ACUPUNCTURE
Chinese herbal medicine is part of a larger healing system called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which also includes acupuncture, acupressure massage (Tuina), dietary advice and excercise.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK
It improves the body's function and promotes the natural self-healing process by stimulating specific anatomic sites, commonly referred to as acupuncture points. The most common method has ben used to stimulate acupressure point is the insertion of fine, sterile needles into the skin, but there are also other techniques including: Tuina, moxibustion or heat therapy, cupping and the application of topical herbal medicines and liniments.
The energy system - called Qi in TCM - when these forces are in balance, the body is healthy. However, if the flow of energy gets blocked, like water getting stuck behind the dam, the disruption can lead to pain, lack of function, or illness.
Acupuncture therapy can release blocked Qi in the body and stimulate function, evoking the body's natural healing response through various physiological systems. Thus, acupuncture can help resolve pain, and improve sleep, digestive function and sense of well-being.
THE FIVE ELEMENTS IN CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
The TCM Philosophy proposes that everything, including organs of the body is composed of the five elements - wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
The herbs are similarly classified into the five tastes - sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty. In TCM: "food is medicine, medicine is food", and each bite of food sends nutrition to the corresponding organs: sore foods enter the liver, bitter foods enter the heart, sweet foods enter the stomach, pungent foods enter the lungs and salty foods enter the kidneys.
Chinese medicine focuses on the underlying condition as well as the treatment of the symptoms. Treatments work on the basis of an individualised formula for each patient.
ADDITIONAL TREATMENT AN ADVICE
Your acupuncturist might advise you to make specific changes in your diet, such as avoiding spicy food or alcohol. Food are believed to either 'cool' or 'heat' the body constitution, making dietary changes an important part of the healing process.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?
The frequency and number of treatments different from person to person. Some patients experience dramatic relief in the first treatment. For chronic/complex conditions, one or two treatments per week for several months might be recommended. An individual plan that includes the expected number of treatments will be discussed openly with you during your initial visit and consultation.
