Classical Chinese Medicine in ModernTimes
...the latest science with ancient knowledge.
Tracy Hickling is a registered doctor of Chinese Medicine, (Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine), Naturopath, Remedial Therapist and Reflexologist.
With a clinical focus on Classical Chinese Medicine Tracy draws upon over 30 years experience and a broad range of modalities. The clinical aim is an individually tailored treatment protocol, providing for the best possible wholistic approach.
Tracy has a particular interest in chronic or difficult to treat conditions and believes in the importance of developing good professional relationships with General Practitioners and other Medical specialists. This provides the best possible care while working from an eastern and western perspective, combining the latest science with ancient knowledge.
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Tracy is also a Qigong Master and instructor, and a Gongfu and Taiji black belt and instructor; having trained for over 25 years with 5 different Masters.
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Treatments Modalities
Acupuncture
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Diet, Nutrition, and Lifestyle
Acupuncture is a safe and reliable medical system that is used globally by millions. Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine sterile needles at specific points on the body’s meridians to regulate the circulation of energy (Qi) and blood. The aim is to harmonise and optimise the internal organs and tissue functions. Acupuncture needles are single use only.
Acupuncture is a healthcare system premised on 2000 year old ancient principles. Diet, lifestyle and meditation practices are inclusive and considered key to a wholistic health system that maintains preventative techniques. The physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing are treated as interdependent.
The clinical focus is on the individual and not the symptoms, tailoring the treatment accordingly. The underlying theory is that illness and pain develop due to decline the body’s qi and blood and their circulation. The most common causes being emotional, physical stress, inadequate diet and lifestyle, infection and or injury.
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There are many schools of Chinese Medicine including Classical, Traditional, Five Element, Stems and Branches, Japanese Meridian Therapy, Trigger-Point and Medical. All of which share a common root yet differ in the diagnostic and treatment focus.
Traditional is a relatively modern school, despite the name, established by the Chinese government to unify and simplify Chinese medicine during the Communist era. One important difference is the degree of influence by modern medicine to the Traditional school, resulting in a new medical protocol of diagnosis and treatment.
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Classical focuses on other influences including age, sex, season, climate, time, and more subtle variations within the individual, making it a comprehensive and thorough approach. Treatments are tailored to the individual and while Western medical diagnostics are respected, they are not required for a Classical Chinese medicine diagnosis.
Tracy practices primarily Classical techniques but considers all forms of acupuncture as holding clinical value, and incorporates other acupuncture techniques to create a tailored treatment protocol.
Chinese herbal medicine is prescribed as a formula, a recipe of herbs to treat the presenting condition. There can be anywhere from 4 – 24 different herbs in a formula. Tracy introduces Chinese herbal medicine in a gentle pre-made pill format, prescribed for a week at a time. Easy to take, no preparation, gentle doses, taken twice daily it is the most manageable way to become familiar with Chinese herbal medicine.
Initially 1 formula is prescribed and once the individual has ‘acclimatized’ to the routine and the digestive system adapted to the herbs, additional formulas can be added to increase the influence and benefit of the herbal remedies.
Granules are a pre-cooked and dehydrated format that is dissolved by adding boiling water, left to cool and consumed 2-3 times daily. Granules are moderately stronger than pill form. Some formulas are more efficacious in granule form yet still easy to digest.
The strongest and most beneficial herbs are the raw herbs. Tailor made formulas are clinically more efficient. With changing times, busy lifestyles, Tracy prescribes tailor made herbal formulas in a fine powder form. The benefits are that they can be boiled for only 10 minutes every 2 days, increasing compliance. The raw powders do not have the strong taste that is often unmanageable for individuals.
Additionally, when there is not enough time to boil the herbal powder, decocting the powder overnight in a flask with boiling water is sufficient to fuse the formula and increase its synergist effect.
Finally, Tracy charges a very competitive rate for the raw herbal powders, ensuring people from all strata’s of society can have access to the very best that Chinese medicine can offer.
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Individuals familiar with taking Chinese herbal medicine can request stronger formulas in raw powder form from the onset.
Combining Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, diet, and lifestyle provides the best opportunity to recover from ailments and transform one’s health status. Once the various strategies are understood and implemented, clients are in a good position to self-manage and prevent the return of conditions and to allow their health to continue to improve.
The Chinese medicine diet is balanced, sensible and inclusive. There are no bad foods, just foods that are not good under certain circumstances. Everything has its place, but dose and frequency often determine whether a food is helpful or harmful. This means that a lot of foods that are considered harmful can still be eaten in modified amounts.
There are certainly poor-quality foods, and this is easily addressed. Diet and Lifestyle are very curious. A poor diet can kill you, but a good diet isn’t enough to cure you. What this emphasizes is how important it is to have a consistently good diet throughout our lives. Celebrating life with special traditional meals is also of value and shouldn’t be the casualty of good intentions. Moderation in everything including moderation.
Modern technology has had a profound effect on our diets and lifestyles, both good and bad. Therefore, reintroducing old fashion habits and values can provide substantial benefits. Tracy takes a comprehensive and individual approach. Providing a good understanding of how to adapt the diet as needed and how to eat for pleasure without causing harm.
Gua sha, Cupping, Tuina
Gua sha, Cupping and Tuina are the Remedial Therapy modalities of Chinese Medicine. Tailored to the clients clinical needs and pain tolerance levels, they combine to form a good supplement and replacement for Acupuncture. Well tolerated by children and the elderly, the techniques can be used to treat much more than muscle-skeletal conditions.
QIGONG - China's best kept secret
One the most important components of good health is a lifestyle that includes exercises that prevent illness, treat on going conditions and maintain good health. The most comprehensive and extensively developed method is QIGONG, developed over 5000 years. The exercises include gentle movements and meditative techniques. Once a technique is learned it can be applied for many years. Additionally techniques can be added as conditions and needs change. Tracy is a QIGONG master having trained for over 23 years with 5 different masters.