, concurrently with promotion of specific enzyme activity levels and immune function.[5]
Now once again Chinese medicine is growing and changing. Far-infrared technology has expanded from the TDP lamp to include a unique fabric that can be worn over an affected area. Touted to relieve pain, promote circulation and repair tissue, ThermoFlow® products are made with a special fabric that is made of 5% ceramic minerals. It is the mineral which reflect the body’s natural far-infrared energy back into the area which is affected. This reflected energy has been shown to penetrate through layers of skin, deep into tissues. According to Thermoflow® “this stimulates micro-vibrations which initiate a thermal reaction to elevate tissue temperature. The body responds by dilating micro-vessels and major blood vessels. Chinese Medicine believes that Qi is the key to good health. Far-infrared energy improves qi flow. By improving the qi flowto an area, pain is relieved.These functional fabrics accelerate your treatments and provide relief for patients between visits.”
We’re ordering some soon. If you’re interested in being a test subject let us know! They are available to treat pain in the knee, wrist, ankle and torso. Stay tuned for updates!!