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Traditional Chinese Acupuncture
Chinese acupuncture is a component of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) where very fine needles are inserted through the skin on certain selected acupuncture points which are positioned throughout the entire body. The procedure employs sterile, disposable needles and is relatively painless. It is a natural therapy and adverse side-effects are rare. There is nothing injected under the skin or extracted from the body. It treats the individual holistically based on the theories and principles of TCM. Thus, acupuncture treats the emotional and physical health of an individual, as well as the symptoms and the causes of ill health. It aids the body’s own healing powers to achieve equilibrium and produce optimal health.
Medical Acupuncture
Generally speaking, Medical acupuncture is used to supplement other therapies such as medicine, physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy. It is not based on TCM theories and principles and therefore often treats symptoms but may not address the cause of the problem. It is usually used for musculo-skeletal conditions and often uses ‘trigger points’, which happen to overlap with acupuncture points; the same acupuncture points that have already been used for thousands of years in TCM. It is not unusual for Medical Acupuncturists who are aware of the differences between the two types to recommend TCM acupuncture. For example, Medical Acupuncturists have recommended our services for patients with pain due to fibromyalgia. Reducing pain is only one of the symptoms of many conditions, and improving mood, energy and stamina to gain a sense of emotional and physical well-being can only be addressed by understanding TCM and thus treating the underlying cause of the disharmony as well.