What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest natural healthcare systems in the world, having originated in China over 2000 years ago. It is a distinct medical tradition that has been practiced for centuries as a preventive medicine and also as a natural way to treat acute and chronic conditions.
Acupuncture is a holistic treatment - it looks at the person as a whole and not as a collection of disconnected symptoms. When you first come to the clinic, your practitioner will ask you questions about your health, lifestyle and your reasons for coming for acupuncture. This helps to build a complete picture of your health and to develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles into acupuncture points. These points are located long meridian (or channels) that connect different parts of the body. Your practitioner will select points to use according to your diagnosis and treatment plan. The insert of the needles prompts certain actions in the body to remove blockages, enabling the flow and balance of Qi (the body's energy) in the meridians. Acupuncture aims to treat the whole person to restore the body’s equilibrium, enabling the body to better heal itself.
The link between physical ailments and the way we think about and experience life is clearer than ever. This connection has been a part of acupuncture’s broad view of health since its early conception.
Approaching health with a focus on wellness, not just the absence of disease is one of the strengths of acupuncture. Treatment considers the relationship between your body, mind and emotions, and the effect they have on your health.
Patients often report not simply relief from the condition that took them for acupuncture, but an improvement in overall well-being, increased energy, and greater enjoyment of life.
Most acupuncture treatments last around 40 minutes. Some patients feel immediate benefit; for others, a course of treatment is required for most complaints.
Cost can often be an issue, preventing people from returning for regular treatment. The reduced fee we offer makes acupuncture a more affordable option. You can receive frequent treatment to feel the benefit for longer periods and, subsequently, have maintenance sessions to keep up the sense of general wellbeing.
You can get more information on current scientific research into the effectiveness of acupuncture by visiting www.acupuncture.org.uk
Why do people come for acupuncture?
In recent years, acupuncture has become increasingly recognised as a complementary therapy in the West, used by people with many different acute and chronic conditions, in addition to the treatment of pain. The types of conditions that patients seek acupuncture for include:
Acne
Allergic rhinitis
Anxiety
Asthma
Back pain
Bell's palsy
Cancer care
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Childbirth
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic pain
Colds and flu
Cystitis
Dementia
Dentistry
Depression
Dysmenorrhoea
Eczema and Psoriasis
Endometriosis
Facial pain
Female fertility
Fibromyalgia
Frozen shoulder
Gastrointestinal tract disorders
Gout
Headache
Herpes
Hypertension
Infertility ART
Insomnia
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Kidney stones
Male infertility
Menopausal symptoms
Migraines
Nausea and vomiting
Neck pain
Neuropathic pain
Obstetrics
Osteoarthritis
Palliative care
Post-operative pain
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Premenstrual syndrome
Raynaud's
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sciatica
Sinusitis
Sports Injuries
Stress
Stroke
Tennis elbow
Thyroid disease
Tinnitus
Type-2 Diabetes
Urinary incontinence
Vertigo