Treatments
SHIATSU MASSAGE
What is Shiatsu?
The Japanese word ‘Shiatsu’ means ‘finger pressure’. Shiatsu is a form of hands-on bodywork that restores energy & balance throughout the body focusing on meridians and acupressure points. Shiatsu combines different techniques of pressures and assisted stretches designed to activate the body’s natural healing system.
Shiatsu is conducted with the client fully clothed lying on a futon mattress. So please wear loose comfortable clothing.
A comprehensive treatment usually lasts 1 to 1½ hours, and leaves you with a feeling of relief and relaxation.
Therapeutic exercises may be prescribed to assist you further. Simple dietary and lifestyle advice may also be given.
What to Expect
Each treatment is especially designed to meet your individual needs, taking into consideration your state of health, and any symptoms you may be experiencing.
Treatment will consist of a variety of shiatsu techniques using thumbs on acupressure points, palms of the hands, elbows and knees along with yoga-like stretches. Moxa, cupping or spooning may also be used if required.
Benefits include:
Improved circulation
Relaxation
Sense of wellbeing
Increased energy
Improved sleep
Emotional stability
A profound effect on posture
Better digestive function
For Relief of:
Neck & shoulder tension
Back pain
Headaches and migraines
Tiredness & fatigue
Depression
Insomnia
Mental health issues
Women’s health
Menstrual irregularities
Digestive difficulties
Hypertension
By working on the meridians & acupuncture points using a variety of techniques, balance is restored to your body, mind & spirit, giving you a feeling of peace and relaxation.
Shiatsu is available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at Freedom Chinese Medicine. $20 off Shiatsu Massage sessions with Andrew or Sue in October 2017! Not available with any other offer.
Call 9486 5966 or click here to book online.
Acupressure Help for a Hangover
The abundance of food and/or alcohol during festivities can leave one feeling a little less than celebratory. However, there is hope..
..as self massage of several acupuncture points can be used to relieve headaches, nausea, bloating and indigestion; usually within 10 minutes.
The point location descriptions below may not be absolutely clear if you aren’t familiar with anatomical terms. But the diagrams below should help. All of the following points have an active area of at least a few millimeters so they can be found with minimal searching and confirmed by the presence of a tender sensation when pressure is applied: When pressing these points it is customary to use the thumb, index or ring finger, and to apply fairly firm pressure to the point for a minimum of 3 minutes so that the tender sensation is felt through this time.
Bladder 2. Located on the medial extremity of the eyebrow; in the supra-orbital notch. This point has an almost immediate effect for the relief of headaches. Use both points with an index finger on each.
. Located between the first and second metacarpals, in the high point of the muscle; at the midpoint of the second metacarpal. This point is one of the most commonly used by acupuncturists in the treatment of headaches and facial conditions: It has a relaxing effect and is especially useful in cases of frontal headaches.
Stomach 36. Located approximately one finger breadth lateral to the lower border of the tibial tuberosity in the superior portion of tibialis anterior. This is a very useful point for nausea, bloating and stomach ache.
Located one sixth of the distance from the anterior wrist crease to the cubital crease between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis. This point is frequently used to treat nausea and stomach pain.
Located half way between the umbilicus and the bottom of the sternum. Use this point to ease stomach pain and indigestion.
Here’s a video to help you find the points:
If you feel you need a little extra help contact us at Freedom Chinese Medicine in Ivanhoe, Melbourne. We offer acupuncture, herbal medicine, remedial massage & more.
Written by:
Dr. Daniel Gibbs
Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Massage
Dr. Daniel Gibbs has been practicing Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Massage since 2005. He has experience in treating a wide range of conditions and has specialised in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, working both as a independent therapist and adjunctively alongside physiotherapists.
Daniel is a very relaxed person with excellent skills, so is able to help you on many levels. He is also a veteran skateboarder & an enthusiastic snowboarder.
How does your Gut Garden Grow?
Did you know you have a garden growing inside your digestive system?
You may have heard the word ‘Microbiome’ being used in relation to our health lately.
Microbiome is the collective name for the many trillions of bacteria that live on our bodies and inside our gut – essentially our gut garden.
For a garden to be at its best it needs to be tended, fed, watered and cared for. Without loving care the plants and flowers die and the weeds and pests take over.
It is the same for our microbiome garden when we don’t care for it – the good bacteria suffer while the bad flourish.
This imbalance can contribute to a multitude of health issues including:
• Digestive system – IBS, IBD, weight gain abdominal pain
• Immune system – colds, viruses, allergies
• Emotional – moods and sleep
• Vitality – fatigue
• Skin conditions – acne, eczema, rosacea
There are many factors in our modern lifestyles that upset the balance of our good gut bacteria by affecting their growth and diversity and thus allowing the bad bacteria to thrive.
Some of these factors include:
• Poor diet – processed and refined foods
• Additives and chemicals in our food
• Medications especially antibiotics
• Chemicals in cleaners, skin and hair products
• Environmental toxins and pollution
• Antibacterial cleaners
• Lack of contact with dirt and nature
• Lack of exercise
If you would like to learn how to improve your health by restoring the balance and nourishing your precious microbiome, our Naturopath Andrea Mallett can help.
Andrea will thoroughly asses you diet and lifestyle to identify factors affecting your bacteria imbalance and create a plan specific to your needs.
Andrea is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Freedom Chinese Medicine. Call 039486 5966 or click below:
Sleeping Through the Night
Is deep, solid sleep starting to feel like an illusion for you? We all know that good sleep is essential for good health. But what do you do if you just can’t seem to get sufficient sleep? And what is adequate sleep anyways? It is about quantity and quality. Extensive research has shown that most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night to perform at our optimum¹. When it comes to quality, we need blocks of uninterrupted sleep. Frequent sleep disruption causes you to transition to the lightest sleep stage which detracts from recuperative sleep. Quality sleep is the amount of time which is set aside for sleep spent in the recuperative stages.
Here are 15 tips for better sleep:
- Create a relaxing wind down routine before going to sleep (read a relaxing book, listen to music, practice relaxation techniques, take a warm bath)
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day (keeping a regular sleep pattern, even on weekends, helps to develop a sleep-wake rhythm that encourages better sleep)
- Create a comfortable sleep environment. You can try to control a number of the elements in your bedroom that will promote a good sleep, such as:
- Temperature – for most people, cool is better than hot.
- Light- keep your bedroom as dark as possible. You can also try wearing an eye mask
- Noise- Less noise means more sleep. You can reduce noise levels with rugs & drapes, earplugs, background “white” noise) eg. Fan, or soothing music.
- Comfort – A good mattress can improve the quality of sleep
- Function- Try not to use your bedroom for work activities or studying. Make your bedroom a stress-free zone.
- Have a midday rest if possible (any time between 11am – 2pm)
- Avoid eating or drinking anything 2-3 hours before bedtime
- Avoid stimulants in your diet (refined sugar, caffeine, nicotine, artificial sweeteners)
- Avoid watching the clock
- Exercise regularly
- Drink Camomile Tea
- Try taking Valerian
If these steps don’t help or if your sleeping trouble is severe ie. disturbs your ability to function during the day, then you need help tailored specifically to you. The cause of your sleeping trouble needs to be determined and what the best solution will be. Chinese Medicine excels when it comes to individualised care. And at Freedom Chinese Medicine, we excel in Chinese Medicine.
We have a combined experience of over 70 years, so we more than enough skill and experienced to help you. And we pride ourselves on providing a professional, relaxing experience. To help you with your sleep, we may suggest Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Qi Gong, Meditation, Massage or a combination of these therapies.
Best of all, with Chinese Medicine, you can get better and stay better. If you are suffering with sleep trouble, I strongly suggest you don’t put up with it, seek some help.
REFERENCES
1. http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need and http://www.macses.ucsf.edu/research/allostatic/sleep.php
Freedom From Pain Services
At Freedom Chinese Medicine, we offer a combined experience of over 70 years. With 5 Acupuncturists, 3 Remedial Massage Therapists & a Myotherapist, you’re bound to find what you need.
We also offer low cost, Open Room Acupuncture to help make freedom from pain more achievable.
If you suffer from one of the annoying pains below, we can help you!
| Back Pain | Headaches | Sports Injuries |
| Neck Pain | Migraines | Arthritis |
| Tennis Elbow | Muscle Tension | Joint Pain |
| Sciatica | Shoulder Pain | Nerve Pain |
How Can We Help You?
1. By providing drug-free pain relief.
2. Effective treatment and free from unpleasant side effects.
3. We pride ourselves on providing a safe, gentle, professional, confidential and wonderfully relaxing treatment.
4. Experience – We have a combined experience of over 70 years, in Australia and China. We have special interest and knowledge in many areas, check our website for details.
5. We listen to you – We are practitioners who listen carefully to your needs, and are open to all forms of health care.
6. Value for money – We provide quality care at a fair and reasonable price. We offer low cost, Open Room Acupuncture for $30/$40.
7. Convenience location– The Centre is open extended hours, we have a carpark and public transport is nearby.
We expertly & passionately provide care which is:
- Safe and Gentle
- Natural and Caring
- Amazingly relaxing
- Confidential and Informative
Please call us on 03 9486 5966 to find out how we can provide the best solution for your pain with our range of services.