Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a unique and profound theoretical system differing from the western medicines. It emphasizes the systmic analysis of all the symptoms and experiences of the patient while taking into account the age, physical habits and emotional traits and all other aspects of the individual as a whole in order to evaluate the cause of the disease. It consists mainly of acupuncture and herbal medicines.
Forms of Treatment:
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture offers a natural way of dealing effectively with a wide range of health problems, and is free from harmful side-effects. It involves the incision of very fine sterilised needles into acupoints along meridians which form a network of pathways connecting the skin and the internal organs. The aim of acupuncture is to regulate the meridians of the body to unblock the stagnation of Qi (energy) and thus restoring balance and health. There are various other techniques based on the principles of acupuncture, these include:
- Electro-Acupuncture - applied with or without needles.
- Auriculotherapy - concentrating on application of needles to specific points in the ear.
- Acupressure - a technique of applying pressure with the fingers to various points, rather than needles.
2. Chinese Herbal Medicine
There are over 400 Chinese herbs in common use. Chinese Herbal medicine is a very intricate and complex therapy and is used even more widely in China than Acupuncture. It is a safe treatment and in China it tends to be the preferred treatment for chronic conditions. Its aim is to regulate the internal organs and boost the immune system. It can also be used for the prevention of diseases and for health preservation.
3. Moxibustion
Moxibustion is often applied with acupuncture. It used heat from burning herbal stick called moxa on acupoints to promote the flow of Qi (energy) and other bodily functions.
4. Chinese Therapeutic Massage
Chinese therapeutic massage differs from acupuncture in that fingers instead of needles are used to stimulate the acupoints. It can also be used to treat a range of conditions.
Courses of Treatment
The total number of treatments required depends upon the patient and the type of condition.
