Chinese Medicine has avid venues in managing health conditions focusing to produce a healthier lifestyle.
Alternate Therapeutics is not claiming to fix, cure or mislead any individual to an unrealistic goal. All treatments are individually tailored through initial consultations.
ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture is a treatment composing of a sterile single use solid needle (approx. 0.2mm diameter) which is inserted into the skin. The needle once inserted is stimulated at various depths on various points around the body, enabling diverse therapeutic effects. These therapeutic effects are what the Acupuncturist tries to encourage and master enabling superior treatment outcomes.
Mastering Acupuncture comes with extensive knowledge and training, to where all Acupuncturists’ in Australia are required to meet credentials set out by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (AHPRA).
Thus, if you decide to undertake an Acupuncture treatment, it is in your best interest to obtain it through a registered Acupuncturist with AHPRA. There are many national boards for each health professional. Acupuncture is only covered under the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia and by no other.
If a health professional, other than a registered acupuncturist is conducting an Acupuncture procedure, regardless the “name” of the procedure (which is intentionally so, to confuse patients) you should weary the efficacy of this professional and procedure performed.
HYDRO-ACUPUNCTURE (POINT INJECTION)
Is a needling therapy by injecting sodium chloride into various locations on the body (acu-points, extraordinary points or ashi points), for the prevention and treatment of symptoms associated with acute and chronic sport injuries. This would be the most superior line of treatment, which untangles the matrix of complex symptoms. It has profound effects on muscular or tendon sprains, tears, or inflammation. Its therapeutic effects are virtually instant allowing healing to proceed by limiting the inflammatory stage. The most beneficial component is the analgesic effect, leaving the patient in a more comfortable situation, combating post-trauma insomnia.
Like acupuncture this treatment has no side effects nor requires down time after treatment. Its 100% drug free, which means no allergies and can be administered to children.
CUPPING
Cupping therapy can be used for promoting better blood circulation to an area in order to relieve inflammation or having a tight muscle relieved. It can also be used for patients who suffer muscle tiredness from habitual computer work or typing. Cupping therapy is where an open flame from a prepped alcohol cotton ball clamped by forceps, is placed into and out of the cup and suddenly placed onto the skin. The cup may be either glass or bamboo. As most of the oxygen in the cup is burnt by the flame and suddenly placed on the skin, it creates a vacuum pulling the skin up into the cup. This suction is the action that produces the therapeutic effect.
Although this seems like an aggressive treatment, the patient normally describes the feeling as a faint pulling of the skin where the cups are placed, and generally feels relaxed. However, cupping does leave distinctive circular markings (sometimes minor bruising or blistering) where the cups were applied. These skin markings dissipate generally between 7-9 days.
MOXIBUSTION
Like acupuncture or hydro-acupuncture (point injection), acu-points can be stimulated by heat (a technique known as moxibustion) to produce the therapeutic effect. The most common combustible material used is a medicated wool derived from the leaves of argy wormwood (Artemisia Argyi). This wood is compressed into a cigar known as “Moxa Sticks” and when burned and placed close to the acu-point the heat penetrates deeply into the surrounding tissues and tendons, stimulating not only the acu-point but also promoting blood circulation.
TUINA MASSAGE
Chinese Tuina massage has been recorded since ancient China. This therapy obtains its therapeutic results by means of massage, guided through the theories of Chinese medicine. Tuina being an external treatment is reliant on the types of manipulation given by the therapist, achieving different therapeutic results. These types of manipulations are attained over certain points or over the areas of meridian for a variety of health conditions. This does not limit only to muscular-skeletal conditions, but includes internal health.
PULSE DIAGNOSIS
Pulse examination in Chinese Medicine would be the fundamental tool in achieving superior treatment outcomes. Chinese Medicine treats the patient holistically on this accord.
Pulse diagnosis is examined on the radial artery proximally to the wrist on both hands. From here the different pulse positions are examined by the therapist giving informative information for treatment.
HERBAL TREATMENTS
Herbal medicine would have to be the key triumph in ancient Chinese civilization. Through a culture rich in information on botany, zoology and mineralogy, Li ShiZhen achieved the most remarkable achievement to where he compiled the magnum opus Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) which took 30 years in the making.
This Materia Medica laid the foundations on individual herbal ingredients explaining their therapeutic uses, contraindications and toxicology in order to rule out mystification. This compendium is still referred to in today’s modern text of herbal Chinese medicine.
Chinese Herbal medicine is commonly prescribed as a herbal formula, which contains multiple to numerous herbal ingredients. In this way, a therapeutic balance is achieved, potentially alleviating other associated patterns which may not seem related by the patient.
