Traditional Chinese Injury Therapy

What is Traditional Chinese Injury Rehabilitation Therapy?

Traditional Chinese Injury Rehabilitation Therapy uses a combination of eastern and western therapeutic techniques to help your body heal and rebalance from an injury, or simply from stress, emotional upheaval or chronic tension. In your initial consultation and assessment the therapist will discuss with you your state of health and relevant history, and any contraindications. This will include looking at your posture, alignment of joints, and conducting simple physical tests with you to help pinpoint problem areas.  Your treatment will comprise a combination of tools appropriate to your condition: massage (sports injury and remedial techniques), cupping, moxa, and acupressure.

Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy where a vacuum is created inside a glass or plastic cup placed on the skin, which draws the skin and muscle inside the cup. The cup can then be moved over the skin in a gliding motion while the suction is active. It can be used on acupoints and along the external path of meridians. Cupping can release deep muscle tension and improve muscular function, as its effects penetrate deeply into the tissues.

Moxibustion (the burning of moxa) is a heat therapy that has been used for centuries in China, both on its own and as part of acupuncture. In moxibustion, a cylinder of finely crushed and compacted herb (Artemisia vulgaris) is lit and slowly smoulders without flame to produce a penetrating heat which can be directed to joints, local tissue, and acupoints.  It is held at a comfortable distance from the skin to produce varying degrees of therapeutic heat.

Qigong is a system of movement dating back at least 2,000 years. It uses breath and intention to balance the body, mind and emotions. It is designed to gently work muscles, tendons and ligaments, and can be a useful rehabilitative exercise as well as one for general maintenance of joint mobility and health.

Sometimes one session is enough to initiate a healing process that your body will continue into recovery. Sometimes a further session or more may be needed. You may be given Qigong exercises to do at home.

 

What clients say about their sessions with our therapist Zoe Bicât:

“An old shoulder injury was interfering with my playing the violin; Zoe was quick to ask pertinent questions and to check specific aspects of my shoulder mobility to gain a thorough understanding of my condition. The treatment seemed carefully and precisely targeted on the troubled areas, and I felt a great deal of deep muscular relief. Zoe also tailored a set movement exercises for me to perform regularly at home, empowering me to continue the therapeutic process myself. The combined effect has been to free up shoulder movement considerably and, furthermore, to increase my overall sense of what is a healthy and relaxed posture.”

– Keith

“I have had a number of treatments with Zoe, and each time have found her approach extremely sensitive to the specific needs of my body on that day.  She has found areas of tension other therapists haven’t identified before, and has worked with them at a deep level, able to draw on a variety of approaches from manipulation to acupressure points to cupping, where she judges appropriate.   On the occasions when this deep work brings up emotional responses in me, I feel she provides a safe space where I am comfortable to release this layer of tension as well.  The chi gong exercises she recommends also allow me to continue the healing work independently. I feel that Zoe is a genuine healer who works with a rare combination of technical skill, intuition and compassion.”

– Emma

“Bending over to pick up my daughter led to severe and worsening strains in my neck, and middle and lower back. For over a year it was deteriorating, causing me daily pain and gradually reducing my movements. One day after months of increasing suffering I woke up barely able to walk. However a single session with Zoe loosened my lower back a great deal and then, perhaps because of the chi gung exercises she also taught me, it carried on getting better.”

– Chris

Find out how Helix House could help you – submit your details below and one of our team members will get in touch