Ask the Expert Series

We would typically recommend doing pediatric tuina. It is a massage done around certain acupuncture points unique to the children that can help with their digestive issue.

Yes, especially after pregnancy, whereby the body has experienced a major change in its body constitution. Mothers tend to have a deficiency in Qi and blood, along with excessive dampness, after giving birth. These may or may not recover over time depending on many factors such as the confinement process and body recovery ability. Thus, some mothers may end up gaining some weight, which we believe is due to the excess dampness in the body. TCM, in this case, can help by nurturing the mother’s body back to health which will help get rid of the excess dampness, in turn losing weight. However, mothers need to play a part as well if they wish to lose weight more efficiently. They need to be more active and also do some postpartum exercises to help the correct their body posture. This postpartum period is a good time for mothers to adjust their body condition. So if situation permits, do seek advice from a TCM physician on the possible treatment plan.

In TCM, we have a similar condition called night crying, 夜啼. Its characteristic is that the baby has no issues sleeping in the day, but will be restless and cry when trying to sleep at night, occasionally crying through the night till dawn. Furthermore, the crying doesn’t subside with feeding, replacing soiled diapers, some soothing, adjusting the thickness of clothing etc. It also typically occurs in younger infants, usually before the age of 6 months. While there is no clear known cause for colic, TCM understanding of this similar condition is that one of the main causes of such a condition is indigestion due to overfeeding. And the underlying factor behind this is that the digestive system or as TCM puts it, the Spleen and Stomach Organ are still developing and therefore weaker in function. Hence, when faced with too much food or food that are too complex, the digestive system would not be able to cope and result in a situation of food stagnation. Where the accumulation of stagnant

Yes it is quite useful for carpal tunnel syndrome. However, you would need to also reduce the amount of time using mouse which is common cause of this condition. You also may want to find an optimum position for using the mouse to reduce the strain to the area. This will all help aid the overall progress of the treatment.

Giving birth is a strenuous process for the body of the mother. It hurts the Qi and Blood of the mother greatly, which will result in a significantly weaker body. Thus, the ability to ward off evil pathogenic wind will be reduced. This will result in an opportunity for pathogenic coldness to enter the body, in turn causing joint pain. Hence, I would recommend trying a foot soak with some ginger added to it. Do the foot soak until there is slight perspiration or for a maximum of 15 minutes. Water temperature should be around 40 degrees or sufficiently warm. Once done with the foot soak, do make sure to dry up and not be exposed to direct wind and cold environment. If the pain is too severe, doesn’t subside or is located at specific location, do seek treatment.

Acupuncture along with TCM herbal medication is usually quite effective in such cases. In TCM, we believe that migraines are usually very much related to the Gallbladder Meridian which runs extensively along the sides of the head. Therefore, any factors (eg. Stress, sleeping late) that can affect the Liver Meridian which has an exterior-interior relationships with Gallbladder Meridian, can affect the Gallbladder Meridian, triggering Migraines. We also believe that for individuals with frequent migraines, other that treating the pain and discomfort from the migraines itself, we should also treat the underlying condition to reduce and even prevent the occurrence of the migraines. This underlying condition usually involves a body constitution that makes one susceptible to migraines, this can include one with hyperactivity of the Liver Yang or Blood stagnation. Therefore, it is also recommended to come for treatment even when you do not experience a migraine attack, to allow the TCM p

You may try pressing this acupuncture point for 1-2min on both left and right hand, whenever needed. This point is a commonly used point for relieving back pain in general. EX-UE 7 Yao Tong Dian 腰痛点 There are 2 points on each hand. First point is located on the back of the hand, at the mid point between the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones. The second point is located similarly but between the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones instead. However, do note that this works as more of a relief for the pain. It is advisable to try and treat any existing back issue before pregnancy or any postpartum back issue promptly. You may also want to strengthen the glute muscles. It will help relieve the strain on lower back from the weight increase from the baby, and also help with postpartum recovery of the body. If you are unsure how to go about it, do seek professional advice.

There is no hard and fast rule regarding when to go to which. It depends on personal preference. The treatment method may differ but the aim is all to get you better. You may want to listen the explanation regarding your condition from the western doctors and TCM physician to help you determine.

Giving birth is a strenuous process for the body of the mother. It hurts the Qi and Blood of the mother greatly, which will result in a significantly weaker body. The ability to ward off evil pathogenic wind will be reduced. Hence the advice to avoid washing of hair, which increases the risk of allowing evil pathogenic wind to enter the body. By allowing that to happen, while it may not immediately present itself in a form of discomfort or illness, it may lay the root for problem to occur in the future, such as frequent headache and back pain.

It is recommended to leave a gap of 1-2hours between the two medications.