Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment dating back over 3000 years, which works on restoring the body’s energy ‘channels’ by removing blocked Qi (pronounced ‘Chee’ and meaning ‘energy’) which causes illness or disease.

Using extremely fine needles to access these channels via ‘access’ or ‘acupuncture points’, treatments alleviate any blockages and ensures the energy flows freely again and the patient is restored to good health.

Chinese Philosophy

Chinese philosophy believes our bodies all display a landscape that, when balanced, is healthy. However, if there is an imbalance, the person becomes ill. Acupuncture works by balancing the body so it works in harmony, thus making the person well again.

Acupuncture uses a complex system of ‘channels’ that carry ‘Qi’ – the body’s energy – the blood and fluids around the body. These ‘channels’ are similar to how we see blood vessels, arteries, veins and capillaries in modern medicine, however in Chinese Medicine, they are not identified in a physical sense. They operate at a subtle energy level and are called Qi, Blood, Jing and Shen.

A useful analogy to describe Qi is that of a river. A river has a source and follows a course ultimately to the sea. As it flows, it varies from shallow to deep and from quick to slow, yet it always follows the most “natural” path. Qi is exactly the same.

What does Acupuncture Feel Like?

Understandably, some new patients may feel nervous about their first treatment, in particular, the use of needles. My role is to make you feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible, so you find the treatment enjoyable. You may feel a slight prick and tingling (or nothing at all) when the needles are being inserted.  Many patients comment on how calm and relaxed they feel and often fall asleep.

You may not feel anything ‘happening’ during the treatment, however, changes are happening within your body which are having a profound and lasting benefit at a cellular level. Sometimes, treatments have an immediate effect, but with others, you often need several treatments (a course of three to six) to feel the benefits.

After the treatment, some patients may feel temporarily worse before they see any improvement. This is normal and just your body re-aligning its energy flow (Qi).

How Many Treatments will I Need?

All treatments are tailor-made to each individual patient, based on:

1. The individual – everyone is different and their bodies respond at different rates
2. The ailment – Some ailments take longer to treat than others. If you’re suffering from multiple ailments, then this can also extend the treatment period
3. The severity – how severe the ailment is can determine how many treatments you’ll need
4. The duration of suffering – The longer you have been suffering with an ailment, the more your body has adapted to compensate. As a result, you will probably need more treatments to balance the body
5. Age – Our bodies naturally deteriorate with age, which slows the natural recovery rate
6. External factors – How do you treat your body between treatments? Try to reduce stress levels, improve nutrition and exercise. These all influence how many treatments you will need.

On most occasions, and considering all of these factors, patients usually need at least four and eight treatments.