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With more and more of us turning to holistic forms of medicine for our health needs, acupuncture is making a comeback.
An ancient method of medicine originating in China, acupuncture involves stimulating certain points on the body with tiny needles. Its main purpose is to alleviate pain but can also be used to treat a variety of other health conditions, stress, digestive problems, sports injuries, headaches plus main others.
Due to its origins, scientists aren’t sure how exactly acupuncture works, but thanks to so many satisfied patients, we know it definitely does something - it's even offered on the NHS as a complementary medicine.
Acupuncture is the time tested therapy that has been practised in the Far East for thousands of years and has now been recognised as the go to natural therapy for the modern world. Clinics generally offer an integrated approach working alongside doctors where appropriate to provide the best overall care. It can be a standalone therapy or as a complement to other treatments.
Each Practitioner will do a full medical history and be looking to identify the cause of any problems or imbalances. From there a selection of points will be chosen. The acupuncturist will then insert several very fine needles which will be left in position for around 15 minutes. Acupuncture is typically painless and patients often report a great sense of relaxation during and after the treatment. Over a course of treatment cumulative benefit can be seen.
The theory behind acupuncture treatment is that the healthy functioning of the body is governed by the flow of “qi” (energy) through a system of channels under the skin. When this flow of qi is impaired, illness occurs. By inserting fine needles at various points along the channels, the body’s balance can be restored and the illness resolved.
The flow of qi can be disrupted in many ways: emotional upset, physical trauma and overwork are all common examples. By examining the underlying cause and how it has affected the body, the most appropriate treatment for each patient can be selected. Treating the patient as an individual is at the core of acupuncture treatment and is vital in successfully assisting the body to re-balance itself.
Blockages in the flow of qi can manifest as pain, hot or cold sensations, or colour changes. These signs, along with pulse and tongue diagnosis can help determine which points are most suitable for treatment.
Aiony Haust
ACUPUNCTURE FOR STRESS RELATED CONDITIONS
With our busy lives, stress now seems an inevitable part of daily life. Whether it be work, personal relationships or even hectic social schedules, there is often very little time to truly relax.
Tension across the shoulders, headaches, insomnia, tiredness, aches and pains, digestive disorders or pmt are all made worse when the body is stressed.When something stresses us, our qi stagnates. If something annoys us, it makes the body tense. This impedes the free flow of energy, blood and qi and problems occur. When this smooth flow is re-established, we feel relaxed and whatever imbalance was previously caused is restored.
The movement of qi and the ability to relax the body is one of acupuncture’s best attributes. Acupuncture leaves the majority of patients feel “chilled out” or simply very relaxed. For this reason many patients continue to come for acupuncture long after their original complaint has gone.
ACUPUNCTURE FOR HEADACHES & MIGRAINES
Almost everyone has had a headache once in their life. After puberty, migraines are much more common in women than in men and are related to an imbalance in the hormone levels. Acupuncture is proven to be a safe and a very effective therapy in treating numerous types of headaches, and is also used to prevent recurrent headaches in case of chronic conditions. Although still considered complementary therapy, acupuncture is increasingly viewed as a mainstream treatment for certain conditions, such as chronic pain. The World Health Organisation endorses acupuncture for migraines headaches.
Victoria Heath
ACUPUNCTURE FOR SPORTS INJURIES
There are 29 million sports injuries in Britain each year. One third of these injuries are serious enough to result in medical treatment or to affect normal day-to-day activities. The most common injuries are leg sprains or strains, and half of all tennis players develop tennis elbow.
Acupuncture is increasingly used by top sports players and athletes to treat musculo-skeletal problems. It is used both on its own and in conjunction with other therapies such as physiotherapy and osteopathy. Professional sports teams are also now offering acupuncture to their players both to treat an injury and to keep them performing at their peak. Many high profile teams have dedicated acupuncturists on board, including the British Rugby team, many Premiership football teams and the British Olympic team.
There are physical and psychological barriers to peak performance. Musculo-skeletal pain or dysfunction can have an inhibiting effect on training and results. Acupuncture addresses these problems. It also encourages clear headedness through its relaxing effects on brain waves, and can alleviate anxiety contributing to a better mental state, allowing you to be active to your highest level.
