Body and Spine Solutions

Acupuncture is an integrated part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with a history going back thousands of years and originating from China.

Acupuncture is a holistic approach to healing with a focus on prevention of illness as well as a treatment.

The benefits of TCM is that it provides drug-free pain relief, effectively treats a wide range of acute and chronic ailments, treats the underlying cause of disease and illness as well as the symptoms and provides a holistic approach to the treatment of disease and illness, linking body, mind and emotions. Assists in the prevention against disease and illness as well as the maintenance of general well-being.

In acupuncture very thin needles, slightly thicker than a human hair, are inserted into acupuncture points. The objective of acupuncture is to regulate and normalise the flow of the Chi, so that the body may return to a state of dynamic equilibrium.

Acupuncture techniques in Japan generally involve thinner needles and employ shallow insertions than Chinese acupuncture. Consequently, most patients find treatments are relaxing and cause minimal discomfort. Often
not aware that needles have been inserted.

Treatment is usually divided into two different steps: "Root" and "Branch" treatment methods.

Root treatment seeks to address core energetic and structural imbalances in the patient. Branch treatment addresses symptomatic relief of patient complaints.

For many acute problems, branch treatment is enough. However to resolve complex or long standing conditions or to treat the underlying cause of problems, both branch and root treatments are performed at the same time. Once imbalances have been identified and corrected, the body's self healing abilities are activated and it heals itself.

I have studied Dr Yoshio Manaka Japanese Acupuncture as taught by Paul Movsessian

Cupping is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin by glass, silicon or plastic cups. Suction is created using heat (fire) or mechanical devices (hand or electrical pumps). By applying one or several cups on the skin, blood circulation is increased and healing is promoted by releasing muscle tension and easing pain.

The practice of cupping dates back as early as 3000 B.C. The earliest records were found in ancient Egypt. China followed around 1000 B.C. In Europe and the Middle East cupping belonged to the health system of humoral medicine, developed and practiced by the ancient Greeks.In the 19th century cupping therapy became part of the basic repertoire of clinical skills a doctor was expected to have, some Eastern European countries (e.g. Poland and Bulgaria) continuing to practice this method to the present.

In Oriental medicine cupping is applied to treat internal diseases and structural dysfunctions. By dispelling stagnation - stagnant blood and lymph out of the treated area, Qi and blood flow is greatly enhanced to advocate healing. Cupping is indicated for a broad range of medical and physical conditions.

Sotai is a Japanese form of muscular or movement therapy which was invented by Dr. Keizo Hashimoto, a Japanese medical surgeon (18971993).

Through his knowledge of Oriental and Western medicine he developed a model of treatment that was based on returning natural body alignment by working with the breath and moving joints in a comfortable way rather than adjusting towards pain. Sotai Therapy provides a method for neuromuscular re-education and promotes healing in the circulatory, nervous, endocrine and energetic systems by untwisting muscular holding patterns.

An individual set of Sotai exercises is often incorporated in the treatment of acupuncture to adjust any remaining imbalances of the muscular and skeletal structures. Many methods have been advised, in both East and West, for correcting structural imbalances. In the field of Oriental Medicine there are manipulative techniques including Tuina, in addition to exercise systems such as Qi gong, Tai Chi and Sotai.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a special tinder of dried herbs, on or near the skin to facilitate healing. It has been used throughout Asia for more than 3.000 years and was first practiced in cold climates to generate warmth or in the treatment of pain.

The word moxa derives from Japanese mogusa, which literally means burning of mugwort. The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of Qi, and maintain general health. When burnt, moxa does not burn with a flame, it smoulders and radiates its warmth evenly. There are two types of moxibustion: direct and indirect.

In direct moxibustion, a small cone-shaped amount of moxa is placed on top of an acupuncture point and lit, but is extinguished or removed before it burns the skin. The patient will experience a pleasant heating sensation that penetrates deep into the skin, but should not experience any pain, blistering or scarring.

For okyu moxa, the highest grade of moxa punk is rolled to tiny rice grain shapes and placed upright on the skin. Then it's lighted with an incense stick and extinguished before it burns the skin. The patient feels a very brief warm or stinging sensation when the moxa is almost burnt.

In indirect moxibustion, a practitioner lights one end of a moxa stick, roughly the shape and size of a cigar, and holds it close to the area being treated for several minutes until the area turns warm and red. Another form of indirect moxibustion uses both acupuncture needles and moxa. A needle is inserted into an acupoint and retained. The tip of the needle is then wrapped in moxa and ignited, generating heat to the point and the surrounding area. After the desired effect is achieved, the moxa is extinguished and the needle(s) removed.

Chinese Herbal Medicine can be traced back almost 5,000 years, although as most herbs are food, herbs (seeds, stems, flowers, roots, bark) have been used since humans were hunters and gatherers. Nowadays, Chinese Herbal Medicine brings together ancient folk remedies and the prized health secrets of the various dynasties over the centuries together with the enormous benefits of modern science and research.

There is an arising awareness of the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine in the west.

Originally all the herbs in a formula would be boiled and taken as a bowl of soup. Now with modern technology most famous herbal formulae and individual herbs can be purchased in pill, tablet, capsule or powdered form which is much more convenient and palatable.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises acupuncture as an effective treatment, as proven in placebo-controlled trials, for a large range of conditions. Robert commonly assists in the management of a large variety of disorders.

These include:
1. Pain management: back pain, neck pain, tennis elbow, knee pain, headaches, herpes zoster neuralgia, sciatica, facial pain and paralysis, postoperative pain, sports injury, and arthritis.
2. Natural fertility enhancement for men and women: Men's and women's infertility and sub-fertility, IVF assistance, prenatal care.
3. Pregnancy and postnatal care: morning sickness, miscarriage prevention, pregnancy support, labour induction, breech
presentation, postnatal depression, poor lactation, mastitis.
4. Post cancer rehabilitation and immune support: immunoprotective therapy including treatment for chemotherapy and radiotherapy side effects.
5. Women's health and hormonal balance: menstrual irregularities, period pain, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, PMS, and menopause.
6. Facial rejuvenation acupuncture: natural anti-ageing skin therapy that aims at increasing collagen formation and circulation in the face and surrounding tissues with a holistic focus.
7. Men's health: low libido, impotence, prostrate enlargement, prostatitis, and hair loss.
8. Digestive balance: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, bloating, indigestion and mouth ulcers.
9. Cardiovascular care and prevention: coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, hypertension, palpitations, chest pain, and cardiovascular disease prevention.
10. Emotional balance and support: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, and mood swings.
11. Skin detoxification and purification: anti-ageing, psoriasis, acne, tinea, scar healing therapy and cosmetic acupuncture.
12. Respiratory health and restoration: common colds, influenza, cough, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, sinusitis, wheezing, breathlessness.