Background

Acupuncture is a treatment method which uses needle stimulation on skin to treat or prevent illness in the body. The practice of acupuncture originated in China 5,000 years ago.

Today it is widely used throughout the world and is one of the main pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which  usually combines acupuncture with chinese herbs.

There are many different styles of acupuncture, both in Oriental and western countries.  Medical acupuncture is acupuncture that has been successfully incorporated into western medical practices by medical doctors.

At BMC, acupuncture will be performed by Dr Yan Manh, and will be based on three main acupuncture techniques :

• Japanese acupuncture which uses smaller needles than the other varieties and relies heavily on skin palpation skills to locate effective acupuncture points.
• Acupuncture « without needle ». The technique is called “Shonishin”, and it is a Japanese non invasive treatment method for children and very sensitive patients. It use methods of stroking, tapping and scraping with special non invasive tools along the acupuncture meridians.
• Auricular acupuncture which is a variation developped in France in the 1950s that treats the entire body through acupuncture points in the ears only.

Based on acupuncture’s long history of use as well as the limited research available, the World Health Organization has identified many conditions for which it may be recommended. These include and are not limited to :

• Chronic and acute pain management : osteoarthritis, cervical and lumbar spine syndromes, neuralgias, muscle spasms, post operative pain (including dental procedures), headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia…
• Mental Health Issues : chronic anxiety and stress conditions, insomnia, drug and tobacco detoxification…
• Digestive Issues : functional gastro-intestinal disorders, weight loss control, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting…
• Women Health Issues : dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain…
• Children Health Issues : irritability, excessive crying, sleeping disorders, constipation, enuresia, hyperactivity…
• Allergic Conditions : allergic sinusitis, asthma