What is involved in an Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Treatment?

The initial consultation includes questioning on many things including your medical history, current medications and present day complaints.

This will be followed by the traditional pulse & tongue diagnosis where your the pulse on both your arms is taken along with a quick inspection of your tongue. This gives the practitioner a good indication of what is happening in your body.

Once the practitioner has acquired all this information from you they will then decide on a diagnosis and a treatment principal.

The treatment can usually last anywhere between 10-60 minutes depending on the practitioners diagnosis.

There are many different types of treatment methods available to the practitioner. Here are just some of the may options available that may be used during your treatment.

The five major treatment methods of TCM:

1. Acupuncture and Moxibustion

	Needling - The inserting of fine needles into acupoints on your body.
	Moxibustion (Moxa) - The use of the herb mugwort to heat acupoints.
	Auricular Therapy - The use of fine intradermal needles on specific ear acupuncture points. The needles are covered in a tape and can be worn after your treatment for up to 3 days.
	Electropuncture - The use of a small electric current used in conjunction with a needle for different manipulation of acupoints.
	Laser Therapy - The use of laser light to stimulate acupuncture points. Great for children or for those not wanting needles.

2. Chinese Dietary Therapy

Specific foods have individual therapeutic properties. A particular food can be used not only to maintain health but also to contribute towards the treatment of a patient.

3. Chinese Herbal Medicine

The use of a herbal formula may be an option as part of treatment.

4. Exercise Therapy

Internal (Meditation, Qi Gong)

External (Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Martial Arts)

5. Manual Therapies

TCM remedial massage (Tuina, Shiatsu, Acupressure)

Cupping (Guan Fa)

Cupping - The use of glass suction cups placed on certain regions of the body.

Spooning (Gua Sha)

[Return to previous menu]