What to expect
I use acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine, including moxibustion (an herbal, localised heat treatment), auricular acupuncture, cupping, acu-pressure and gua sha. I combine this with lifestyle counselling, dietary recommendations, medical options, and personal empowerment, to guide my patients to health. This form of treatment has been proven effective for many, many conditions, from asthma to eczema to migraines to pain relief to fertility and gynaecological issues.
All treatment begins with a complete diagnosis, which takes place during your first visit. I spend a considerable amount of time getting a complete picture of your health and lifestyle as Traditional Chinese Medicine treats the whole person. Rather than merely focusing on the symptoms of your condition, I treat the underlying cause of those symptoms.
I examine the condition of your tongue (the tongue reveals a great deal about the state of health, as certain areas on the tongue relate to specific areas in the body) and check your pulse on both wrists (palpating the pulses allows me to feel the quality of the pulse, for example whether it is fine, full, weak, choppy, etc. There are at least 28 different pulse states. Various organs are represented in certain positions on the wrist pulse and the health of these organs can be felt.
I’ll also ask questions about your emotional state and specific symptoms you may have. This is done to identify patterns of disharmony that are causing the symptoms the client is concerned about and allows me to determine the underlying patterns of disharmony to plan a treatment strategy. Doing so helps me select acupuncture points, to rebalance the body. It is the choice of points that make acupuncture an art.
Before the needles are placed, you'll lie down on a comfortable surface. Depending on where the needles are to go, you will lie face-down, face-up or on your side. After placement, the needles are sometimes moved gently or stimulated with heat. As many as a dozen needles may need to be placed for each treatment. Once the needles are inserted, they're usually left in place for five to 20 minutes. Many people fall asleep during this period.
The first visit (with diagnosis) lasts approximately an hour including an acupuncture treatment. Your subsequent visits will be shorter - usually about half an hour long. We’ll make a brief review of your progress followed by an acupuncture treatment.
Typically acupuncture treatments are given once a week. If the condition is acute and painful, treatments may be needed 2-3 times per week until the condition starts to come under control. On average, a typical course of treatment requires 10-12 treatments over 2-4 months. The exact duration of treatment depends on the condition, your basic level of health, and how well you respond to acupuncture.
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