Acupuncture & Herbs
More About Acupuncture
Acupuncture first came to public attention in the West when President Nixon visited the People's Republic of China in the early 1970s. Since then it has earned a reputation worldwide as an effective intervention for a wide range of medical conditions.
Qi
Traditional Acupuncture is a holistic therapy based on principles of vitalism; our health is maintained by the regulated, coordinated movement of Qi. Qi can be translated in many different ways, but broadly it is out life force; the power that gives us life and health. Qi flows through a network of channels that flow throughout our bodies, animating our vital organs, circulating blood, and regulating our vital functions (consciousness, memory, appetite, sleep etc.).
The flow of Qi can be disturbed by a number of factors. These include emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, poisons, and trauma. The principle aim of acupuncture for treating the whole person is to restore our physical, emotional, and spiritual equilibrium. By the insertion of fine needles, the strength and smooth flowing of Qi can be enhanced and revitalised.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) is one of the great traditions of the world, with a recorded history of more than two thousand years. It has maintained a strong presence in China in health provision today, where it is practiced alongside western medicine in state hospitals throughout the country, for the treatment of a wide range of conditions.
Treatment with CHM involves the use of a combinations of herbs which are tailoured to address the particular disharmony of the individual patient; the Chinese materia medica contains several hundred commonly used ingredients, including roots, stems, flowers, leaves and barks, together with some non-plant materials. This allows the practitioner to create prescriptions which match individual patients' patterns of disharmony, and which can be adapted to match each patient's changing needs as treatment progresses.
The possible uses for CHM are wide and varied, and people of all ages and constituitions can benefit from it. Treatment may also include lifestyle and dietary advice, which is based on the energetic and medicinal quality of foods.
