What is traditional Chinese medicine?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the human body is considered from both a physical and an energetic point of view.
The acupuncturist is interested in the circulation of vital energy (the QI) in the human body and establishes an energy diagnosis.
When an energy imbalance appears, an illness may occur. Often, the energy imbalance precedes the illness and can be detected by the acupuncturist using his or her diagnostic tools. Preventing ill-health is therefore an important pillar of the Chinese medicine approach.
Acupuncture points are specific points on the skin where the body's circulating energy can be accessed.
These points can be stimulated using different techniques, depending on the indications and the health problems presented by the individual.
TCM covers 5 areas:
- acupuncture: insertion of fine needles under the skin in very precise points.
- Tuina: Chinese massage and manual techniques based on the principles of TCM
- Chinese pharmacopoeia: prescription of plants to extend the treatment carried out in acupuncture.
- Medical Qi Gong: Gymnastics aimed at circulating energy throughout the body in accordance with TCM principles.
- Chinese dietetics: correction of the diet to correspond to the traditional diagnosis established.
This medicine differs from Western medicine in that it takes into account a person's physical, emotional, mental, environmental and spiritual factors, and not just the patient's symptoms.
This makes it an ideal complement to Western medicine in achieving the common goals of preventing and restoring health.
What is manual therapy?
Manual therapy is somewhere between physiotherapy and osteopathy.
It consists of an individualised therapeutic approach in which all tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, fascia, nerve tissue) are assessed in detail and meticulously.
A number of manual techniques can be used to restore the circulation of blood and energy in the body. This allows the various structures to move correctly in relation to each other, reducing pain and restoring mobility to adjacent joints.
Manual therapy can also involve the viscera. In fact, the internal organs are all linked by fascias, which connect each viscera to each other and to the vertebrae. In some cases, these fascias lose their movement and stagnation or adhesion occurs.
Certain specific manual techniques can remove these blockages.
How do we combine TCM and manual therapy?
Our approach is unique in that it combines an energetic approach, thanks in particular to acupuncture, with a mechanical approach using manual therapy and gentle osteopathic techniques.
In this way, the patient is observed as a whole, and links are found between the patient's various complaints and symptoms. In this way, all physical and energetic imbalances are addressed in the same session.
Sessions last 1 hour, during which we work tirelessly to achieve the goals we have set together.
Prevention is an integral part of our approach. We don't need the patient to be in pain in order to identify the different issues that need to be addressed. So we encourage patients to come in for a "mechanical-energetic check-up" a few times a year in order to maintain their health rather than letting symptoms appear when they could have been avoided.
Aculift
Practised only by Claudine Marcant
Aesthetic acupuncture, also known as aculift, is a form of acupuncture that focuses on improving the appearance of the skin and reducing the signs of ageing. The technique involves the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the face and body to stimulate blood circulation, increase collagen production and improve skin texture.
Aesthetic acupuncture can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots, as well as improving skin firmness and elasticity. It can also help reduce bags under the eyes and dark circles, diminish the appearance of scars and skin imperfections, and improve overall skin tone.
