Acupuncture|Cosmetic Acupuncture|Shiatsu|Massage
Acupuncture
Introduction
Acupuncture is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine and involves the insertion of very fine needles at specific points on the body. Acupuncture is a safe, popular, proven and established complementary therapy.
Acupuncture is based on the Chinese concept that the human body is regulated and motivated by an energetic force called Qi (pronounced 'chee'). Qi flows through the whole body, but is particularly concentrated, and accessible to acupuncture along paths, also known as channels or meridians. When Qi is weak, disturbed or out of balance, it can result in symptoms associated with various illnesses. Acupuncture works to restore the balance of Qi, and thereby address the symptoms associated with imbalances.
Acupuncture pratised by a qualified person, is a safe form of treatment with very few side effects or complications. The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is the UK's main regulatory body for the practice of traditional acupuncture.
Treatment
Your first acupuncture session will start with a detailed consultation to assess your general health and medical history. You will be asked about your symptoms and medical diagnoses, and what treatment you have received up to now. Lifestyle, including diet is an important component of Chinese Medicine and you will be asked about exercise and sleeping and eating habits.
Diagnosis includes examining your tongue and pulses as these are traditional diagnostic tools used within Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. Pulse taking is an art in itself, involving recording the pulse at several positions and depths on each wrist.
Chinese Medicine diagnosis is based on patterns that may or may not relate directly to a Western Medicine diagnosis. Therefore patients having the same Western Medicine diagnosis may have subtly different Chinese Medicine diagnoses, depending on how their condition presents and on whatever else is affected, both physically and emotionally.
There are hundreds of acupuncture points on the body, although some are used much more frequently than others. Acupuncture points are locations thought to affect the way that your organs and tissues function via Qi as a communication media, and inserting needles has a regulating effect. During an acupuncture session, you will normally lie down on a treatment couch. You may be asked to remove some parts of your clothing to access appropriate acupuncture points. Acupuncture needles are very fine, and inserted so as to cause minimal discomfort and pain. Acupuncture needles are single-use and pre-sterilised. Thet are disposed of immediately after use.
Massage, Electro-acupuncture and Cupping Therapy
Where appropriate, for instance with muscuo-skeletal conditions, I may supplement acupuncture with electro-acupuncture, cupping and massage techniques.
What can acupuncture treat?
Acupuncture can address many conditions and symptoms. The following conditions are recognised by the NHS as ones for which there is reasonable clinical evidence that acupuncture is effective.
- migraine,
- headache,
- dental pain,
- neck pain,
- chronic (long-lasting) back pain,
- post-operative pain,
- nausea (particularly chemotherapy-induced nausea),
- fatigue,
- digestive disorders,
- anxiety,
- depression,
- insomnia,
- asthma,
- hayfever.
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) provides a series of documents based on acupuncture research for specific conditions:
- migraine,
- stroke,
- arthritis,
- gynaecological disorders,
- HIV infection,
- addiction and substance abuse,
- asthma,
- anausea and vomiting in pregnancy,
- sports injuries,
- obstetrics,
- infertitily.
