Benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM does not rely on chemical drugs, antibiotics or painkillers. It is therefore unlikely to cause problems often associated with chemical medication such as significant side effects, medication dependency or resistance to medication.

TCM does not contribute to development of “superbugs” such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that are resistant to most of the antibiotics and other medications, and which are now a major concern in conventional medical facilities around the world.

TCM treatments are non-invasive, therefore, they are very unlikely to carry a risk of serious complications during or after treatment.

TCM relies on a holistic approach, consisting in balancing the body’s energy and functions. Rather than focusing solely on one specific problem or symptom, the therapy acts by improving the overall healthy balance of the body. Thus, a TCM treatment may not only help with the specific problem being treated but may, and often does, deliver also some additional health benefits, leading generally to better health.

What to expect?

Your visit

We value face to face interaction with our clients and we would preferably like to see you in person in our Clinic, but we are also very happy to arrange online consultations for your convenience.

All our consultations are free of charge.

It is entirely within our own discretion to spend as much time with you as is necessary to fully understand your concerns and you should therefore never worry that there is not enough time for you to ask that one more question. If, for whatever reason, we cannot complete the consultation in one session, we can always catch up over the phone or see each other one more time.

Our consultations can be booked over the phone but if you are around and we are not treating another customer, you are very welcome to just walk in and have a chat.

The purpose of the consultation is to allow us to understand your problem and to recommend you  solutions we are able to offer, however you should never feel pressured or obliged to buy any product or service from us when you are having a consultation. It is entirely your decision and you are welcome to take your time to think about it or to ask us any questions you may have.

It is highly recommended prior to seeing us to take some time to consider your needs, expectations and requirements in relation to our treatment so that you can communicate these clearly to us and allow us to fully cater for your specific needs.

Diagnosis 

The more we know about you and your problem, the better we can help you.  We will do our best to fully diagnose the problem you have before we recommend any treatment or medication and we will explain to you the proposed treatment and the expected results in full detail. We also monitor the progress of our treatment on an ongoing basis and will ask for your feedback at each visit, so that we can adjust the treatment as and if necessary to achieve the best possible results.

During the consultation we will ask you to describe your symptoms and to tell us everything you feel may be relevant  to your problem such as for example your life style, previous illnesses or family history of certain health conditions. We will also expect you to tell us about any allergies or intolerances  you may have,  medical treatments you may be currently receiving or have received previously, any medications that you are taking or any other relevant information such as, for example, pregnancy.  You are welcome to bring along any medical documentation related to your condition that you may already have such as laboratory tests results  or medical examinations results.

Treatment

During or shortly after treatment, in particular in case of acupuncture, you may sometimes experience a sensation similar to that after a physical workout, with a degree of tiredness or soreness of muscles, which may last for a day or two. This is a perfectly normal body reaction and a sign of a successful treatment.

Very occasionally, for example in treatment of more severe neck pains, sciatica or trapped nerves, the body’s reaction may be even stronger and temporarily an increased pain may occur shortly after treatment. This may be worrying but it is a normal reaction and we will tell you if we think this is likely to happen. We will also recommend herbal remedies to avoid or reduce such pain and to accelerate the recovery.

If you are very stressed/nervous or in pain (or both) you may experience an increased irritability, a lower pain threshold and generally a more acute sensory sensitivity. This means that you may be likely to perceive a perfectly routine treatment that most people would find comfortable as somewhat unpleasant, painful or abrupt (just in the same way as you may find your preferred music or bright lights irritating and distracting when you have a headache). In such instances it will be highly beneficial for you to discuss this with us prior to the treatment and to book your appointment in advance, at a more quiet time, so that we are in a position to perform the treatment at a slower pace, placing even more emphasis on the comforting, emotional and spiritual aspects in addition to just treating your physical symptoms.

We are very lucky to be a popular clinic which means that we do experience some very busy periods when we may be treating several customers at the same time. Most people are perfectly fine with this and they appreciate being seen quickly.  However, if this matters to you or if you have particular requirements or concerns, it is worthwhile to ensure that you plan and arrange your visit in a way that will enable us to perform the treatment in conditions that are optimal for your specific needs.

Acupuncture treatment can cause a temporary decrease in blood sugar levels, which is a common and natural body reaction. When a person’s blood sugar level is already low (such as when the person is hungry), this can sometimes lead to dizziness, sweating or nausea during or shortly after treatment. This can be easily remedied by supplying sugar to the body, for example by having a piece of chocolate. To avoid the above, please make sure that you have a meal or a sweet treat before each of your acupuncture sessions. Very rarely, similar reactions are observed in people suffering from extreme fear of needles.

Wellbeing clinic traditional chinese medicine hot cupping

Hot cupping causes bruising on the treated areas of the skin.  People with very sensitive skin may develop small blisters on these areas. Acupuncture may also cause visible bruising around the points where the needles are applied, although this is rare.  Similarly, some bruising may also occur after a medical massage. Such “marks” are perfectly normal and naturally disappear in a few days after treatment.

How quickly can I expect to get better?

TCM methods work by re-balancing the body’s functions and naturally stimulating the body’s own ability to heal faster. Whilst we are very proud of the outstanding results we are able to achieve for our clients, as with any medical procedure, be it conventional or alternative, the following considerations will apply as a general rule:

  • Simpler conditions usually can be resolved quicker, sometimes even in a single treatment session. More complex, advanced or chronic problems will often require a longer treatment and several treatment sessions would normally be necessary to achieve a full recovery.
  • Younger individuals and people in good general health can expect to recover faster whilst older people and people in poor general health or with underlying health conditions will typically need longer time to get better.
  • To get the best, quickest and longest lasting results from your treatment and the best value for your money, it is essential to follow your TCM practitioner’s advice, including taking your medication as prescribed and attending your treatment sessions in recommended intervals. There is in particular no merit in trying to make your course of treatment or medication “last longer” by skipping your treatment sessions or taking lower doses of medication as this only reduces the overall effectiveness of the treatment and leads to inferior results.

TCM is a “complementary” medicine and although in most cases it can deliver great outcomes, it is there to assist and not to prevent, deter or delay anyone from seeking medical treatment. We can offer superior TCM skills and experience but we are not able to offer many of the treatment and diagnosis facilities available at a hospital. It is therefore highly advisable that you continue seeing your usual medical practitioners even when you are being treated by us, to make sure that you don’t neglect or delay getting any medical treatment or advice you need.

We always encourage our clients to get independent medical checks to verify by other professionals whether our treatment is working and if for whatever reason you did not experience the expected improvement after our treatment, to see a medical professional as soon as possible.

In some conditions the best results are obtained by combining conventional and TCM methods. If we think this applies in your case, we will let you know and will coordinate our therapy with the conventional treatment you are receiving in view of achieving the best therapeutical outcomes for you.

Are our treatments a good value for money?

As any private business we need to charge fees to be able to continue our valuable services, however our treatment sessions are cheaper than what you can expect to pay for a dental check-up or a consultation in a private medical clinic. We do not charge for consultations and advice given. We only charge for actual treatment or medication provided.

As such, we believe we are incredibly competitive price-wise.

Please also note the following benefits:

  • We are able to deal with complex problems in a natural, non-invasive way, which is generally considerably cheaper than any surgery or invasive medical procedures. The lower risk of significant or long term side effects or accidental harm, compared to that associated with many conventional medical procedures may be difficult to measure in financial terms but we believe is priceless;
  • One of the most amazing features of holistic therapy is that we are able to treat several health problems at the same time, whereas, in conventional medicine you may need to see different specialists for each problem – the cost of which can add up very quickly to substantial amounts if you were using private medical services. We also always charge the same fee per session and do not increase our pricing when we treat more than one problem at the same time;
  • When multiple treatment sessions are necessary, we offer highly competitive pricing packages to reduce the cost of treatment;
  • We are honest – if for any reason we are unable to help you, we will let you know. We only recommend and offer treatment when, based on our expert knowledge and experience, there are reasonable chances that the treatment will be beneficial. We can also give you an indication of how many sessions are expected to be needed in your case so that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to proceed with our therapy;
  • Health insurance companies are increasingly aware of natural medicine benefits and many are now open to cover the costs of alternative therapies. Several our clients have used their insurance coverage to refund the cost of our treatment. It is therefore always worth checking with your insurers and we are more than happy to provide you with the necessary documentation for this purpose.

How to know that my TCM practitioner is fully qualified?

A fully qualified practitioner will be happy to provide you with evidence of their professional qualifications such as university degrees and work experience.  In the UK, they should be a member of a complementary practitioners’ professional body such as BCRP, BAC or ATCM.
They should be able to explain clearly and in a professional manner the rationale of the treatment they are offering, the methods employed and any limitations or potential risks that may be associated with it. They should also be happy to answer your questions about the treatment.

It is also useful to look for other customers’ referrals and opinions as these are often a good indication of a practitioner’s skills.