Wharfedale Observer

Chinese medicine is easy to take

From the archive, first published Wednesday 30th Aug 2006.

There can't be many patients in Britain who would welcome a waiting room full of strangers chipping in on their medical consultation.

But this was just the sort of scene that Christine Southward would regularly witness when she was studying in Chinese hospitals.

Totally at odds with the insistence on privacy in this country the patients in China often didn't seem to see the need for a private talk with the doctor and would happily have their illnesses discussed in front of other people awaiting their turn.

"They have not got any concept of privacy," she said. "The idea of having a private consultation was not a big deal. There would be lots of people in the area waiting for their consultation and other people would join in the conversation."

Christine, 26, who has recently started practising at the Otley Apothecary, spent six months in two Beijing hospitals as part of a five-year degree course into traditional Chinese medicine.

It's a sign of how attitudes have changed in this country that she was able to undertake a BS Honours degree course into her chosen subject, from which she qualified in 2004. It wasn't so long ago that acupuncture was regarded as wacky by many in this country and was frowned on by many in the medical community.

But now it is becoming increasingly mainstream, accepted by ordinary people and doctors alike.

When Christine began studying at Middlesex University her course was still very new.

"When I started I was in the third intake of students, so no-one had completed the course at that stage," she said.

"It is becoming a lot more recognised now. I think some doctors are quite open-minded and will refer patients."

Christine had been planning to enrol for classical studies but she changed her mind after experiencing the benefits of alternative' medicine for herself when she was suffering from back pain.

"When I was about 18 a friend came to visit and did some pressure points on my back. It was really simple to give such relief from the aching I had - I couldn't believe it," she said.

She dropped her plans to take classical studies and instead enrolled for the course in traditional Chinese medicine.

"One of most important books we used is 2,000 years old - but it is so relevant to people today," she said. "When you consider that Western textbooks are outdated after five years it's quite incredible."

The Huang Di Nei Jing - The Yellow Emperor's classic of Internal Medicine - is the first medical textbooks on acupuncture and is said to date from several centuries before the birth of Christ. But principles outlined in the book are still used in China today, and increasingly in other countries.

Christine spent six months in China seeing at first hand how traditional medicine is practised - often alongside modern Western techniques.

During her time at the hospitals she saw doctors prescribe traditional herbs to one patient and Western drugs to another. "They just use the best medicine at that point - they're not precious about it."

She said facial paralysis was a common problem in Beijing - in the same way that arthritis is common over here - and is routinely treated with acupuncture.

"It is not considered an alternative medicine over there- it is just so mainstream. The children have it from being babies, and it is just a part of their culture."

Any nervousness among patients in this country is often due to misconceptions about the size of the needles, she said.

"They imagine it to be like a hypodermic needle which is hollow. But these are not hollow, they are so slight. They just go straight through really fast and don't hurt."

Christine describes her experiences in China as amazing.' "It is a fascinating country and the people are really lovely," she said.

After finishing her degree Christine travelled to Thailand to learn traditional Thai massage, and has undertake three courses there. One of them was at one of the oldest temples in Bangkok, the Wat Po temple.

She said Thai massage was sometimes viewed with suspicion by people who mistakenly connected it with some of the seedier aspects of life in Bangkok.

But she stressed: "It is completely different. Thai massage was originally done in the temples by monks in a very meditative state and it was seen as a act of loving kindness."

"In Thai massage we press along the energy lines using the thumbs. It really deeply activates the energy circulation. It is very rhythmical and the person receiving it goes almost into a trance."

The massage can be used to help a number of complaints, including headaches, stomach aches and fatigue. It can also aid suppleness and is said to strengthen the immune system.

Christine explained it was brought to Thailand from India by one of the contemporaries of Buddha, It is seen as a spiritual practice, and even today practitioners will say a prayer before they begin the massage.

As well as studying at the temple, which is one of the most important massage schools in Thailand, Christine also travelled to the jungle where she lived and studied with the Lahu people - refugees from Tibet.

While there she lived in a bamboo hut with no electricity, and took part in a spirit dance, as was the local custom, to help a man who was sick.

Now working in the Otley Apothecary Christine gives treatments to people from all over the Wharfe Valley and beyond, including Ilkley. She offers a number of therapies, including acupuncture, Thai massage, Chinese herbal medicine, Indian head massage and aromatherapy.

The apothecary is also the exclusive supplier in Wharfedale of the Dr Houschka products, which are used in massage.

Christine uses cupping - made famous in the tabloids after Gwyneth Paltrow was said to have used it - and is involved in Chinese face reading and facial rejuvenation.

In her work with face reading Christine follows principles which have been followed in China for hundreds of years - traditionally being used in matchmaking.

"They say facial features give clues about your character, " she said. She added that natural methods could also help to erase lines - almost like a facelift'.

"It is so much better using muscles and stimulating the chi rather than having to resort to surgery."

Christine has recently run a workshop on Thai hand massage and will be doing one on acupressure massage on September 9. She has completed a diploma in Holistic massage and is a member of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

She can be contacted at the Apothecary on (01943) 465544, or on 07958 718919. Further information is available from www.youwillbe.co.uk