The concept of acupuncture is counterintuitive, yet many Chinese willingly have needles stuck into their bodies not to cause pain but to relieve it. The fact is this branch of traditional Chinese medicine produces positive results for sufferers of pain, nausea and other ailments, and it is continually gaining greater acceptance in the US and Europe as a legitimate form of treatment. In Hong Kong, with all of its modernity and alongside its rich traditional culture, there are some who consult Chinese doctors only when western medicine fails, and there are others whose first choice is the ways that have been practiced in China since ancient times.

The philosophies behind traditional Chinese medicine are vastly different from those of western medicine and might even be considered mystical. Chinese doctors believe in the concept of yin and yang – that everything is a balancing act between opposing but complementary energies. Equilibrium is also stressed among the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. “If there is too much or too little of one of the elements, we find a way to balance it to prevent illness,” says Dr Kenny Wong Kan Yim, a local Chinese medical practitioner.

Not surprisingly, diagnosis and treatment methods differ greatly between the two schools. See a western doctor and you would most likely have your blood pressure taken with a machine and your temperature measured with a thermometer. A Chinese doctor would take your pulse by touch to discern details about your health. And you might not have realised how much information your tongue’s appearance reveals, but it is also a focal point of the Chinese check-up.

Once the doctor has made a diagnosis, he or she might decide that the patient needs medication. There is usually a large wooden chest of drawers along a wall of a Chinese doctor’s clinic that contains hundreds of dried ingredients for mixing medicines. While westerners use medications in pill form, Chinese doctors tend to prescribe liquid cocktails made with herbs, insects or even ground stones to work on the internal functions of the body.

Acupuncture, on the other hand, uses external stimulation to improve health. It is based on the theory that the human body has 12 channels, called meridians, through which energy flows. When the meridians are blocked, problems arise, and fine needles are inserted to clear these blockages. The whole phenomenon might seem unscientific to western minds, but it is a body of knowledge that has accumulated over years of Chinese medical history.

“Meridians were discovered by the ancient Chinese, and each generation of practitioners learns from the previous generation. With continued practise, we keep on confirming that these methods are correct. Of course, inaccuracies are sometimes discovered and then improvements are made,” says Wong. He estimates that acupuncture is painless 70-80% of the time, but if there are blockages, the twinges just mean it’s working.

Scepticism about the effectiveness of Chinese medicine is understandable, as empirical research and scientific data are less comprehensive than for western medicine. But Chinese medicine does have time on its side with over 2,000 years of history. Wong also points out that the treatments are milder and have fewer side effects than western medication and therefore might be a better choice for less serious ailments. It is also especially well-suited to relieving discomfort caused by chronic illnesses.

But you won’t want just anyone mixing bitter concoctions and sticking needles all over your body. Since the creation of the Chinese Medicine Council ten years ago, it is now easy to find a reliable Chinese doctor in Hong Kong. The council regulates doctor registration and medicines, so there is some peace of mind if you would like to give Chinese medicine a try (a list of doctors is available online at www.cmchk.org.hk). Chinese doctors usually run general practices without specialisation, meaning most of them can be consulted for any health issue.

For something less invasive and maybe even enjoyable, visitors can opt for various forms of massage that are also believed to be therapeutic. There is reflexology, which is performed by applying pressure to the bottom of the feet; gua sha, which involves scraping along the skin with a hard object; and fire cupping, where a therapist heats the inside of a cup with fire and applies it to the skin, suctioning the muscle and pulling it upward.

It is believed that these and other massages (also called acupressure) help cure illnesses ranging from fatigue to fever. As with acupuncture, the basic goal is the same: to improve circulation. Pressing and pulling on the body simply loosens everything up, which gets the blood flowing. And you don’t need a doctor to try these treatments; they are offered in many spas around town.

Or start small by switching your diet to one preferred by traditional Chinese doctors. The notion of good circulation as a touchstone of good health leads to the simple dietary tenet that foods should be consumed only when cooked and warm. “We [Chinese doctors] don’t really accept salad as a good food. We believe that blood is hot, and it has to be hot to flow smoothly. So eating cold things inhibits good circulation, which leads to illness,” says Wong. He also frowns upon eating too much meat, which might come as a surprise as very few Hong Kong people are vegetarian. But Chinese meals usually consist of a lot of rice, vegetables and soup, with meat making up only a small portion.

Dr Kenny Wong Kan Yim can be reached on 2782 6456