What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a major part of Chinese medicine that is over 2,000 years old and is used worldwide today.
Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy or "life force" flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as Qi [pronounced "chee"] (NHS.uk).
It is traditionally believed that when Qi does not flow freely throughout the body, this can cause disharmony in the body and therefore ill health. It is the belief of Chinese medicine that acupuncture can restore the flow of Qi; and so restore health.
How does it work?
Fine, sterile, acupuncture needles are inserted into certain acupuncture points along the body’s meridians which promotes the smooth flow of Qi and stimulates the energy flow around the body.
This in turn releases naturally occurring chemicals around the body and mind, promoting the body’s natural healing response improving our physical and mental health.
All acupuncture points have specific functions in helping to restore balance within the body. Each point is carefully selected for each individual patient depending on the patient’s needs and their Chinese medical diagnosis.
It is always strongly recommended to start attending your acupuncture appointments weekly for a minimum of 5 weeks as it can take some time for the treatments to build up and nourish the body.
Frequency of your treatments beyond week 5 will be reviewed and discussed depending on progress and how chronic your condition is.
How Can it Help?
The British Acupuncture Council work hard to continually monitor the huge amount of research that is out there into the efficacy of acupuncture and are truly dedicated in getting this information out to the public. You can review their web page by clicking here. This will give you more information on what research has currently been done and how it is always growing.
I support a range of patients who are dealing with a variety of health complaints including; body pain, headaches, heavy and painful periods, menopausal symptoms, anxiety, depression, grief, stress, low energy, arthritis, high blood pressure, digestive issues, emotional issues.
Please contact me for a free 20 minute consultation to discuss how acupuncture might be able to help you.