What to Expect at Your First TCM Clinic Visit

TCM has existed and been used for the last 2,000 years to prevent, diagnose and treat conditions by restoring the body’s balance and achieving harmony between the internal organs and external elements. 

Apart from helping to alleviate pain and treating common problems such as digestive issues and a weak immune system, TCM is also used to boost fertility, support women’s health throughout their life cycles, and resolve skin woes like acne and eczema. 

The benefits of TCM are endless, making it a popular practice that many have come to believe in and love over the years. 

If you are planning to visit a TCM clinic in Singapore but are unsure what to expect, here is what you need to know for your first appointment. Keep reading to find out more. 

What Happens During Your First TCM Clinic Visit

1. Consultation

Like any other visit to a doctor, your first appointment at a TCM clinic will start off with a one-to-one consultation with a TCM physician. During this time, you will be asked to share your concerns and symptoms with the physician to help them understand your condition. 

But what sets TCM apart from Western medicine is the way the physician evaluates you – they will assess how you look and sound, ask to inspect your tongue and check your pulse. In TCM, the tongue is considered a reflection of your overall health and body while the pulse’s strength and rhythm can offer information about your energy. 

2. Diagnosis

TCM believes that illnesses occur as a result of an imbalance of energy in the body – different kinds of disharmonies are accompanied by specific symptoms, so the examination and consultation will help your practitioner narrow down the possible imbalances. The things that your physician observes during your visit to the TCM clinic will then help them to form a diagnosis called a ‘syndrome’.

For instance, if you complain of a migraine, a TCM physician will probably recognise that there is an imbalance of your body’s vitals perhaps due to long-term stress and fatigue, leading to blockages in Qi and Blood and hence, diagnose the syndrome as Stagnated Liver Energy. 

Learn more: 7 Common Conditions In Singapore That TCM Clinics Treat

3. Treatment

Finally, the appropriate treatment will be administered while you are at the TCM clinic to help ease your symptoms as soon as possible. Your TCM physician will discuss a treatment plan with you before proceeding and methods can range from acupuncture to moxibustion and taking herbal medications. 

The treatment you undergo will largely depend on your body’s constitution, symptoms and specific needs. Sometimes, a holistic approach in which two types of treatments are combined may be needed – moxibustion is often done alongside acupuncture to open up your Qi pathways and herbal medicine may be prescribed to be taken after treatment to further combat imbalances. 

What Happens After Your First TCM Clinic Visit

Your TCM physician will advise you on the dos and don’ts after your treatment. For example, it is recommended that you lay off strenuous exercises after acupuncture and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. 

But you will be surprised to find that TCM physicians tend to go above and beyond – they may even offer advice on lifestyle changes such as foods you should load up on and which part of your body to keep protected against the wind. 

Consult a TCM Physician For Your Symptoms Today

Now that you have a clearer idea of what you can expect during your first visit to a TCM clinic in Singapore, we are confident that you will feel more at ease and ready to consult a TCM physician for improved health and vitality.

At Thomson Chinese Medicine, our physicians’ holistic approach ensures that every single patient receives the highest levels of care through safe and tailored treatments.

Get in touch today!