TREATMENT MODALITIES
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is based on the understanding that health is achieved through balance and treats the whole person, rather than the symptoms in isolation. Acupuncture helps rebalance the body when physical and emotional stress presents or illnesses have developed. This is done by inserting ultra-fine sterile needles at specific points on the body. It is suited for all ages and can help with a variety of conditions. Treatments are tailored to the individual making them as unique as you. It is a safe, painless and effective way to treat a wide variety of medical problems.
Sometimes modalities such as Tuina, also known aa a Chinese medical massage, Guasha, Moxibustion or Cupping may be added to the treatment to increase blood flow to improve circulation to help alleviate pain or tension in a localised area of the body although these modalities can also be used as a stand-alone needle-free treatment.
Tuina
Tuina, also called Chinese medical massage, is a traditional hands-on manipulation used in treating various complaints, especially musculoskeletal disorders but also diseases of internal organs.
Tuina can be a standalone treatment or in addition to acupuncture, to help bring the body back into balance by stimulating acupressure points along the energetic channels (meridians) with techniques such as gliding, rocking, plucking, percussive and vibrating. The treatment is traditionally practised on fully clothed patients.
Guasha
Acupuncturists and practitioners of traditional East Asian medicine consider Guasha for any illness or condition where there is pain or discomfort, for upper respiratory and digestive problems.
Guasha is an important hands-on medical treatment that has been used throughout Asia for centuries. “Gua” means to ‘rub’ or ‘press’ and “Sha” describes the congestion of stagnant blood that usually rises to the surface tissue causing redness in areas where patients experience stiffness and pain. The “sha” (redness) usually disappears in two to three days after treatment.
The benefits of Guasha are numerous as it can resolve spasms and pain and increase mobility whilst promoting circulation to the muscles, tissues and organs. Guasha’s immediate effect is therefore also used effectively in treatments of coughing, wheezing and asthma.
When Guasha is applied pain can immediately shift as it causes a four-fold increase in microcirculation of surface tissue and can reduce inflammation and stimulate the immune system.
Guasha is often done in combination with acupuncture for stubborn problems.
Moxibustion & TDP
Moxibustion is a drug-free, non-invasive and pain-free therapy that involves burning the herb mugwort (moxa) near acupuncture points.
Research has shown that Moxa’s radiation spectrum lies within the near-infrared portion, which means it can improve blood circulation as it encourages vibration on a cellular level affecting both shallow and deep tissues of the skin through this thermal stimulation.
Its warming and invigorating sensation improves blood circulation in the smallest blood vessels (microcirculation) thus delivering more oxygen and nutrients to injured cells while eliminating cellular waste. It therefore can aid connective tissue (fascia) to loosen so muscles can relax and improves wound healing, inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, pain and stiffness. Like needle acupuncture, moxibustion avoids gastrointestinal, renal, cardiac, and hematological side effects which are common in conventional pharmacological treatment of pain and anti-inflamatory conditions.
Whilst it might appear strange, moxibustion is an age-old method of turning babies presenting in a breech position. Many studies have been conducted which prove that this method has a very high success rate. It is a pain-free method. No needles are used, just some gentle heat.
TDP is short for the Chinese pinyin “Teding Diancibo Pu” which loosely translates to “Specific Electromagnetic Spectrum” and is also known as a Far Infrared Heating lamp. The TDP lamp features a round plate coated with a proprietary mineral clay formation consisting of 33 earth elements essential to the human body. When activated by the built-in electric heating element, this mineral plate emits a special band of far-infrared waves. As a result, the far- infrared waves are readily absorbed into your body.
The human body relies on vitamins and minerals to repair and rebuild itself. Like Moxa, the heat fro the TDP lamp promote micro-circulation, that's the movement of blood in all the tiny spaces of your body so it can deliver nutrients, remove waste products, and send repair cells to do their work. It covers a larger area and is commonly used on the back, upper or lower abdomen for digestive issues and in assisting in menstrual and infertility disorders.
Cupping
Cupping is an ancient cross-culture technique that helps improve and increase blood circulation by manually pulling toxins to the surface of the skin where the superficial blood supply (capillary system) easily can clear it.
Cells use oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. When cell waste (lactic acid or toxins) are not circulated out properly, it can build up in muscle or joints. When we experience pain it can imply a blockage of energy through an area due to stagnant energy.
Cupping creates a controlled vacuum within the cup. As a result, the skin and the fascia, in which blood vessels, glands, nerves, muscles, ligaments and tendons are wrapped, are lifted and moved against atmospheric gravity towards the suction cup, resulting in local myofascial decompression.
Cupping can therefore help release fascial adhesion and address trigger points by drawing blood and fluids to the treatment area, stimulating the lymphatic system so toxins can be released.
Cupping can therefore resolve chronic muscle tightness and pain faster than massage therapy alone.
Where there are blockages the skin will discolour (pink, red, purple or black, depending on the severity). Cupping is capable of being used as a diagnostic as well as a therapeutic tool.
Auriculotherapy
Auriculotherapy also known as Auricular (Ear) Acupuncture, refers to acupressure or acupuncture applied to the ear.
The vagus nerve controls the activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems and has effects on smooth muscles, blood vessels, sweat glands, and the endocrine system. A branch of the vagus nerve surfaces within the floor of the ear thus offering a pathway for auricular acupuncture to target the very structures involved in processing emotion, memory, learning, sensory input, and gastrointestinal regulation.
The principle in auriculotherapy is similar to reflexology, in that it is a microsystem (the whole body is represented on the ear). Stimulation of a reflex point in the ear can therefore relieve symptoms of distant pathology with a reliable duration. It is both a diagnostic and treatment-based system aimed at normalising the body's dysfunction through stimulation of these points and can therefore be more treatment specific than medication therapy can achieve.
Auriculotherapy involves placing very fine acupuncture needles into specific points on the ear. (For patients who fear needles, ear seeds, laser, electricity, or magnetic balls can also be used as a non-invasive ways to stimulate these points)
It has been used successfully for many years in the treatment of addictions, headaches, body aches, digestive disorders & sleep disturbances. Increasingly, it is being used for overall wellness, including stress management and has proven effective against psychological problems such as anxiety & depression. Studies have shown that acupuncture stimulation through the vagus plexus in the ear is considered a method that can improve HRV. Heart rate variability (HRV) is the variation in time between each heartbeat. Increasing HRV may contribute to improving autonomic nervous system dysfunctions.
The ear is also richly supplied with blood vessels, thus stimulating the ear points to improve peripheral blood flow, circulating more oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and just like in full body acupuncture treatments, endorphins and enkephalins (our natural painkillers/ “feel good” hormones) are elevated after auricular treatments.
This modality can be part of an acupuncture treatment or can be done separately as a 20-30 min. group session where the patient is seated whilst receiving treatment.
