dr.shashi

The father of modern medicine, Sir William Osler famously said, “The practice of medicine is an art based on science. A good physician treats the disease but a great physician treats the person who has the disease”, meaning that, although understanding physiological and pathological processes is fundamental to medicine, paying attention to a person’s hopes and wellbeing is the more difficult skill to acquire.

My approach

The framework of the human body and its functioning has always held great allure to me. As a medical student, I felt like a participant in a treasure hunt; decoding the human body by understanding its anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. We study the normal functioning of the human body so as to understand the “abnormal” or the disease. Once the pathogenesis is understood, treatment could be by medical and/or surgical intervention.

The biggest revolution in the field of modern medicine was the invention of antibiotics. It has helped save millions of lives by successfully curing many, if not all infectious diseases.

But with the emergence of chronic lifestyle related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer, musculoskeletal pain conditions, and autoimmune disorders, using the same aggressive model hasn’t helped us achieve a similar success in finding the cure. So conventionally we end up tackling the symptoms with drugs that have deleterious effects in the long term.

Starting my medical career as a resident doctor of a leading hospital chain I would usually end up asking myself “ How do I provide patients with the best chance of healing with the least adverse effects?” Because the first law of medicine is “Do no harm!” I strongly believe that the universe takes you on a certain path depending on the kind of questions you ask. Mine took me to Acupuncture! To simplify, Allopathic medicine looks at the physical dimension of the human body and Acupuncture, the energetic dimension. Hence, Modern medicine works extremely well in treating emergencies and acute conditions whereas Acupuncture in combination with lifestyle modifications work the best for most chronic ailments. There is also no compartmentalizing in Acupuncture. The whole body is considered greater than the sum of its parts.
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My process

Classical Chinese Medicine is all about balance, movement and transformation. It is an extension of the Yin-Yang characteristics that can be witnessed across all phenomena in the universe.  In short, unity between man and nature. This balance can be disrupted by external (infection, climate changes, etc) or internal (emotions, diet, physical activity, etc) factors leading to diseases. My job as a physician is to decode these hidden conversations within a patient’s body through the  signs and symptoms he/she exhibits. As my teacher Dr. Li Xin explains, a physician’s role is to observe, assist or provoke the body’s natural healing mechanism so as to restore homeostasis. Making this distinction is key to the outcome of any treatment.
  • My approach to diagnosis involves a detailed observation of the patient through :
  • Inspection: Physical attributes of a patient such as his or her face, eyes, gait, skin colour, nature of the voice and speech helps us assess the 3 resources - Qi (life force or prana), blood and body fluids.
  • Listening: Detailed history taking focusing on the patient’s chief complaint, aggravating or relieving factors, personal history of appetite, bowel and bladder movements, past medical and surgical history, medication details, diet, lifestyle and emotional state helps us arrive at a differential diagnosis.
  • Examination: Tongue and pulse findings are valuable tools to confirm the diagnosis. In a pain syndrome, the affected joint or muscle groups are also examined to assess the pain score, range of movement and neurological signs, if any.
  • Palpation: The temperature of hands and feet are crucial to assess the interior milieu also called the Triple Warmer or Sanjiao. By palpating, we also look for Ah-shi points (tender points) along a meridian or trigger points over the affected muscle.
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Once the diagnosis is made, a customised treatment plan is charted out for the patient. 

The worlds of Western medicine and Acupuncture is a rare yet complementing combination which I, as a medical practitioner, bring together to treat my patients in the most holistic manner. I have been developing and honing my skills through constant learning and research.
In my experience our knowledge is a sum of the teachings imparted by our teachers, books and the experience we gather through our patients.
Through Acupuncture Wellness Space, I aspire to provide a holistic medical avenue for the treatment of chronic ailments with Acupuncture at its core and the belief that health is our greatest possession.

It is my constant endeavour through Acupuncture Wellness Space to give you a Healthy “YOU”. 

Corporate wellness
workshops

Our informative and empowering workshops aim to educate employees with techniques and tools to deal with common ailments such as neck pain, lower back pain, elbow pain and stress issues owing to their sedentary lifestyle and longer work hours. This will help reduce sick leaves and improve productivity at the work space. For bookings, please contact us through email or phone.

Acupuncture training
seminars

Doctors and other healthcare professionals with a strong background in anatomy, physiology and clinical examination, may approach us for weekend training sessions on Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Cupping and Gua Sha. The schedule is regularly updated on our Instagram handle and Facebook page.