BENEFITS OF REMEDIAL MASSAGE THERAPY

When you’re struggling with physical pain, one of the best ways to relieve the pain is to receive a remedial massage. Remedial massage therapy is the process of treating muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other parts of the body to help rehabilitate injuries and manage pain. There are several benefits that come with getting a remedial massage on a regular basis. 

Pain Management

When you receive a remedial massage from a professional, you may experience a significant reduction in current and long-term pain. The masseuse will be able to identify areas of concern and go through the process of releasing pressure from certain trigger points, stretching out tight muscles, and increasing blood flow to areas that are experiencing soreness.

Stress Reduction

If you are dealing with stress, getting a massage can be a great solution. The overall relaxing experience of a massage can immediately help you to feel more relaxed. Furthermore, the massage can also be used to release physical stress from the body. Overall, this will lead to you leaving more relaxed and in control. This can also help to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and temporary high blood pressure and improve mental clarity.

Improved Mobility

Beyond receiving a reduction in pain, improved mobility is another advantage of getting a massage. A massage will also focus on targeting stiff joints that are found throughout the body. After a massage session you will find that these joints are much easier to move, which can greatly improve your overall mobility and help to encourage a more active lifestyle.  

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If you are interested in remedial massage therapy, contact us to learn more.  

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE: A BRIEF HISTORY

As increasing numbers of consumers seek alternatives to Western medicine, many are turning to the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM incorporates multiple ages-old healing modalities including acupuncture, dietary therapy, Qigong, Tai Chi, herbal medicine, massage therapy, and more, to treat and prevent health concerns.

TCM is rooted in ancient Taoist philosophy and dates back more than 2,500 years. Although Taoist philosophy is complex, it is important to understand that Taoism views human beings as microcosms of the universe. In her book, The Taoist Experience: An Anthology, Taoism scholar Livia Kohn writes,

Taoist practice seeks to develop the body back toward the level of primordial energy, to the state at the beginning of creation. The body, no longer a mere means to live harmoniously in the world, becomes a universe in itself.

In other words, according to the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association, the main premise of TCM is that good health relies primarily on the restoration and maintenance of harmony, balance, and order to an individual, much like healthy ecosystems, planets, and even the universe rely on a similar synergy.

Although TCM was not officially endorsed by the Australian Medical Association until 2001, its history in Australia dates back to the 19th century, when Chinese migrants in search of gold brought their practices with them. The Australia Natural Medicine Centre lists 50 TCM practitioners in the country by 1867. As the 19th century ended and the 20th century progressed, TCM gained popularity and credibility, and by the 1990s universities in Melbourne and Sydney were offering accredited degrees in the practice.

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To learn more about our programs and explore a future in Traditional Chinese Medicine, contact us.

HOW TCM CAN HELP YOU MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT AMONG RISING OBESITY RATES

For the past couple of years obesity has been on the rise in Australia. In 2011-2012, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that 62.8% of Australians were overweight or obesity. In 2014-2015, the percentage increased to 63.4%. With obesity on the rise, Australians are trying to create solutions to make a healthier lifestyle more simple and attainable. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a great option that can support Australians combat obesity and discover the cause of obesity. 

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ACUPUNCTURE FOR PAIN: DON’T LET THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC NEEDLE YOU

Australia is on the brink of an opioid overdose epidemic that threatens to rival that of the one now raging in the United States, where nearly 100 people a day die from opioid overdose. Not even car accidents kill that many.  In Australia, deaths from opioid overdoses have more than doubled since 2007. A quarter of these deaths involve young people aged from about 25 to 35. 

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COMPLEMENTING HIGH-TECH MEDICINE: THE BENEFITS OF TCM

As health care and medicine get more and more high tech, and seemingly removed from the actual body of the patient, there has been a quiet return to more holistic and natural ways to diagnose and care for patients the type of medicine invented by the Chinese thousands of years ago, and still practised today.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is gaining in popularity among patients and in respect among physicians. The four tenants of the practice diet, exercise, remedial massage, and acupuncture prove the adage that everything old is new again. Combined with the acupuncture component, the other three bases are the new model for Western health and well-being.

The four tenants of the practice diet, exercise, remedial massage, and acupuncture prove the adage that everything old is new again.

Acupuncture is highly recommended complimentary therapy in Australia, with with 10% having received this treatment and 80% general medical practitioners referring their patients to acupuncture service. And if you think that acupuncture is a new age hippy dippy treatment, it’s a therapy that’s been around over 5000 years, and in 2005 more than 10% of your neighbours visited an acupuncturist. 

As Western medicine is seeing the benefits of TCM, and it is becoming a more mainstream form of treatment, TCM practitioners are in high demand throughout Australia. In many cases, the TCM practitioner is the patient’s primary health contact this approach to health care means that most chronic conditions are treated holistically, and a traditional MD is called to manage the more acute symptoms and accompanying illnesses. 

Over 75% of general practitioners refer patients to a qualified acupuncturist at least once a month.

The World Health Organization recognizes TCM as an effective treatment for everything from headaches to cancer pain. As many women opt for narcotic-free childbirth, midwives and gynaecologists are offering acupuncture for pain relief. For patients suffering from autoimmune disorders, the herbal therapy and diet components of TCM combine with acupuncture to relieve the symptoms of digestive disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, and post-operative pain management.

As Western medicine continues to see the benefits of TCM, career opportunities will continue to grow. The Chinese Medicine Board of Australia regulates the practitioners of TCM, and the most recent report shows a steady increase in licensed practitioner about 2.1% each year; the number of students enrolled in TCM programs has jumped almost 15% since 2015.

If you think a health care career in TCM is for you, take a look at our e-book on the industry and consider starting with an education from SITCM

Why Choose a Career in Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is rapidly growing in popularity and has already proven to be highly sought-after alternatives to traditional, pharmaceutical medicine that is commonly practised in many Western cultures. While students who major in TCM may have more narrow field of choices for employment than other traditional health science graduates, there are still plenty of job options available to students who choose to study TCM.

TCM expands over quite a large field of various fields of study. Students who study TCM will find work in fields including:

  • herbalist
  • massage therapy
  • nutrition and health consultants
  • new product research & development
  • work in sports-related fields and therapies
  • new medicine or treatment research & discovery

These are only some of the fields that you will be able to get into post your TCM studies.

Moreover, you will be able to support people improve their lives and live healthier each day all while providing the following benefits to you as a practitioner:

  • Provides you with a hands-on job that helps you avoid the 9-to-5 grind that would otherwise be a computer, telephone, or desk job. Instead, you get hands-on experience doing different tasks all while helping people live and feel better.
  • You continue to be inspired to live a healthier and fuller lifestyle yourself in the same way you help others as they journey towards a healthier lifestyle as well.
  • You continue to learn throughout your life as there are constantly new discoveries being made. Chinese medicine is 1000s of years old, yet new discoveries continue to come out. Your learning as a TCM practitioner is never done!
  • The field of TCM is becoming a front-runner alternative to traditional forms of Western medicine. Many people even use customs and principles of many ancient herbal methods as a means of treating their health alongside Western practices. So just because someone takes a name-brand drug or a “Westernized” medication does not mean that they will not come seek additional benefits from ancient forms of medicine such as TCM.

The final point is that you do not have to go to China to study TCM as a career. There are many schools all over the world that will allow you to study TMC through a quality certification program. One such institution is right here at the Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We offer a complete curriculum including all of the courses and classes that you will need to complete your certification.

If you are interested in more information or want to complete a certificate in Traditional Chinese Medicine please feel free to contact us.