Chronic Symptoms and Conditions and Chinese Medicine

One of the most common (and potentially most upsetting) things we hear in practice is that your symptoms have been dismissed by another health practitioner… maybe you were told that your period pain is normal, or to wait and monitor your symptoms to see if they get worse, or you’re not outside the ‘normal’ range on a blood test, so there’s nothing to worry about, and because you’re not outside the ‘normal’ range, you don’t qualify for treatment… The list is long.

But as a Chinese medicine practitioner, I believe all your symptoms, and they will actually help me to build a picture of what is going on with your health and then put together the most accurate treatment for you. Not only are symptoms meaningful in the diagnostic picture, they are also important to acknowledge and not brush off. Because having a number of symptoms to manage constantly, is exhausting, and can create more stress and fatigue. 

Chinese medicine is sometimes taken up as a last resort, however, it can support both acute and chronic conditions. Everything from a headache and common cold, to chronic health conditions like endometriosis and longstanding digestive complaints. Treatment is made by listening to when and how this condition started, and in what way it is affecting you. The more I can understand you and the symptoms you are experiencing, the better I can support you.

Your Acupuncture Appointment

If you’ve never had acupuncture, or a Chinese medicine appointment (or even if you have), each practitioner can take a slightly different approach and treat differently, so here’s what your appointment might look like with me…

For the first 15 minutes, we’ll sit down and I’ll take some notes. Chinese medicine diagnosis is made by asking questions, observation and pulse diagnosis. Especially during your first appointment, I’ll ask a heap of questions about the main issue you’ve come to see me about, and then seemingly unrelated questions. This is because CM is a wholistic medicine that takes into consideration how our whole body is functioning, and how one symptom might be impacting or causing another - and working this out will get to the root cause, to target treatment. The observation portion includes looking at your tongue (which can tell us a lot about what’s going on internally), and we also look at the face and skin. The pulse is felt on both wrists, and each quality that we feel can give a different indication about the state of the body, mind and emotions.

Once that part is done, you get to relax! If it’s indicated and we’re doing some gua sha and cupping, you’ll start on the table face down. Gua Sha is traditionally practiced on the neck and back, as is cupping. Gua Sha is pulling up any lactic acid build up and cupping can help relieve muscle tension, induce relaxation and even help clear a cold.

After that, you’ll (typically) lie face up for acupuncture. Often the points that need to be accesses are located from the elbows to the fingers or knees to toes, so you can be fully clothed - just remember to wear something comfy. Once the points are inserted, I’ll leave you to rest for 20-25 minutes. This is when people really get relaxed, and sometimes even have a little powernap.

In the mean time, if we’ve discussed herbs to support you further, I’ll make these up and have them ready to take home with you at the end of your appointment.

Most conditions need more than one treatment, unless you’re just looking for a one off session here and there, to reset the nervous system and relax for an hour. But we will discuss your health goals in your appointment, to be able to make a plan together.

Acupuncture appointments now available at Bodyactive Health in Richmond, VIC.

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