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What
is TCM?
What
is Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is over 4,000 years
old and consists of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine,
Chinese Dietary Therapy, Cupping, Gua Sha, Moxibustion
and Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage).
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It
views the human body as an organic whole and unlike
Orthodox Medicine, which may only treat the symptoms,
TCM believes in treating the root cause. Once that
is dealt with, the symptoms would disappear as a result.
TCM
believes that diseases or illnesses are due to the
disharmony of internal organs, which may be a result
of external pathogenic factors (disease causing factors
- Wind, Cold, Heat, Summer Heat, Dampness and Dryness)
attacking the body. All signs and symptoms of diseases
can be generalized into Eight Principle Syndromes,
which are: Yin and Yang, Exterior and Interior, Cold
and Heat, Deficient and Excess syndromes. Diseases
can also be differentiated into Qi and Blood Syndromes
as well as differentiated according to internal organs.
Traditional
Chinese Medicine can treat a wide range of conditions
including:
• Musculo-skeletal disorders (e.g. sports injuries,
back pain, sciatica)
• Gastro-intestinal disorders (e.g. IBS, constipation,
diarrhoea, indigestion, abdominal pain,
acid regurgitation)
• Respiratory disorders (e.g. Hay fever, bronchitis,
asthma, cough, sinusitis)
• Neurological disorders (e.g. headaches, migraines,
vertigo, dizziness, trigeminal neuralgia)
• Genitourinary disorders (e.g. incontinence, oedema)
• Reproductive disorders (e.g. infertility, impotence)
• Gynaecological disorders (e.g. painful, delayed,
frequent or irregular menstruation,
menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night
sweating)
• Mental and Emotional disorders (e.g. stress, depression,
anxiety, insomnia)
• Dermatological disorders (e.g. eczema, acne, psoriasis)
• Infectious diseases (e.g. common cold, flu)
• Helps Weight Loss
• Helps Stop smoking
Can't
find your condition in the list above? We may still
be able to help so please contact us.
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TCM
Diagnostic Process
Patricia's
TCM diagnosis is formed using the diagnostic techniques:
• Past and present history
• Inspection
• Auscultation & Olfaction |
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Past
and Present History
Our
practitioner Patricia will inquire about your current
condition, past medical history, lifestyle history
and family history etc. The information gathered will
help to determine the foundation for the course of
treatment. |
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Inspection
Inorder
for Patricia to determine your constitution and condition,
she will closely observe your vitality, facial expressions,
general appearance (e.g. body build, posture, skin
colour) and the appearance of your tongue. The tongue
is also a clinical indicator in the monitoring of
the treatment progress. |
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Auscultation
(Listening) and Olfaction (Smelling)
In
TCM, we believe that the strength of a person's Qi
(energy) is reflected in his breathing and voice.
Special attention is paid to the volume and pitch
of the voice and the speed and coherence of the speech.
Olfaction
refers to determining whether the patient is emitting
any abnormal odour. This includes odours of the breath,
sweat etc.
Palpation
Palpation
involves touching the skin to see if there is any
temperature change or palpating swellings, lumps,
nodules and the location of pain etc. This also includes
pulse taking.
In
TCM, when taking the pulse, we look at the rate and
also pay attention to the strength and quality of
the pulse. This is because we believe any disharmony
within the body will be reflected in the corresponding
part of the pulse.
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Acupuncture and Acupressure |
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Acupuncture
Acupuncture
is the insertion and manipulation of fine needles
into special points on the body to activate and regulate
the flow of Qi (energy) and Blood. Acupuncture needles
dating to about 4,000 years ago have been found in
New Stone Age ruins in China. The first needles were
made of stone, then animal bones. Bronze, gold or
silver was used in the later days. Nowadays, sterile
single-use needles are used.
The acupuncture needles are much finer than
those used for injections and are usually not painful.
Different acupuncture points may have a different
sensation when needled but the most common sensations
experienced by people are a dull or heavy feeling
around the needle and the discomfort is only momentary.
The more physically and mentally relaxed the patient
is during the treatment, the less discomfort will
be felt.
Acupuncture
can treat a wide range of conditions and its effectiveness
is acknowledged by both the World Health Organisation
and the NHS.
For acupuncture treatments, the needles will be removed
from the body after about 20-30 minutes. Due to Patricia's
experience and expertise, this may include the use
of acupuncture points on both the front and back of
the body.
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Electro-acupuncture
Depending
on condition and severity, our practitioner Patricia
Pang may recommend the use of Electro-acupuncture.
Electro-acupuncture is similar to traditional acupuncture
but after needle insertion, the acupuncture needles
are then connected to a device that generates a continuous
electric pulse, which will continuously stimulate
the acupuncture points. The frequency and intensity
of the impulse can be adjusted to suit each individual
patient and the patient might feel a slight tingling
sensation. |
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Auricular
(Ear) Acupuncture
There
are many different acupuncture points located on the
ears that corresponds to different internal organs
and stimulating selected points can treat many different
diseases. Auricular (ear) acupuncture involves the
practitioner inserting small needles into selected
points on the ears. Ear seeds (small plasters with
tiny seeds on the back) can also be applied to ear
acupuncture points to achieve therapeutic effects.
Ear seeds are particularly useful as they are retained
for several days, allowing the patients to stimulate
the selected points themselves in-between treatments,
therefore prolonging the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.
Auricular
acupuncture is commonly used in the treatment of stopping
smoking and weight loss or as a supplementary treatment
to traditional acupuncture. |
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Acupressure
Acupressure
involves the stimulation of acupuncture points and
meridians (energy channels) using selective Tuina
techniques without the use of needles.
Acupressure
can activate and regulate the flow of Qi and Blood.
Its actions are not as strong as acupuncture but since
it does not involve any needling, acupressure is often
used on children or on those with a fear of needles.
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Chinese
Herbal Medicine
Chinese
herbal medicine can be used alone or in conjunction
with acupuncture or acupressure in the treatment of
a wide range of diseases and conditions. Depending
on the condition being treated, our practitioner Patricia
Pang may recommend the combination of acupuncture/acupressure
and Chinese herbal medicine to complement each other
and strengthen the overall therapeutic effect.
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Yang
Kang Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Practice is
currently only offering Chinese patent herbal pills.
Dry herbs for decoctions may be available on a later
date.
Chinese
patent herbal pills are based on classical TCM herbal
formulas, dating back thousands of years ago. They
are more affordable and convenient than dry herbs
as it could take between 30-45 minutes each day to
cook the dry herbs. This makes the herbal patent pills
ideal for those with a busy lifestyle. Many patients
also prefer Chinese patent herbal pills as they are
more palatable.
Both
dry herbs and Chinese patent herbal pills work in
the same way. A Chinese herbal formula usually contains
around 10 to 15 different Chinese herbs with different
herbs working on different organs and different aspects
of the condition. Together they will harmonise the
internal organs and regulate the Qi and Blood therefore
treating the body as a holistic unit.
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Supplementary
Therapies
The
following supplementary treatments may be used in
conjunction with acupuncture or acupressure. An
appropriate supplementary treatment will be chosen
by our practitioner Patricia after a personal consultation
and a discussion on your individual needs and concerns.
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Chinese
Dietary Therapy
According
to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories, any
food we consume has either a therapeutic or a damaging
effect on our bodies. For over 2,000 years, TCM practitioners
have analysed the effects and nature of the food we
eat and this wisdom has been passed onto different
generations of TCM practitioners throughout history.
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With
this special knowledge, our practitioner Patricia
Pang is able to advise patients on the different food
that would be beneficial for their constitution and
condition as well as food that they should try to
avoid.
At
Yang Kang Tang we offer Chinese dietary advice as
a complimentary service to help our patients regain
and maintain their wellbeing. |
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Cupping
Cupping
involves the placement of glass cups onto specific
parts of the body. A vacuum is created inside the
glass cups before they are placed onto the skin and
this allows the cups to remain on the skin and it
is commonly used for muscular and joint pain in the
neck, shoulder and back area. |
Cupping
promotes the local circulation of Qi and Blood. This
helps draw out pathogenic (disease causing) factors
or to remove blockages.
The
use of cupping may leave slight bruises on the skin,
which will fade naturally in a few days. The Western
Medicine explanation for the therapeutic effects of
cupping is that by creating slight bruises, it stimulates
the blood supply to the local area, bringing with
it our body's natural pain killers.
Cupping
can take 2 forms - stationary where cups are left
in one position for 10-15 minutes or running cupping
where the cups are moved across the skin using traditional
medicinal oils. |
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| Gua
Sha
Gua
Sha is usually performed on the back area where there
are many acupuncture points that correspond to different
internal organs. |
The
process of Gua Sha begins with the application of
a special Chinese Medicinal Oil to the skin, followed
by the use of a special instrument to scrape along
the meridians (energy channels). This will invigorate
the flow of Qi and Blood and can be used in the treatment
of pain, common colds and flu.
Gua
Sha can also highlight area(s) of blockage therefore
allowing the practitioner to concentrate her treatment
on the specific areas. |
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| Moxibustion
Moxibustion
is used to tonify Qi (energy) deficiency. It works
by the practitioner lighting a moxa stick and placing
this either directly or indirectly onto the skin.
The heat produced and the invigorating property of
the moxa can help to remove any blockages and soothe
muscular and joint pain. |
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Tuina
Tuina
is also known as Chinese Therapeutic Massage and can
be used as an alternative to acupuncture for people
who have a fear of needles.
This
special manipulation uses Traditional Chinese Medicine
diagnostic principals and is most commonly used on
tense muscles to relief pain. It also promotes and
regulates the circulation of Qi and Blood.
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