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10 Commonly Asked Questions About The Treatment

“Knowledge is meaningless if it’s not shared.”

As a curious person and a Chinese medicine physician, I like to ask my teachers and myself lots of questions and as well, I like to answer the questions of my patient’s and students.

If the below 10-commonly asked questions about the treatment is not enough and you still have more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

1. What is Chinese Medicine?

Chinese Medicine is a folk medicine which has evolved in China for over 2500 years. In modern times, Acupuncture has become one of the most common complementary treatment options in Western countries. Its reputation for good efficacy with minimal side effects in a myriad of therapeutic conditions has fostered a rapid growth in Chinese medicine research and practice throughout the world. Its major therapeutic branches are Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, tuina (Chinese physiotherapy), Qi Gong and Tai Qi and Chinese nutrition. Chinese Medicine’s uniqueness springs from the rich cultural heritage and history which existed in China throughout the ages.

2. Why should I choose Chinese Medicine?

In every field of expertise, it is seniority and experience which are the important added value. Chinese Medicine is considered the most ancient of medical systems. Knowledgeable medical documentation granted Chinese Medicine the power and the extensive clinical experience to treat a broad range of conditions. The treatment consisting of acupuncture and herbs works in conjunction with the body to regulate and harmonize the imbalance and return the body to health.

Different from conventional medicine, which treats mostly by giving medicines for symptoms, Chinese Medicine treats the symptoms that are expressed in the body as well as the root of the problem. This holistic view affords the patient a therapeutic effect which is not only broad in range and high in quality, but long-lasting as well. The treatment is simple, has no side effects, and does not demand much from the patient. Apart from that, the treatment gives the patient and hour or two every week of quality time with him/herself, a rare commodity in today’s modern society.

3. What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the main therapeutic branches of Chinese Medicine. The treatment of acupuncture is performed with sterilized, disposable, single-use filiform needles which are just a few millimeters in width. The needling is done on acupuncture points, which are spread out throughout the body, with the intention of regulating a physiological unit of an organ and a channel. According to Chinese medicine point of view, each of the internal organs in the body have an associate channel, where the points are located on and by applying therapeutic technique on the point (inserting a needle, performing laser acupuncture or even by massage the point) the desired and proper movements of the qi and blood in the body’s channels return to a balanced state.

4. Is the treatment painful?

Acupuncture treatment is not painful. It is important to note that pain is a subjective sensation which differs from person to person, and therefore it is difficult to estimate and evaluate the various sensations. The needle insertion is quick and devoid of any painful sensation. In the stage of ‘stimulating the point’, most people will feel a pleasant sensation, like a gentle tingle, a pinch or a pull. A small fraction of people may feel a sensation similar to pain. An adjustment is made between the desired sensation due to point stimulation and the patient’s sensation, in order to cause minimal discomfort to the patient. If needed, laser acupuncture can be apply to highly sensitive patients.

5. What are Chinese medicinal herbs?

Chinese medicinal herbs are prescribed to the patient following a detailed inquiry and once a treatment strategy has been reached, because each herbal formula is being tailor to a specific medical condition according to the patient’s constitution. A herbal formula consists of various herbs, of which the number and quantity vary according to each case. These combined herbs work together to generate a synergy between them. There are thousands of herbs in use in Chinese Medicine, although out of these a few hundreds are the most important ones. The herbs are imported under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.

6. What can be treated with Chinese Medicine?

Chinese Medicine, being a holistic medicine which sees the person as part of a whole, a complete unified whole comprised of body and mind, treats the person! In fact, many are the diseases that in the eyes of conventional medicine ‘fall’ under the classifications of either lack of clear definition, and/or lack of known cause and/or lack of a medical solution. Chinese Medicine identifies the mechanism of imbalance, be it mental or physical, and this will be the focus of the treatment. The treatment range is broad and includes – pain issues, orthopedic and musculoskeletal problems, gynecological disorders, disorders of the digestive system, sleep problems, immune system disorders, various neurological problems, and more.  

7. What does the treatment in the clinic include?

Treatment in the clinic is done with acupuncture or laser acupuncture (for children) and, if seemed necessary, the addition of herbal medicine. Nutritional advice may be given as befits each patient.

8. Is one treatment session in the clinic enough to resolve the problem?  

In most cases no. There are acute conditions where we can see substantial improvement during the session and directly after it, although it is important to understand that treatment in Chinese Medicine is a therapeutic process like any other therapy. The quantity of sessions in a course of treatment differs from patient to patient, and can be between 6 and 12 sessions, depending on the issue at hand.

9. Are there any side effects to the treatment and is it safe?

The treatment of Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture and herbal medicine is safe, as it is based on extensive clinical experience of thousands of years. Side effects are rare and relatively minor, usually passing a few hours after the session.

10. What happens in the first treatment and what should I wear?

The first treatment in the clinic includes a comprehensive medical questioning and the treatment itself. Usually this lasts approximately one hour. The treatment in acupuncture is performed on the fully clothed body. At times, some article of clothing is removed while the patient is covered in a sheet to maintain privacy and modesty. It is important to come to the treatment with comfortable and loose clothing which allow to easily fold the clothes up to the elbows and the knees.

If there are any further questions, read the article ‘How is the treatment done in the clinic’.
To go to the article click here

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