The journey to parenthood may not always be smooth sailing for couples facing fertility issues. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can complement IVF and IUI treatments or serve as an alternative approach to improve your chances of conceiving.
Confinement can be a particularly stressful period as you have to take care of the baby while your body is recovering from the toils of the delivery process. Find out how TCM can help nourish and restore your body’s balance during this crucial period.
Thomson Chinese Medicine is a TCM clinic in Singapore that offers gentle, holistic paediatric massage therapy for children between 6 months and 6 years old. Our treatments, combined with herbal packs for external use, aim to improve your children’s hea …
From the TCM perspective, pain arises due to congestion of Qi and Blood or deficiencies in the body. TCM treatments help to ease the blockage of Qi and Blood, triggering your body’s self-healing ability. Say no to painkillers and find out how TCM pain management treatments can benefit you.
Neurological disorders encompass a diverse array of conditions that intricately affect the network of cells and nerves in the human brain and spinal cord. By integrating early intervention with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments and Western therapeutic modalities, we can establish a more comprehensive approach that is essential for elevating the quality of life for individuals affected by neurological disorders.
Skin-related issues can be a real nuisance and may affect your confidence in social settings. Skin being the body’s largest and most visible organ, is closely related to the Lung and problems usually arise from various internal imbalances. These imbalances are often due to toxin build up, Lung heat, Stomach heat, heat in the Blood, Blood or Yin deficiency.
If you always feel weak and unwell, but medical reports indicate that you do not have any serious ailments, you may be in a state known as “Sub-health”. TCM treatments are effective in restoring your health to optimal levels by treating the symptoms and fortifying your body on a holistic level.
Need TCM treatment but unable to make it to the clinic? Be it for yourself, an elderly or your unwell child, our physicians can now treat you in the comfort and convenience of your preferred location island-wide.
ArticlesPain-Free Living: Exploring TCM’s Approach to Pain Relief
TCM Pain Relief
Pain-Free Living: Exploring TCM’s Approach to Pain Relief
If you’re suffering from pain or discomfort as a result of poor lifestyle habits, the time-tested methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) will prove helpful in achieving pain relief! Whether it’s through acupuncture or gua sha techniques, many TCM approaches can be used to address pain in the body. Learn more about TCM and how it helps to promote pain-free living.
The demands of modern life in Singapore have made high stress levels and weaker immune systems very common problems many face today. But while you’re in the pursuit of a better quality of life, health should still remain at the top of your priorities. If you’re suffering from pain or discomfort as a result of poor lifestyle habits, look no further than the time-tested methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for pain relief! In this article, we’ll bring you closer to the wisdom of TCM, sharing how it views pain in the body and the effective strategies it employs to restore balance and promote comfortable living.
Understanding Pain from a TCM Perspective
From a TCM viewpoint, the smooth flow of energy (Qi) and Blood is vital for good health. It is believed that when there is stagnation or blockage, problems may arise. Pain is seen as a manifestation of the obstruction in the flow of Qi and Blood, which can cause various discomforts and ailments too.
Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, ensuring that they reach the tissues and organs to support their function. This also contributes to healing processes and alleviating pain associated with tissue damage or inflammation.
There is a TCM saying that emphasises a vital principle: “不通则痛, 痛则不通” which translates to “if there are blockages in the body, there will be pain”. Once the meridian is obstructed, the smooth flow of Qi and blood becomes compromised. Consequently, the affected area lacks sufficient nourishment, leading to sensations such as pain, tingling, stiffness, bloating, or numbness. By ensuring the smooth flow of Qi and blood, one can achieve relief from pain. In fact, many techniques used in the practice are designed to address this imbalance.
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the representative treatment employed in TCM that can help with many issues including pain management. Whether you’re suffering from a headache, allergies, chronic pain, or even infertility and anxiety, this method can be useful. It involves inserting thin needles into specific acupoints on the body to stimulate the meridians and encourage energy flow. For example in the treatment of headaches, local acupuncture points such as Bai Hui (top of the head), Shuai Gu (above the ear) together with distal acupuncture point He Gu (on the hand) can all work together invigorate Qi in the head to relieve headaches. Not only do they increase Blood circulation, they also trigger the release of endorphins—neurotransmitters that serve as the body’s natural painkillers—to reduce pain perception and induce a sense of well-being.
Cupping therapy focuses on increasing Blood circulation and eliminating toxins from the body, offering many benefits to your health. As multiple cups act as suctions, it pulls up the skin, creating more space in fascia. This encourages more blood and oxygen flow, breaks up scar tissues and muscular knots. It also removes metabolic wastes and brings more blood and nutrition to the muscles for faster recovery. This technique can help with relieving inflammation, pain, and muscle tension, as well as removing stagnation.
3. Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a therapeutic technique that involves burning dried mugwort near your acupuncture points. What it does is it warms the meridians in your body and dispels Cold and Dampness to enhance Blood circulation and facilitate the smooth flow of Qi. It is an alternative and complementary solution for those seeking relief from menstrual cramps, joint pain, neuropathy, and more.
4. Gua Sha
We know that gua sha has been trending in recent years for its ability to slim the face and contour the body. But beyond its aesthetic purposes, gua sha techniques can also be used to improve Blood and Qi flow. It alleviates muscle soreness and addresses common issues such as neck, back, and shoulder pain. This technique helps alleviate tension, loosen tight knots, and enhance blood circulation by employing a scraping motion on the myofascial layer surrounding and supporting muscles. By releasing blockages in Qi (vital energy), gua sha proves to be an effective method for relieving pain. A 2011 study published in the journal Pain Medicine demonstrated that gua sha provided short-term pain relief for individuals dealing with chronic neck pain, often accompanied by migraines.
In the journey towards pain-free living, TCM offers holistic solutions rooted in time-honoured principles to help you experience bodily harmony. Keen to embrace a comfortable life through natural pain management approaches? Thomson Chinese Medicine can help!
Thomson Chinese Medicine is a TCM clinic in Singapore that specialises in a wide range of TCM solutions, designed to restore balance in your body for a better quality of life. Schedule your appointment with us today.
