How acupuncture and Chinese medicine differ to Western medicine

The strength of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) is in their unique differential diagnosis technique, which is very different to western diagnostics thereby providing you with an effective and proven alternative.

TCM regards the body as a whole entity, where the Mind, Body and Spirit are all involved in the healing process and in the maintenance of health. It sees the body as an organism so delicately balanced that whatever affects one part of it has repercussions on other parts.

First, Dr Pier Tsui-Po aims to locate the energy imbalance and ascertain its nature. He then aims to restore the balance to what it should normally be by manipulating the body's Chi.

To locate the imbalance, quite a range of unique diagnostic techniques are used. Pier acquires a detailed history by asking various questions, some may seem unusual. For example detailed information are sought for in the areas of energy levels, memory, concentration, sleep, appetite, digestion, bowel movement and urination, aches and pain, emotional dysfunction and more.

Ladies need to provide extensive information regarding menstruation and pregnancies while personal, social and family histories are also taken into consideration for both male and female patients.

In addition, special techniques such as palpation are also used. But the key of the diagnosis used by traditional Chinese medical practitioners lies with the tongue and pulse.

The pulse at the radial artery of the wrist is divided into three sections, each of which has a superficial and a deep position. These 12 positions tell Pier what’s going on inside the body. For example, a “floating” pulse may indicate the influence of an external pathogen inside the body (the common cold for example); whereas a floating pulse that is also weak may indicate a disease with blood deficiency (such as anemia).

The tongue is examined for its spirit, vitality, depth of colour, body shape, and coating. For example, a red and dry tongue body without coating indicates Heat and exhaustion of body fluids while a yellow, sticky and greasy tongue coating indicates the presence of heat and phlegm.

Keep in mind that the practice of acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine is a traditional medicine. Some of these techniques have been used for thousands of years and they are no longer used in modern western medicine. Yet these techniques reveal a lot of important information that is both accurate and vital to the making of a diagnosis and subsequent treatment strategy for your condition.

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