Chinese Medicine is Gaining Popularity in the UAE

Chinese medicine is used as an alternative to modern medicines in the UAE. These include acupuncture, herbal treatments, and manipulative therapy combined with acupuncture. These treatments have been perfected and used for more than 2,500 years. This makes them popular in the UAE; in fact, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of Chinese medical practitioners in this region. Many clinics that offer acupuncture and different Chinese treatment therapies have been established. Many people prefer Chinese medicine because they can be used to treat a variety of ailments whether acute or chronic and one does not require surgery. It can be used to treat cold and flu, hormonal imbalances, migraines, mild depression, fertility, and digestion problems.

Diagnosis

Chinese medicine is concerned with addressing the symptoms before a problem actually occurs. The practitioners know the problem by just observing. For example, by looking at the color of your eyes, a practitioner can establish whether you are unhealthy. If your eyes are yellow they will know that your liver has a problem; if black, it is a kidney problem; and dark circles under the eyes could indicate high cholesterol or blood pressure.

They also check the tongue to identify various ailments; for example, if the tongue appears to be yellow, the problem would lie in your liver, stomach, or heart. If there is a white coating, the patient could be experiencing back pains.

Unlike regular doctors who focus on one pulse, a Chinese medical practitioner checks the pulse using three fingers for the kidneys, lungs, and spleen. Chinese medicine seeks to treat the cause, not just the sickness. Before treatment, the practitioner asks various questions that help to identify the disease and the correct approach for treatment.

Mode of Treatment

Chinese treatment applies various approaches to treatment depending on the ailment.

Acupuncture

This method involves the use of thin, metal needles in the skin to manipulate the flow of energy. This can be done manually or through electrical stimulation. Acupuncture is often combined with other therapies such as cupping therapy which involves the application of a suction cup onto the skin for several minutes. This help to improve blood circulation and the flow of energy. This method is also used to determine the health of a person by simply looking at the color of the skin after the process. For example, if the color is black, there is cold or blood stagnation in the body or it could be both. In case the skin is red there is “fire” toxic in the body and if there is more water or moisture, it shows that there is an accumulation of extra water in your body.

 

Chinese Herbs

Chinese medicine is derived from plants, animal, and mineral substances. Different parts of plants such as roots, leaves, flowers, and stems are used. Animal parts such as oyster shells and deer antlers are also used. The most common Chinese herbs are cinnamon, ginger, ginseng and red yeast rice, among others. Depending on the needs of the patient, the medicine can be given in various forms such as teas, capsules, liquid extracts and powders.