Acupuncture is very helpful for the following condition:
1. Regaining more mobility after stroke
2. Pain management for elderly after falls
3. Legs or overall body no strength especially in elderly
4. Body pain and numbness
And a host of other symptoms. For example a Malay friend of mine had cough for months and could not get better even with antibiotics and the strongest dose of cough medicine. At the recommendation of a friend, she went to Tung Shin TCM center where the TCM doctor administered acupuncture and prescribed herbal medicine.
Right after the acupuncture, it was as if her lungs cleared considerably. She came back and boiled her herbs. The moment she drank the bitter concoction, her cough disappeared completely, as if it never happened.
And this is an overseas educated Malay lady who worked as a manager. She said she suffered so much during cough that she was willing to try anything. She would not believe it had she not gotten better herself. The reason she shared with me this story was because one day I was not feeling well and she recommended me to seek tra
Few years ago, when my mom had a fall and was in a lot of pain, I took her to the Emergency of a hospital. After doing an XRay, the doctor said there was a hairline crack at her backbone. Other than that there was no discernable injury.
The doctor said there was nothing they could do and sent us back with painkillers.
Yet, my mom was in a lot of pain and could not eat. Already she was unwell and was just discharged from hospital after an acute hepatitis B attack.
Within a few days, I called and made an appointment with a private TCM center (Ren Yi). I found it through Google. I drove my mom there, where the TCM doctor, Dr Low felt her pulse and administered acupuncture using mild electricity. After the first treatment, my mom got noticeably better, the strength on her legs improved. But most important of all is that the pain were noticeably very much lessen.
My mom was a nurse so she only believed in Western treatment and was very resistant to acupuncture. She was only willing to be brought for treatment again because the pain was significantly reduced.
I took my mom for a few more acupuncture treatments before it become impossible. Reason being was my mom’s Alzheimer’s had advanced and she become very fearful of pain and afraid of acupuncture needles and the discomfort made her move around. Which by right a patient should not move much as it may dislodge the needles.
We had stainless steel ramps build from her bed, all the way to the attached bathroom’s toilet set so she was able to hold to go to the bathroom on her own.
There was also another elderly person who suddenly lost strength in his legs until he got bedridden for about 2 years. He was taken for acupuncture treatments which after just the second treatment, he could actually get up and walk, amidst still a little weak but his legs no longer give way.
Hence, if you have an elderly person with no strength in the legs, consider getting the person to go for acupuncture treatment.
Note: Another helpful treatment, especially if the person has pain like arthritis is to consider bekam (blood/wet acucupping). Bekam is offered in Malay treatment centers (Pusat Rawatan Melayu). You may obtain recommendation from your Malay colleagues of a good treatment center for bekam. But the younger generation may not know and would usually need to refer to their elders. I suffered from very stiff neck and frozen shoulders which were healed by bekam, and in the course of treatment, wind (angin) and other painful joint symptoms were also treated.
The contraindication is if a person is very weak like just woke up from unconsciousness, major surgery, generally the person need to rest for a while before going straight for treatment. This is because when the acupuncture treatments are administered, it would free up some blocks in the body. The chi would move and with chi movement, blood follows. Blood would suddenly rush in parts of the body so of a person have like a weak heart, or wounds from operation that are not yet healed, it may create problems.
A good and experienced acupuncturist would know whether the treatment can go on or not.
In Malaysia, you can visit reputable TCM centers. If you are in KL, you can make an appointment with the TCM section of Tung Shin hospital in Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.
For my mom, I took her directly to Ren Yi, a private TCM center as due to my mom’s then early stage dementia, she gets very agitated when made to wait in crowded spaces and often need to be coaxed for treatment. In private TCM center, we were attended to promptly with appointment.
Majority of my mom’s friends are retired nurses. Her friends were literally top notch and hardworking nurses, both in hospitals and in their homes. Some have started suffering from very bad arthritic pains. I feel very concerned seeing them who relied on strong doses of painkillers.
Most of the time, they would put up with the pain if at home. But if there is any outing, they would need to take a painkiller that is stronger than Ponstan before they could go out. They told me if they do take the painkiller, if an ‘attack’ comes they would be immobilized by the pain.
I have recommended to them to try acupuncture and they have not been open to the idea. According to them, how would some needles poked on the body able to do wonders?
It really pains me to see them suffering as my mom’s friends are a real wonderful bunch of ladies.
Regardless of your background and beliefs, I really urge you to give acupuncture a try for pain management. But it is important that you need to be transparent and explain all underlying medical conditions, medication that you are taking and health symptoms that you have in order for the practitioner to determine the course of your treatment.
Living with pain is no joke, it robs us of a quality of life and makes us in perpetual bad mood that would affect our relationships with those around us. Just give it a try for at least 2 times. If your body is suited to the treatment, you would usually be able to see improvement by the second treatment. May you get better and be pain free.
Tung Shin Hospital
102, Jalan Pudu, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Day Clinic : Monday – Sunday
Registration Hours : 8.30am – 4.50pm
Consultation Hours : 9.00am – 5.00pm
* Closed on Public Holidays
Contact Hospital
Main Line: +603 – 2037 2288 Ext. 102, 202
Appointment Line: +603 – 2037 2202
Email: enquiry@tungshin.com.my
Url for Chinese medical section:
https://www.tungshin.com.my/specialties/chinese-medical-devision/
