Crofton Health Clinic
88 Crofton Lane, Orpington, Kent, BR5 1HD
88 Crofton Lane, Orpington, Kent, BR5 1HD
Your health is your future...
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This is when you come on your initial visit. The time spent here is used to find out what exactly the "complaint" is, and discovering what mechanism is creating the complaint - i.e. the underlying cause. Medical history would be taken into account, as well as how the body is functioning at the present time. Examination of the pulse and the tongue would be taken (the pulse is felt at both radial arteries. It is not just the rhythm and rate that concerns the acupuncturist, but also the quality that is held within the pulse - of which there are many. Similarly the tongue can "speak" volumes - regarding the shape, colour, etc.). The discussion is in-depth, and a consultation can take some time to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.
This is the process of re-establishing the body to a balance. This is achieved via the insertion of ultra-fine sterile needles into specific acupuncture points. The points are specific laces located along what is called a channel (more on this in a moment). The points are added together to form a formula or prescription that provides a specific action in the body, the aim being to guide the body to regulate itself.
The acupuncture points are specific places located along the channels. They vary in size depending on where the point is sited on the person. The channels are the pathways, which the qi travels along. It can be likened to the railway line (channels), the stations (points) and the train (energy) that travels along the railway line passing through the stations on its journey. The major stations have the ability to send the train in a completely different direction and so it is with acupuncture.
Moxibustion is another important aspect of acupuncture, although not relevant to all patients. This is the application of warmth to the acupuncture points. This is done using an herb called "Ai ye", in pin yin, and commonly known as moxa among acupuncturists (it's common English name is mugwort, and it's botanical name is Artemisia argyi, pharmaceutically known as Folium Artemisiae Argyi). It is grown throughout China, especially in Shandong, Anhui, Hubei, and Hebei; in fact it even grows in England. In England it can be found growing along the roadside, although the properties of this mugwort are different to that of the Chinese variety, and therefore possess a different action (for pharmacological & clinical research on this herb please refer to the "in depth research" section). The warming action of this herb is unique. No other herb seems to be able to take its place and produce the same results. It is used to strengthen areas of weakness, or release areas that have become blocked. It produces an infrared heat and has a very distinctive smell.