"Energy for Life"

More and more people are experiencing the benefits of acupuncture. This gentle yet powerful and effective system of medicine can successfully treat many conditions and is safe for all, including children and women during pregnancy.

It can provide many benefits such as pain relief and enhanced well-being. By relieving pain it can help your muscles to relax and move more naturally, speeding the natural healing process.

About Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a technique that is used as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is a theory, based on ancient Chinese principles, that enables the practitioner to reach an individual diagnosis for each patient. Central to this is the idea of the Meridians. These are channels or streams through which vitality and influences (Qi) flow throughout the body. When the flow in these Meridian is weak and insufficient (e.g. tiredness) the practitioner seeks to strengthen them, when the flow is blocked and stagnant (e.g. a migraine) then the therapy seeks to smooth and unblock it. Therefore, every individual has different imbalances in different meridians and these are assessed through TCM. The diagnosis of these imbalances then leads to treatments like acupuncture, herbs and dietary therapy.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of fine needles into influential points on Meridians to re-establish harmony and health. Point choices vary according to the influence of the points and the patient's diagnosis. The needles are single use, sterile, solid and fine and mostly the needle insertion is not felt. Subsequently a dull ache may be felt.
Chinese herbalism centers on the qualities of action of hundreds of herbs. These are selected and combined according to a patient's TCM diagnosis.

Dietary advice is given in a similar way as the qualities of different foods and the effect of their preparation is understood in great detail.

The techniques and diagnosis of TCM lead to a truly holistic treatment approach which is applicable to a wide range of disorders. It can be used to treat many general health problems for physical and emotional fitness including:

• Pain relief
• Conditions affecting the muscles, joints and bones including arthritis
• Stomach, digestive and bowel disorders e.g. IBS
• Fatigue, tiredness, feeling run down
• Stress, migraines, anxiety, depression
• Trauma
• Viral infections like colds, flu & chest infections
• Women's health and gynaecological complaints (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause)
• Support to stop smoking

Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for many conditions. You are welcome to visit the clinic for a free consultation to discuss your symptoms and to find out if acupuncture is right for you.

As well as treating specific symptoms, acupuncture aims to improve the overall well-being of a person. Patients report increased energy, vitality, feeling calmer, better sleep, a more normal appetite and a sense of 'feeling better in myself'. So acupuncture is helpful to people who feel unwell or 'unbalanced' - either physically or emotionally - but who are not ill in the conventional sense.

By improving health and well-being, acupuncture can prevent a person from becoming ill during winter or a stressful life period. Acupuncture can be used alongside other treatments, including conventional medicine.

What happens at the consultation?

The first consultation takes 1 hour and includes a consultation, diagnosis and, time permitting, treatment. By making a thorough examination, the acupuncturist can see how all the body's systems are working together and where the cause of the problem is likely to be. Acupuncture aims to treat the cause of the problem and to treat each patient as an individual, so you will receive a personalised treatment plan that is designed for you and your condition. Most patients also receive extensive advice relating to their lifestyle and well-being.

How many treatments?

Follow-up appointments include a consultation and treatment. As with any other therapy the response to treatment varies from one person to another. Some conditions are easily treated with two or three treatments while others benefit from more sessions. This will be discussed at the first session.

What does it feel like?

Acupuncture needles are fine and solid, and very different from those used in hospitals. The needle is inserted gently and connects with the 'Qi' of the acupuncture point. The sensation can be described as tingling or a dull ache. Patients commonly experience heaviness in the limbs or a pleasant feeling of relaxation.

Should I tell my GP?

If you are currently under the care of your GP you may wish to tell him or her that you are having treatment. Acupuncture can be used safely with other treatments and indeed, working with your GP it may be possible to reduce your conventional medication.

How does it work?

Acupuncture has been practiced in China and other Eastern countries for thousands of years. To this day it plays a vital role in mainstream healthcare where it is used in hospitals.

Traditional Chinese medicine views the body as a system of vitality and influences known as Qi. Ill health occurs when the 'Qi' becomes unbalanced. It may become stagnant, or there may be an excess or a deficiency. The aim of treatment is to correct these imbalances by encouraging the 'Qi' to flow in a smooth and harmonious way, to remove excess and to strengthen where there is weakness.

'Qi' can be disturbed by a number of factors. These include emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, poisons and trauma.

The energy of the body is accessed through acupuncture points. There are around 500 points of which about 100 are commonly used. Each acupuncture point has several different functions and the way in are stimulated and how they are combined, also affects what they do. The acupuncture points lie along channels of 'Qi' (meridians) which run mostly lengthways along the body. So stimulating a point on the foot can affect, for example, a headache, as the 'Qi' is re-balanced along the course of the channel.