SCAR BRIDGING
Written by Hannah Sutton (Chinese Medicine Practitioner)
Do you have scars on your body that feel numb, painful or strange in comparison to your normal skin?
Do they appear red or raised looking very different to your normal coloured skin?
Have you felt low in energy or off balance ever since having an operation or accident?
In Chinese medicine it is very important to treat scars on the body in order to help with transformations in treatment. Scar tissue is evidence of trauma that has occurred - both physical & emotional. This can significantly disrupt the natural energy flow through the area of the body and lead to disharmony in the body. Scars can also block treatment progress, therefore it is important we perform something that is called Scar Bridging to help your body to heal as it should.
When you look at the meridians or pathways on an acupuncture point chart you will see lots lines traversing the body. These lines are pathways which carry the body's vital energy or what we term as Qi (pronounced Chi). Surgical cuts or severe traumas which cause scars can cause a blockages in a pathway OR many pathways.
In order to open up the pathway/s again we need to "bridge" the scar using a combination of acupuncture and a heat treatment called moxibustion. This invigorates the Qi & Blood in the area of the scar to promote your own body's innate healing capabilities, reconnecting energetic pathways and neural connections.
A scar crossing many pathways can cause many symptoms. They may be just minor things like a tingling sensations down the leg and sometimes more significant internal organ imbalances. For example, midline scars can cause digestive issues. Ceaserian scars can inhibit a woman's ability to conceive, lower libido &/or affect her menstrual health.
Remember the scar you see on the skin does not accurately reflect the trauma that is below the surface.
The key point is that the problems were not there before the surgery, trauma or injury. These symptoms are not always immediate, they can take time to evolve due to the circulation being impeded and therefore you sometimes miss the connection.
If you would like to book an appointment appointment with one of our practitioners you can call the clinic on (03) 5429 3610 or book online by clicking the link below.