TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE - ACUPUNCTURE
Explore Eastern Medicine
A BIT ABOUT...
Acupuncture is a tool to create change in the body, originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine.
This Eastern Medical system studies the body in a different format than biomedical anatomy and physiology. It is arguably the oldest medical system in the world and has proved itself over and over to the test of 1000's of years of time and through many cultural changes.
Back before the invention of any scientific apparatus to study the body, Chinese Medicine was based on observations of patterns. An element of the body could get too hot or cold, could have too much energy supply or not enough, sitting too superficially in the system or too deep. No matter what the pattern recognition it would be a case of simply doing the opposite to bring the element back into balance, or what we refer today as homeostasis. A tool used to create these changes is acupuncture, as well as herbs, cupping and moxa.
MORE...
Chinese Medicine has it's lingo just like any medicine, but don't let this confuse you or put you off. It's important for your practitioner to understand in depth about Qi and Blood Flow, and the balance of Yin and Yang but even for the most avid user's these concept's get confusing, that is why the least training your Chinese Medical Acupuncturist will do is 4 years training in order to be registered.
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All you need to understand is that equiped with the chinese medical theory your practitioner will be able to read your body's patterns and current state. There are primary priority patterns and smaller sub patterns, you practitioner can explain to you a bit about what your pattern means and how to support that in everyday life as well.
Once your patterns are diagnosed, acupuncture point selection is intricately and carefully selected to create shifts in your body back to a state of equilibrium.
ACUPUNCTURE STIMULATES THE BODY'S OWN INNATE HEALING SYSTEM TO CORRECT IT'S SELF
data collection
In Western Biomedical practise information is gathered by form of lab testing combined with subjective questioning and if applicable some objective testing such as nerve reflexes. In Eastern Medicine the practitioner is taught to read the body intricately via physical representation; the way the client walks, talks, posture and different colours and marks on the face all indicate different patterns.
Pulse taking is an ancient art and another form of gaining internal information on organ system + circulation functioning, which involves 12 different pulses from the wrist and sometimes additional pulses around the body.
The Tongue also shows different patterns sitting internally. Finally the practitioner might ask a few questions to confirm symptoms that might be representing with those patterns the practitioner has learnt about is present, which usually surprises clients and they often ask, "how'd you know that?"
The practitioner also may pressure a few points on the body which will be tender to also confirm the pattern + meridians involved.
diagnosis
Once the data collection process has completed some time and thought goes into clearly distingushing all the patterns of imbalance, in which order of priority they sit and how they are interlinked. This step is important because it outlines the creation of a individualised treatment protocol and is the foundation of which acupuncture points are then selected.
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The Diagnosis is made in Eastern Medical terms which at first can seem more confusing but once explained can make a lot more sense due the labelling of the pattern concerned. If you are interested more in what diagnoses mean and what does that mean to shape a treatment plan then do speak up during treatment.
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Chinese Medicine is a therapy of balancing, if an area or organ system is too dehydrated the treatment will be focussed on the fluid system and rehydrating. If something is running too hot it gets cooled, if there is depletion it gets nourished, if there is a pattern of excess it gets drained. So it's within this language of medicine that explanation to the client becomes more simple.
treatment
There are four main aspects of Chinese Medicine that create change:
Acupuncture
Herbal Medicine
Qi Gong / Tai Qi
Tui Na (Massage)
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Within Acupuncture the tools that can be used vary from different gage and length needle's, suction cupping, burning a herb moxa on points, Guasha (a friction massage board), blood letting, touch of points. Each treatment can vary a lot depending on what the body needs to be balanced
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SO WHAT WOULD YOU MAINLY USE ACUPUNCTURE FOR?
PREGNANCY + FERTILITY
A Huge part of Practise is Womens Health...
* Regulating cycles
*Pregnancy Symptom Relief (nausea, headaches, pain)
*Prepping for labour Protocals
*Increasing Fertility Naturally
*Enhancing IVF treatment
MUSCULOSKELETAL
Majority of Practise is Injury, Pain + Chronic Musculo-Skeletal work...
* Ultimate Pain Relief
* Injury Recovery
* Bruising, Scar Tissue work
*Stubborn Chronic Issues
*Muscular Realignment
MENTAL - HEALTH
Very Commonly sought for the following issues...
*Insomnia + Sleep issues
* Depression / Motivation
* Stress + Anxiety calming
* Mania, Anger + Frustration
*Grief + Loss
* Clarity of Thinking / Energy
RESPIRATORY + CARDIAC
Restoration + Management of Respiratory + Cardiac positions...
* Asthma + Emphysema
* Recovery from lingering symptoms of, or reoccurring, Heart attacks + Strokes
* High or Low Blood Pressure
* Bleeding Issues
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EVERYTHING ELSE!
There's not much Acupuncture can't help with in some way, other area's are:
* Baby + Children's Health
* Digestive Issues
* Recovery from Viral / Bacterial
* Cancer care symptom management
* Head Injury's
