The HEALTH : August 2018 | Page 29

alternative therapy 29
AUGUST, 2018 | The HEALTH
alternative therapy 29

Chinese traditional medicine for spinal disk pain

Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Lee Hoi Kyun explaining to a patient his spinal condition based on the x-ray.
OULD“ cracking your back”

C be the solution for backaches and headaches? The answer is yes, claim advocates of spinal manipulation.

Spinal manipulation, also called spinal manipulative therapy or manual therapy, combines moving and jolting joints, massage, exercise, and physical therapy. It’ s designed to relieve pressure on joints, reduce inflammation, and improve nerve function. It’ s often used to treat back, neck, shoulder and headache.
Forms of manipulative therapy have been used for thousands of years in many parts of the world, including Indonesia, Asia, India, Russia, and Norway. Writings from China in 2700 B. C. and from Greece in 1500 B. C. mention manipulating the spine and legs to ease back pain. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who is viewed as the founder of medicine as a rational science, describes manipulative techniques in his writings.
“ In Chinese medicine, acupuncture is combined with spinal manipulation to relief pain. This therapeutic method aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points on the
body by using fine sterile, single-use needles,” said Yak Su Dang Chinese Medical Centre Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Lee Hoi Kyun who was formerly practising at Tung Shin Hospital.
“ Acupuncture is a form of meridian therapy that is virtually painless, and can be used to treat a variety of conditions that commonly include pain and spasm.”
“ Acupuncture stimulates the body’ s own natural painkillers, called endorphins. Acupuncture is also thought to balance the energy, known as Chi, within the body, thus bringing about a better state of health.”
For slip disk problems, he emphasised that a majority of patients are 30 and above.
“ The trend can also be seen in younger persons from 20 years of age due to lifestyle changes.”
Symptoms
“ Slip disk problems may often trigger back pain, shoulder pain, numbness of the hands and feet. Some patients may experience either one side or both sides of the hands and legs.”
“ For lower back pain – it will impact
Lee Hoi Kyun manipulating the spine of the patient.
Acupuncture is used to stimulate blood circulation and relieve pain.
the feet while neck pain and shoulder; impacts the hands and fingers.”
Treatment
“ Basically we do spinal manipulation by pushing the spine back to alignment. This is combined with acupuncture for 20 minutes and ultra violet light to enhance the blood circulation, relax the nerves and aides in better sleep.”
“ Treatment starts with pulse reading. Patients who have lumbar problems also have bigger stomachs. It may also be caused by other problems such as the liver, gastric, the digestive system. Normally, it may not only be the spine, but other problems such as these that affects a person,” he said.
To avoid spinal problems, he advises to only use the sofa for sitting and not laying down which is often a practice while watching television, sitting straight up as well as not sitting crossed legs as it causes pelvic imbalance.

La-Jing for shrunken tendons

La-Jing techniques

Dato’ Ir Dr Gue See Sew.

LA-JING is a Chinese exercise of stretching shrunken tendons. Shrunken tendons can cause various illness such as neck pain, waist or back pain, leg pain or spasms, difficult bending or kneeling, short and long feet, swollen or numb or sore hand, foot, elbow, knee, or other hard to do physical activities.

This method is no cost, easy to practice, suitable for any one- young or old, male or female and is believed to smoothen Qi flow throughout the body, which helps alleviate pain, discharge poisonous wastes and enhance immunity and sexual potency.
G & P Professionals Group chief executive officer Dato’ Ir Dr Gue See Sew explained that he had urinary problems and had to visit the lavatory once every one-and-a-half hours. That
Dato’ Ir Dr Gue See Sew demonstrating how he uses weights on the other ankle which helps him touch the ground while the other feet is stretched upright.
is when a friend, recommended him La-Jing.
“ I started with one minute then progressed to two minutes and gradually increased to 10 minutes for each side, every day. After a week, I didn’ t have to go to the lavatory for at least three hours. At night, I didn’ t have to go to the toilet either. This helps me get a good night sleep.”“ It has also rid my headaches, This has become a daily routine to him, in addition to running for half-anhour on the treadmill every day.
La-Jing at lying-down
1. Put two steady and flat chairs near wall or door-side.
2. Sit by wall or door-side at edge of chairs. Move butt as close to the wall or door-side as possible.
3. Laydown face up. Raise right foot straight up against wall pole or door support. Left foot bend at knee touching floor. Raise both arms flat on chairs. Make it 10 minutes. During this time left foot can do cycling exercises which benefit loosening hip joints.
4. Move chairs to the opposite side and repeat the previous exercise switching right to left and left to right. It also takes 10 minutes.
La-Jing at standing up
1. Find a door threshold. Raise both arms up on each side of door support, trying to extend both arms out as much as possible.
2. One foot is at front bending; another foot is behind, straightening.
3. Body is parallel to door, head straight, eyes looking ahead levelly.
4. Stay at this stand for three minutes. Then exchange legs: on leg brings to front bending and the front leg pushes back straightening. Three minutes too. This method can pull shoulder blades, all around shoulders, backs and their attached tendons and ligaments.