Adults

Treatments for Adults

The main treatments that I use for adults are acupuncture and moxibustion, with supplementary herbs.  Occasionally I give the herbs without any other treatments.  Microstim is mainly reserved for treating acute pain, children and eye problems.  For all conditions, the basis is Chinese medicine.  I use the traditional tools of Chinese medicine to form a diagnosis in terms of  imbalances in Qi.  This leads to a treatment and a prognosis.

Diagnosis

The aim of diagnosis is two-fold.  Firstly to find the condition in terms of orthodox medicine, and then to find the Qi imbalance which has caused this.  This will involve asking the normal questions which you would expect, but also other questions about general health and lifestyle, which give an indication of energy imbalances.

Pulse and tongue

In addition the pulse and tongue will be examined.  The pulse is taken at three different positions on the wrist on both sides, and yields much information about the energy flow in the body.  Examination of the tongue gives information about the state of the digestion, and overall constitutional strengths and weaknesses.

What happens in a treatment

In a treatment, needles are inserted at various points on the body and limbs.  The needles themselves are very fine (they could pass down the centre of a hypodermic needle).  After insertion they may be moved gently to produce the desired result on the energy, and then they are left in place for about 15  minutes.  In many conditions the sensation is no more than a slight prick (although sometimes a shooting nerve-like sensation is experienced).  It is common to feel very relaxed and almost fall asleep during this period.

Effect of acupuncture treatment

It is common to feel relaxed after treatment, and it is wise to avoid too much stress for the rest of the day.  It is also common to feel tired for a day or so, as the body’s energy is directed towards healing.  It is also common for conditions to get worse before they get better, for a few days.  After this, there is usually a noticeable improvement.

How often?

In many conditions which have been there for a long time, it is sufficient to come once a week.  There are other conditions where it is necessary to come more frequently, in order to give an impetus to the healing process.

How many visits?

The number of visits is very variable, and depends on a person’s constitutional strength, how long they have had the condition, and the severity of the condition.  It is always difficult to predict the outcome of treatment with certainty, but you will be given an idea of what to expect at the first consultation.

Safety

Acupuncture is one of the safest therapies.  It is extremely uncommon for any adverse reaction to occur if the treatment is carried out by a person who has undergone a 3-year training.  Presterilised disposable needles are always used.

Maintaining Health

Acupuncture can be used as a supportive treatment to maintain health.  There is an old Chinese saying that it is better to take treatment before disease has occurred.  A good maintenance schedule is to come four times a year, at each change of season.