Niraamaya Centre

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is thousands of years old and has changed little over the centuries.

Its basic concept is that a vital force of life, called Qi, surges through the body. Any imbalance to Qi can cause disease and illness. This imbalance is most commonly thought to be caused by an alteration in the opposite and complementary forces that make up the Qi. These are called yin and yang. Traditional Chinese Medicine encompasses a wide variety of treatments. We offer acupuncture & cupping to help bring balance and health back into your life.

Methodologies

Ancient Chinese believed that humans are microcosms of the larger surrounding universe, and are interconnected with nature and subject to its forces. There are five principle elements in TCM which exists in nature as well as in our bodies. These elements are earth, fire, water, wood, and metal. Each individual person is a blend of these elements, and in order to be truly healthy, they must be balanced. TCM can aid you in achieving this balance to bring about good health.

The Elements

Here is how each of the elements corresponds to different parts of your body. The elements interact with one another to support the functions of your body.

Wood
Liver, gallbladder, tendons, eyes

Water
Kidneys, ears, bones

Metal
Kidneys, ears, bones

Fire
Heart, tongue, pulse

Earth
Spleen, stomach, mouth, muscles

Diagnosis

Tongue Observation

The tongue provides a window to the inner workings of the body. Each major organ system’s condition can be reflected on the tongue. All you need do is to stick your tongue out, and we can use variations in the tongue’s color, texture, shape, and coating to evaluate your condition.

Pulse Taking

While tongue diagnosis provides valuable clinical information, the pulse can be used to gain a deeper understanding of your condition on many levels. In TCM, pulse-taking can be used to assess which organ is diseased, whether the organ is over or under active, and the pathogen causing the damage, as well as the condition of the flow of Qi, blood and body fluid of the body.

Acupuncture

Very fine needles are inserted into points along the meridians (the pathway of vital energy linking body surface and internal organs) with the aim of bringing the body to a state of dynamic balance and harmony. It is along these meridians that vital energy flows, carrying nourishment and information to all tissues and organs. Each of the meridians is associated with a specific organ of the body, the activities of the internal organs all depend on the promoting and stimulating effect of the vital energy.

Cupping

Cupping is a technique that is especially useful in the treatment of problems of local “Qi”, or blood stagnation in the channels. Cups are placed over areas of the body to create suction. The suction can facilitate healing by simulating blood flow and removing stagnation. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. Cupping treatment is usually performed in conjunction with acupuncture.

Traditional Chinese Medicine