Introduction

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient medical system that can help you regain your natural healing ability. TCM is an integral part of Chinese culture where it’s practised alongside Western medicine to provide medical and health services.

Chinese medicine has unique diagnostic methods and at its heart is the tenet that the root cause of illnesses, not just their symptoms, must be treated. In modern-day terms, Chinese medicine is holistic in its approach: it views every aspect of a person - body, mind and emotions - as part of one complete circle rather than loosely connected pieces to be treated individually.

The two main modalities of Chinese medicine are acupuncture and herbal treatments.

Acupuncture

The true foundation of Chinese medicine is chi, which can be translated as life energy or life force. Through proper training, people can develop the sensitivity to feel the flow of chi. In the human body, chi flows through meridians, or energy pathways. Twelve major meridians run through the body, and it is over this network that chi travels through the body and that the body's various organs send messages to one another. For this reason, keeping the meridians clear is imperative for the body's self-regulating actions to occur. Often, however, the chi that is supposed to hum through these meridians becomes blocked. When this happens, chi can stagnate, leading to minor ailments, such as aches, digestive and sleep problems, or fatigue. It's analogous to a traffic jam: since the streets are backed up, it takes longer for information and energy to travel from one point to another, so the whole body becomes sluggish and pain can be felt.

Acupuncture helps restore the flow of chi along the meridians to relieve pain and restore health.

Acupuncture also emphasizes the importance of self-help as part of treatment, involving patients in their own treatment and encouraging them to take control of their own health. Often treatment at a sufficiently early stage could prevent a mild discomfort from turning into a major illness.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a technique used to warm the acupuncture points in order to encourage the flow of chi along the meridians.

Auricular Acupuncture

Auricular or ear acupuncture has been used successfully to relieve the withdrawal symptoms associated with drug and alcohol abuse as well as for anxiety and stress. It has also proven beneficial while giving up smoking and for general relaxation.

The treatment consists in the superficial insertion of five acupuncture needles to stimulate the body to heal itself. Needles are left in for about 40 minutes while the patient remains seated in silence. Treatment can be done in groups.

Ear acupuncture relaxes from the inside and helps reduce anxiety, sleep disturbances, body aches or cravings, increasing mental clarity and general well-being.

Ear acupuncture for smoke cessation

Acupuncture intercepts messages sent by the brain to the body that demand more nicotine, thereby disrupting the addictive process. It can eliminate the cravings, but not necessarily the habit. A successful acupuncture programme requires the patient’s preparation and full commitment.

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

The Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture treatment is based on the principles of Chinese medicine and involves the insertion of hair-thin needles into particular areas of the face. Specific points are stimulated according to how an individual is aging. A person with excess puffiness, for example, would require a different treatment than someone with dry skin. Other points in the body are stimulated to encourage the flow of chi along the meridians.

Herbal Treatments

Based on the same diagnostic principles as acupuncture, Chinese herbs rebalance the energy of the body from the inside. They can work alone or in conjunction with acupuncture to restore balance.