SUPPORTING THE INDIVIDUAL:
A MAJOR PART OF MY WORK
After many years of practicing acupuncture and tui na massage* and Chi Kung*, I have come to the conclusion that all traditional Chinese therapies absolutely excel at one thing which conventional medicine is sometimes not geared up to provide. That is, listening to and supporting the individual. Another way to say this might be ‘getting you through the crisis'.
So please consider the following hypothetical scenarios. They are typical of much of the work I do. These are situations where we are helping to manage a long-term illness, not necessarily offering a ‘cure'. Sadly, for many things in life there are no cures, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t available!
* Let's say, for instance, that unfortunately a person has been told they have cancer. They are undergoing all the necessary medical interventions, in this case surgery and chemotherapy, and will continue to do so. However they still feel frightened, and the chemotherapy is making them feel very, very tired and sick. They've had some counselling and found it useful, but still feel ill. So in addition they consult an Acupuncturist…
In this example we would definitely not be attempting to treat the cancer itself. (That would be illegal and, besides, acupuncture would never be the treatment of choice here). However, we would most definitely be looking to tackle the anxiety and any other emotional issues that came up. We would also be aiming to make significant inroads into any discomfort caused as an unfortunate by-product of the chemotherapy. We would be attempting to repair some of the damage to the body, to boost energy and the immune system, and to support this client every step of the way.
So please consider the following hypothetical scenarios. They are typical of much of the work I do. These are situations where we are helping to manage a long-term illness, not necessarily offering a ‘cure'. Sadly, for many things in life there are no cures, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t available!
* Let's say, for instance, that unfortunately a person has been told they have cancer. They are undergoing all the necessary medical interventions, in this case surgery and chemotherapy, and will continue to do so. However they still feel frightened, and the chemotherapy is making them feel very, very tired and sick. They've had some counselling and found it useful, but still feel ill. So in addition they consult an Acupuncturist…
In this example we would definitely not be attempting to treat the cancer itself. (That would be illegal and, besides, acupuncture would never be the treatment of choice here). However, we would most definitely be looking to tackle the anxiety and any other emotional issues that came up. We would also be aiming to make significant inroads into any discomfort caused as an unfortunate by-product of the chemotherapy. We would be attempting to repair some of the damage to the body, to boost energy and the immune system, and to support this client every step of the way.
* Or let's say there's a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. They say there's no cure, and the sufferer will just have to ‘adjust' to many years of exhaustion, pain and depression. Here again we would be tackling the emotional fallout directly, decreasing physical discomfort and boosting energy levels.
These two examples are hypothetical but they do make one very good point: acupuncture can be a tremendously useful ally when it comes to overcoming what can often seem like insurmountable difficulties. Over the years many of my patients have described the support I have given them as a ‘rock’ to lean on in times of great difficulty. I really can’t imagine a better compliment! * See my home page for more on these traditional Chinese arts. |