Acupuncture / Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Acupuncture is a method derived from ancient Chinese medicine - encouraging the body to promote its natural healing abilities as well as improving its organ functions. Fine needles are placed in specific trigger points for either therapeutic or preventative purposes.
Even in western medicine certain acupuncture points are nowadays recognized and accepted.
Acupuncture works through neuro-hormonal pathways. It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin, muscles, spinal cord, brain, and all over the body. This results in the body producing substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins. It's likely that these naturally released substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture.
Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or "life force", flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as Qi (pronounced "Chi"). When Qi doesn't flow freely through the body, this can cause illness. Acupuncture can restore the flow of Qi, and hence restore health.
Do acupuncture needles hurt?
There may be a common sensation known as “De Qi” (grabbing sensation of the bad “Qi” energy) like some kind of soreness or tingling, but this will be very minimal in comparison to e.g. injection needles used in hospitals. Its essential that only disposable needles are used to avoid any risk if infections.
Does acupuncture really works?
Acupuncture exists since more than 2,000 years. There are lots of studies and published articles that are documenting its effectiveness. Acupuncture, as part of traditional Chinese medicine, does perfectly complement a conventional Western medicine treatment.
Everybody has a constitutional body balance, which predisposes us to certain health problems. Regular acupuncture sessions are beneficial to overall health and balance. A regular course of acupuncture sessions usually delivers a more sustainable relief if compared to just a single/one off treatment session.
According to the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO), acupuncture can effectively help improving the following health conditions:
- Pain such as headache, facial pain, neck and shoulder pain, rheumatoid pain, low back pain, knee pain, sport injury pain such as tennis elbow, and even dental or post-operation pain.
- Respiratory diseases such as allergic rhinitis
- Mental health issues such as depression and also post stroke depression
- Reduce side effects from chemotherapy and radiotherapy
- Gastrointestinal diseases such as dyspepsia, nausea, abdominal pain, colic and spasm, etc.
- Female problems such as dysmenorrhea, menopausal syndrome, morning sickness in pregnancy, and etc.
From daily practice, acupuncture has been proven very effective in the following areas:
- Improving quality of life by relieving health problems, symptoms and complaints before it gradually become severe
- Disease prevention
- Pain relief: reduction of frequency and severity of disease
- Delivery and even fetal malposition correction
Dr. Sisilia attended the private acupuncture and chinese medicine college of DR. Alex Liew in Adelaide, Australia for five years between 1998 and 2004, and actively practices acupuncture ever since - for now more than 10 years.