Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Acupuncture uses very fine disposable stainless steel needles that are inserted at specific acupoints to guide the flow of qi along the body’s meridians. The aim is to rebalance and replenish any deficiencies in the body, thereby relieving symptoms such as pain and discomfort.

Acupuncture is an effective therapy for common conditions like cold and cough, as well as digestive issues like constipation, diarrhoea, bloatedness and flatulence. It can also help improve chronic problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep issues and even skin conditions like rashes.

If you’re looking to boost immunity and physical wellness, acupuncture may be just what you need.

Cupping involves placing glass and plastic cups on the skin to create suction and stimulate the body’s acupoints. This process helps to improve blood circulation and the flow of qi.

You may see some redness and bruising after the treatment, but this is nothing to worry about and should resolve itself after a few days.

Cupping is suitable for individuals with a ‘warm’ body constitution and is typically recommended to relieve muscular pain.

Similar to cupping, moxibustion is a therapy that involves burning a small cone of dried moxa herbs on or near the skin to stimulate blood circulation and the flow of qi through the body’s meridian points.

It is normal to see slight redness of your skin around the treatment area. This should disappear after a few days.

Moxibustion is often used to manage pain for those who have a ‘cold’ body constitution.

Tuina is a type of therapeutic massage that is widely used to treat muscle, bone and tendon pain. Tuina may be performed by TCM physicians, physiotherapists, or our in-house robotic massage machine, EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation).

Tuina offers extensive benefits that include helping to improve blood circulation, manage musculoskeletal pain (particularly in the neck, shoulders, back and joints), ease symptoms of arthritis, promote healthy lactation and even alleviate depression.

At Parkway Shenton, robotic massage is used to enhance our tuina treatments. Our EMMA machine at Parkway Shenton Medical Clinic - Toh Yi is equipped with sensors and 3D vision technology to analyse your muscle condition and deliver a precise amount of tuina therapy according to the physician’s diagnosis.

If you suffer from musculoskeletal conditions in your back, EMMA is definitely what you need. It is capable of delivering consistent pressure with clinical precision through a silicon ‘thumb’, ensuring optimal comfort throughout your therapy session. You can opt to have EMMA work on larger parts of your body, while our TCM physicians focus on other areas such as your neck, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles.

Herbal formulations play a key role in TCM treatment, tapping on the natural properties of traditional Chinese herbs to nourish one or more of the body’s four internal energies – qi, blood, yin, and yang – while purging the 6 pathogens – wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire.

Herbal formulations may vary and will be prescribed by our physicians based on a thorough examination and assessment of your condition. These may range from concentrated herbal powders in formula or capsule form, to tablets for easy consumption.

Eating well is a fundamental practice in TCM as it ensures the body receives adequate nourishment and naturally balances the flow of qi energy.

TCM classifies foods into 5 categories – cold, cool, neutral, warm, and heaty. During a consultation, our TCM physicians will offer insights into your body’s level of qi, blood, yin and yang internal energies, as well as which of the 6 pathogens are in excess. They will also recommend you dietary changes to help address your body’s condition.

Healthy living is a marathon, not a sprint. TCM also advocates getting an adequate amount of exercise, because the frequency of activity and how we move physically plays a part in building up and balancing our body’s qi energy flow.

Our TCM physicians will be able to evaluate and recommend an exercise plan to complement your lifestyle, as well as share tips such as basic breathing techniques to improve your physical and mental wellbeing.