Two different types of acupuncture
The two main schools of acupuncture that are practiced in the West are Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element Acupuncture. I have trained in both of these styles, and use an integrated approach in my practice.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
A very direct and effective style of acupuncture, TCM is based upon the concept that ill health can be understood in terms of energetic imbalances within the organs, or blockages of energy within the channels. The TCM practitioner diagnoses these imbalances from the patient’s description of symptoms, from pulse and tongue diagnosis, and through observation. They will then formulate a plan aimed towards restoring balance, and will choose acupuncture points whose functions match the desired effect. TCM acupuncture is especially useful for physical problems.
Five Element Acupuncture
Five Element Acupuncture shares the same underlying concepts as TCM, that ill health can be understood in terms of energetic imbalances within the organs, but adds an extra dimension by understanding the organs in the context of the Five Elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood).
The concept of the Five Elements has been part of Chinese philosophy for thousands of years. The great strength of Five Element Acupuncture is its ability to approach the mental, emotional and spiritual levels of a person. In perfect health, all of the five elements are balanced within a person. An understanding of the way in which imbalances in one of the elements can lead to disharmony in another allows the practitioner to trace the root cause of problems extremely effectively. Furthermore, as each of the elements relates to a different emotion, the Five Element model provides a means of understanding the emotional responses and emotional state of a person, and provides the necessary tools to facilitate change on this level.