Acupuncture is based on ancient principles dating back thousands of years and looks at the whole person. The practitioner starts by gathering a full case history, takes your pulse and looks at your tongue. This helps the practitioner to identify patterns in your body that have become weak, stagnated or blocked and therefore causing pain or disease.

The practitioner will then create an individual treatment plan designed to bring you back into balance and restore your wellbeing using a carefully selected choice from over 360 acupuncture points on the body.

Fine, sterile, single use needles are inserted into these points to move the Qi (energy) helping you to feel ‘you’ again - restoring your natural energy. You may also notice that other niggling symptoms will also resolve as your main complaint starts to improve.

Acupuncture needles are fine needles and do not hurt, you may feel a tingling sensation or a dull ache but this is all very normal and is known as ‘deqi’. If you do feel discomfort your practitioner can adjust or remove the needle.

Acupuncture works cumulatively and people successfully seek acupuncture to relieve symptoms for the many conditions listed below. If you would like further information, The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) have collated evidence based factsheets.

You can also visit the Cochrane Library on the success of Acupuncture.

Acupuncture can relieve symptoms of:

Acne - Allergic Rhinitus - Anxiety - Angina and Heart Disease - Asthma Back Pain - Bell’s Palsy Cold & Flu - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Chronic pain Dementia - Depression - Diabetes Type II & Gestational - Dizziness & Vertigo Painful periods (Dysmenorrhea) -Pregnancy & Labour Eczema & Psoriasis - Endometriosis Facial pain - Fibromyalgia - Frozen Shoulder Gout Headaches - Hypertension Infertility – Male and Female Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Insomnia Migraine - Menopausal symptoms Nausea & Vomiting -Neck Pain Musculoskeletal pain Sciatica - Sinusitis - Stroke - Stress - Substance dependency Urinary Incontinence

Moxa or Moxibustion comes from Chinese Mugwort leaves. The herb is formed into cone shapes and placed on acupuncture points on the body. It is then lit and gently smoulders, warming the area and moving the flow of Qi and Blood. Sometimes a practitioner may use a moxa stick or place moxa on a needle. It’s a beautifully warming and soothing therapy. 

This involves putting suction cups on areas of the body that hold tension or are painful.  Often this is the back, shoulders and sometimes the back of your legs. The suction helps to release pressure and tension. It is a wonderfully nourishing treatment.

Please wear loose comfortable clothing. You will need to remove shoes, socks, tights and tight clothing for your acupuncture session. I will need to be able to access your lower legs and arms from the knee and elbow down. Depending on the treatment I may need to access your stomach or back. Your comfort is my priority and I am happy to discuss any concerns you may have.

I want you to gain the maximum benefit from the session and ask that phones are on silent.