Moxibustion
Moxibustion is an ancient technique for healing all kinds of illnesses in China. The earliest mention of this was found in the book of the philosopher, Zhuang Zi and since then it has evolved into becoming a very convenient method of treating, healing and preventing illness, just by smoking specialised mugwort over specific parts of the body.
Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the body believes that the body should be treated at the first sign of imbalance thus preventing serious illness. Moxibustion is one such treatment which can do this, so it really is worth spreading its benefits worldwide.
Cupping
Most people in the West first became aware of Cupping when they saw several of the swimmers and in particular the USA Gold Medal Winner, Michael Phelps, at 2016, Rio de Janeiro Olympics with dark red circles on his back.
Michael Phelps explained this was something that he did before at many meets and believed it helped his body recover faster after a particularly hard workout.
Cupping is a technique that uses small glass cups placed on the skin to create suction, thereby gently drawing the skin upwards into the cup. The cup stays in place for a certain time or can be gently moved over the skin [moving cupping].
Reaching deep into the soft tissue, cupping moves stagnant blood and lymph, thereby releasing toxins and improving Qi flow. It is used, often in combination with acupuncture, to treat pain in muscles and connective tissues, such as the neck, back and shoulder pain, muscle knots, and swelling. It is also used to treat respiratory diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia and bronchitis.
Gua Sha
It is believed that Gua Sha can help migraines and neck pains, among other symptoms. In addition, facial Gua Sha treatment can have a variety of benefits.
Just as our neck and shoulders can become stressed hunching up over a desk, our facial muscles can become stressed and facial Gua Sha is a massage technique designed to relieve tension in the muscles of the face, boost blood circulation, and encourage lymphatic drainage to banish bloat. It helps break up fascia, the connective tissue that hugs muscles but can sometimes interfere with optimal circulation.
Tuina
Tuina or tui-na (pronounced twee-nah) massage originated in China and is believed to be one of the oldest forms of massage. Importantly it is also one of the four main branches of traditional Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, qi gong, and Chinese herbal medicine.
It’s based on the theory that imbalances of qi, which is the body’s vital life force or energy, can cause blockages or imbalances that lead to symptoms such as pain and illness.
Tuina massage stimulates the flow of qi to promote balance and harmony within the body using many of the same principles of acupuncture.
Just like acupuncture it targets specific acupoints, but practitioners use fingers instead of needles to apply pressure to stimulate these points. Tuina massage is often used in combination with acupuncture.
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
Get In Touch
Call for a free 20-minute telephone consultation and find out how acupuncture can benefit your health.
Tel. 07305 993 068