About Traditional Chinee Medicine (中医)

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been practiced for over thousands of years, and is the oldest highly developed, most natural, holistic medical system. Chinese medicine treats your body as a whole, not only the symptoms, but also the balance of your body and at the same time, strengthens your immune system.

The principle of TCM is the balance of two life forces YIN and YANG. These two opposite and interdependent forces regulate the body's functions. Any long terms imbalance of YIN and YANG can become a cause of disease. Chinese medicine views the body as a whole with a network of meridians (channels of energy that run throughout the body). Blockage of QI (vital energy) and BLOOD can also be cause of disease.

The component parts of the body are inseparable and various factors contribute to the occurrence of illness. Chinese medicine considers that disease is caused as a direct result of YIN and YANG being out of balance and QI and BLOOD blockage within the body. Therefore, whether the problem is interior or exterior, acute or chronic, the aim of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, is to regulate the YIN and YANG, as well as the MERIDIANS of the body, to unblock the stagnation of QI and BLOOD.

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is a system of healing as part of Chinese medicine. It is a form of therapy in which fine, disposable needles are inserted into specific points on the body called acupoints. By stimulating vital points, it clears blockages in the meridians and improves the flow of energy QI, and improves blood flow to restore the balance of YIN and YANG.

The flow of QI can be disturbed by a number of factors. These include emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, poisons and trauma. The principal aim of acupuncture in treating the whole person, is to recover the equilibrium between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual.

HERBAL REMEDIES

Chinese herbs are used by Chinese doctors to restore the body's natural balance. They are originated from PLANTS and other NATURAL SUBSTANCES, such as flowers, leaf stalks, seeds and roots. Compared with Western medicine, Chinese herbal medicine is vivid with life and very SAFE in general. The doctors prescribe combinations of herbs tailor-made to treat only your conditions. So it is really individual care. Chinese herbal treatments may sometimes take a slightly longer time for improvements to be noticed, but it brings long-term benefits, and for some problems, the effect could be very dramatic.

The herbs are boiled and drunk as tea. They are also made in the form of tablets, pills or syrup. During the treatment the doctors will closely monitor the progress of your treatment through regular consultation, altering the prescriptions and reducing the doses accordingly.

ACUPRESSURE (TUI — NA)

Acupressure is commonly called QIGONG massage, which has the same principles as acupuncture. It is based on affecting the energetic (QI) system by using finger and palm pressure in a wide range of techniques to stimulate QI mobilisation to correct imbalances and achieve harmony in the body.

It is particularly effective in healing and dispelling conditions, such as stress, muscle strain, sports injury, headaches, back and shoulder problems.

REFLEXOLOGY

Reflexology refers to foot massage and pressure applied to relax points on bare feet or hands. It is part of ancient Chinese Traditional Medicine, which has more than thousands of years in China. Its medical principles are:

• Improves Blood circulation

• Clears the blockage of energy channels of the body.

• Enhances the balance of hormones Improves the function of internal organs & the harmony of organs.

• Improves the function of internal organs and the harmony of organs.

Other benefits include prompt relief from tiredness, deep relaxation, reduced stress, improved blood circulation and better sleep.

CUPPING THERAPY

A therapy in which small jars are placed on the surface of the skin to cause local congestion, through the removal of the air from jar, which promotes the free flow of QI and BLOOD in the channels. It is effective for diminishing swells, pain, dispelling dampness in the channels of the body.

ALLERGY TEST

Allergy analysis safely and effectively determines which specific substances are triggering your allergy related symptoms. The test analyses about 400 substances in order to identify the cause of allergic reaction. The potential accuracy ranges from 85% - 99.9%.

EAR CANDLING

Ear Candling, also known as Ear Coning, is a method intended to dislodge earwax, toxins and debris from inside the ear with the use of hollow candles with tapered ends. The candles are made from unbleached cotton material covered in wax and range between 10 to 14 inches long and one-half to three-quarters of an inch wide at the smaller end.

When using an ear candle, the patient usually lays down on one side of a completely flat surface, with the blocked ear pointing toward the ceiling. The side of the head is generally protected by a paper plate or aluminium pie pan with a hole cut in it. The vertical ear candle is inserted through the hole in the protective device and into the ear canal. The top end of the candle is then lit and allowed to burn until the candle is only a few inches long.

SEEING TCM DOCTOR

For your first visit, a full Chinese medical examination is given. This is aimed at determining the nature of the disharmony of your body. The TCM doctor will consult you about your symptoms, medical history, lifestyle and diet etc. Most important examinations are based on examining your tongue and wrist pulse. The colour, coating and texture of the tongue will tell the TCM doctor about the condition of your internal organs. The pulse's strength, rhythm and shape can indicate the balance of energy and the state of the disease by sensitive and experienced touching of the TCM Doctor.

HOW DOES IT WORK ?

Acupuncture aims to restore the balance of QI, free the blocked channels and restore health. A scientific approach towards acupuncture has shown that it stimulates the release of special chemicals in the body which can help to alleviate pain and also reduce your perception of pain.

WHAT SENSATION WILL I FEEL DURING ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT?

On initial insertion you may feel a slight sharpness only. Sometimes you may feel very little on insertion as the needles are very fine. During treatment the doctors will often choose to stimulate the needles by gently rotating them and increase the effectiveness of the treatment. At this point area you may feel numbness for a short time. During the treatment you may feel warmth or 'fullness' of the area or limb pins and needles/numbness.