Acupuncture of Traditional Chinese Medicine is probably one of the most researched of all C.A.M. modalities.
Rachel Lambert-Smith BA (Hons) Lic. Ac. MCMIR
Acupuncturist of Traditional Chinese Medicine on the Isle of Wight
Rachel Lambert-Smith has proven herself beyond any doubt to be one of the most creative and effective Acupuncturists working today.
She started her training in Acupuncture of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1990 and graduated with Distinction in 1994. She carried out her clinical training under Dr Han Li Ping (formerly of the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing China) and has since greatly expanded other areas of her practice. Rachel has carried out 1,000’s of treatments referred to her by the medical profession dealing with pain and other more complex issues, and continues to do so.
These referrals over the years, coupled with a very busy private practice, has brought her into contact with a variety of problems on a scale not normally experienced by many other practitioners. She has always led by example and has created her own protocols which have contributed to the modernization of Traditional Acupuncture for the needs of the 21st Century.
Rachel has contributed greatly to the success of The Shen Clinic, and continues to do so.
There exists thousands of papers proving beyond any doubt the efficacy of Acupuncture and even the World Health Organisation recommends it above the use of orthodox treatments for over seventy profound conditions. Those who do not appreciate the capabilities of acupuncture and this includes medical doctors, are usually those with no clinical experience of its use, and therefore their views are based upon ignorance. Naturally this is a shame because they could be depriving their patients of an opportunity, particularly as many of the papers supporting its efficacy have actually been written by medical doctors. Maybe you should let your doctor know this.
Further to this, the principles of Acupuncture (Meridians) are forming the basis of advanced state-of-the-art technologies including screening technologies some of which are applied within certain space-programmes.
Although Acupuncture involves the use of sterile single-use needles which are as fine as a cat’s whisker – it should be virtually pain free. Our competent and suitably trained practitioners are highly skilled in achieving this. Once the needles are in place there can be a heavy or slight tingling feeling in that area . This usually disappears quite quickly and is followed by a feeling of deep relaxation and calmness. For those who would prefer to experience Acupuncture in another way we can offer Laser-Puncture via the use of our cold laser instrument – sensation free.
True Traditional Acupuncture involves a Traditional Clinical Assessment (not to be confused with a medical examination or screening) as being the critical factor in its efficacy. This assessment is comprehensive and includes the study of pulse, tongue, observation and clarification of syndrome patterns.
Many other practitioners including, Doctors, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths etc. are often not suitably trained to do this, and therefore they do not qualify in the true sense as traditional acupuncturists. Some of these will have only completed a two day course in what is known as Dry Needling, and others just a few months in other fast track forms. A traditional acupuncturist will have completed at least three years study. Not all Acupuncture is the same.
There is evolving and compelling evidence that suggests acupuncture has been around much longer than we think.
Even the Ice Man whose body had lain embedded in ice in the Austrian Alps for over 5,000 years has tattoos of Acupuncture points on his body that would be consistent with those used for arthritis. The post-mortem carried out on the Ice Man revealed that he was an arthritis sufferer. Coincidence? It may at some point be established that the Chinese did not discover Acupuncture, but were the ones who formulated it from much older knowledge. Good for them, because they have preserved a precious gift for mankind.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
There are many theories, but over the years having also studied Homotoxicology – Physiological Regulating Medicine (biological medicine) we feel that one of the pathways could be the extra cellular matrix (referred to by conventional medicine as connective tissue). The extra cellular matrix (connective tissue) is grossly ignored, and little understood by mainstream mechanical medicine and material science. Operating on a principle that is thought to be even older than the nervous system itself, the extra cellular matrix is an intercellular communicator. We have also realised over the years that Acupuncture works better when the channels and extra cellular matrix (connective tissue) are free of blockages and toxins (clean).
This principle is integrated into our therapeutic protocols. Reductionist material science and mechanical medicine In our opinion, makes the fatal mistake of referring to the body, and its systems, as a machine. In our view, this reflects a very poor understanding in real terms of what they think they are dealing with. It could also explain why reductionist material science, and mechanical medicine are of very little use when it comes to understanding homeopathy and acupuncture.
We also came to the conclusion long ago what Chi is likely to be, and how this energy could be generated and distributed (another paper). However, western medicine is the only medical system on the planet that struggles with the idea of biological energy!!!
The human form is an organism, not a machine. We should not experience ourselves as robots, or machine parts. Remember, material science cannot produce life, as it does not truly understand what life is, and its bedmate, mechanical medicine is no better. Often, science is of no use at all.
