Acupuncture is a part of a whole spectrum of treatments known as Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); along with herbs, massage, exercise and diet it is one of the most ancient systems of healthcare that has been used for over 2,000 years to restore, promote and maintain good health. Unlike Western medicine that takes a micro approach, focusing on the fine details of diseases at a cellular level, Chinese medicine has a macro approach, focusing on the whole person, looking in great detail at all aspects of the patients life, working out a picture of the person as a unique integration of body, mind and environment. This is possibly why Acupuncture is one of the fastest growing complimentary therapies in the West. Within TCM the use of cupping, electo-acupuncture, Moxa, Tui na, Guasha, auricular acupuncture and facial rejuvenation are also employed as part of the therapeutic tools available along with the acupuncture to help achieve this balance. These terms are all explained in detail later.
