complementary therapies - acupuncture

Complementary Therapies

Where an individual or patient has a chronic or persistent health issue and medicinal drugs alone are failing to assist with or relieve the symptoms or even the cause, orthodox doctors have been recommending for some years now, complementary therapies to aid in relieving pain or discomfort, and to assist with possible recovery. Ayurveda therapy, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine feature amongst these.


Chinese and Indian Therapies:


Acupuncuture

Good for:

Back pain, headaches, sinusitis, asthma, menstrual and menopausal problems, and colitis. It can also treat stress, chronic fatigue and myalgic encephalomayelitis (ME), depression, arthritis and rheumatism, allergies and digestive problems. Acupuncture is also useful for treating addictions, such as smoking, compulsive eating, drug and alcohol abuse.

The lowdown:

complementary therapies - acupuncture

Acupuncture is an important aspect of traditional Chinese medicine. It is believed that chi, or life energy, flows through the body through 14 main meridians, or channels, running from the hands, feet and trunk to the head. Along these channels are some 2,000 acupuncture or energy points where chi enters and leaves the body.

Chi can only flow smoothly through the body when the passive energy, Yin, and the active energy, Yang, are balanced. When off-balance due to stress, poor diet, grief. infection or strain, chi is restricted and the body vulnerable. Acupuncture rebalances and stimulates chi by inserting fine, stainless steel needles l/2 cm (1/4 in) into the skin, along the meridians.


Chinese Herbal Medicine

Good for:

Skin conditions, digestive disorders, menstrual and menopausal problems, and chronic fatigue and ME.

The lowdown:

Herbalism is an important aspect of traditional Chinese medicine, which also incorporates diet and exercise. Herbs are chosen to maintain the yin/yang balance and facilitate chi circulation.

Yin and yang are divided into eight principal patterns; such as hot-cold and empty-full, which characterize the type of imbalance underlying disease. “Hot” symptoms might be a red face and fever, requiring cooling herbs; “cold” symptoms might manifest in a slow pulse and pale tongue, requiring strengthening, stimulating herbs.

Traditional Chinese medicine also addresses the emotional root of physical problems. Ancient texts state that strong emotion can attack an associated body organ: joy and shock affect the heart; anger weakens the liver; worry and intense concentration affects the spleen; grief injures the lungs; and fear attacks the kidneys.


Ayurveda Therapy

Good for:

Ayurveda therapy is a complete system for physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

The lowdown:


ayurveda - complementary treatmentsIndia’s traditional medicine, ayurveda, dates from 3,000 years ago and preaches balance of mind, body and spirit. Ayurvedic principles relate to the balance of various energies, or gunas. These are divided into three qualities – sattva, wise and unifying; rajas, active; and tamas, passive. There are five elements, or doshas, each relating to a part of the body. Bio-energies, or tridoshas, are derived from these. They are: pitta, which produces heat and governs the metabolism; kapha, which governs growth and structure; and vata, which generates all bodily movement.

An important aspect of ayurveda is diet, which is used to correct imbalances in the doshas. Different food groups have their own light, passionate or sluggish qualities and can influence physical energy as well as subtle emotion. Massage, meditation and exercise make ayurveda a holistic philosophy. Ayurveda therapy’s best-known and most popular aspect is yoga.