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Classical Chinese Medicine |
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CCM Modalities:AcupuncturePre-prepared Chinese HerbsQi GongCare for your Qi
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AcupunctureAcupuncture has been used in the Orient for thousands of years, and is rapidly being accepted by mainstream Western medicine as a safe, effective drug free option for many different conditions. By stimulating various points on the meridians, or pathways, which run through the body, acupuncture reminds the body of its own inherent healing capacity and so is able to vary the behaviour of the body's core systems, [hormones, antibody production, digestion, nerves etc.] and increase the release of the natural painkillers endorphin and seratonin. Besides affecting subtle overall bodily systems, these points have a direct correspondence with individual internal organs, and their animation allows balance to return to the body as a whole. One of the most popular ways of stimulating these points is by gently and painlessly placing extremely fine disposable needles just below the upper surface level of the skin and leaving them in position for between 30-45 minutes while the patient relaxes. Chinese medicine was originally based on classical texts which, besides giving instruction on acupuncture and herbal medicine, emphasised the understanding and practical cultivation of Qi, the vital energy of life, were broadly philosophical and used the I Ching as a form of divination. During China's Cultural Revolution, Mao's government standardised Chinese medicine in an attempt to integrate it with contemporary technological and pharmaceutical medicine and renamed it Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM]. Its philosophical content was eliminated, the nurturing of Qi was intellectualised and the acupuncture meridians and points of the ancient masters fixed on precise anatomical measurements. An essential component of this branch of acupuncture, is the very slight aching sensation [deqi] experienced by the patient when the needle has been placed accurately. Diagnosis is arrived at by examining the patients tongue and pulse, considering the appearance of their face, palm and constitution and taking into account their past history, diet and their environment. Chinese acupuncture is widely taught in the West and is the discipline of choice at Chinese Universities. Vietnamese acupuncture, while adhering to the diagnostic techniques and the points and meridians of Chinese acupuncture still retains a spiritual base and strongly emphasises the cultivation of Qi as part of the patients overall treatment. Its practitioners also have a deep understanding of the effects of herbs on the body and adjust their acupuncture style according to the herbal prescriptions they employ. Japanese acupuncture again uses the classical points and meridians but concentrates on avoiding an aching sensation when the needle is put in the skin in order to avoid overly stimulating the nervous system. Like Chinese acupuncture, it can be used to animate specific organs but is particularly concerned with eliciting extremely subtle bodily responses and uses a different points sequence. Here, diagnosis is based on touch, perhaps because many of its early Japanese practitioners were blind. Specific areas on the abdomen, head, neck, spine and back are palpated to give instant feedback on the patients health. These three styles of acupuncture are part of an intrinsic whole and Dr Tran uses the approach most suited to the patient and to their condition. Some may welcome a spiritual dimension to their treatment, others a more pragmatic approach, for some the deqi or needle sensation can be intolerable in which case Japanese style acupuncture may be the answer or it may be appropriate to stimulate the acupuncture points with the warmth provided by a smouldering smudge stick of the herb moxa, a process many people find extremely pleasurable.
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Is Acupuncture Safe?A natural concern of patients is that disease may be transmitted through the fine needles used in treatment. At Medical Alternatives this is impossible. All our needles are surgically clean and hygienically vacuum-packed when purchased. Packets are only opened at the precise moment they are needed for treatment, and as soon as that specific treatment is concluded are disposed of in our surgical waste facility, this is collected regularly by a medical hygiene company and industrially incinerated. As a healing technique, acupuncture is extremely safe. Serious side effects (eg. pneumothorax, fainting) are very rare - less than one per 10,000 treatments. [figures from joint studies by BAcC/BMAS/AACP] Sometimes, when medical conditions are ingrained and have existed for a long period of time, symptoms may briefly worsen. This is a positive sign, showing that the body is making every effort to correct itself and soon passes. This phenomenon is common in many disciplines including homeopathy and herbalism. Is There Anything Your Practitioner Should Know?Besides your usual medical details, please let your practitioner know:
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