I practice integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element Acupuncture. This combined holistic approach takes into account both the physical and non-physical aspects of a patient's health.
Contents:
- What is it
- Benefits
- FAQs
- "Patient journeys"
What is acupuncture
The TCM way of understanding health and illness has been developed over more than 2000 years. Through dedicated practice, careful observation, recording and confirmation of the findings a comprehensive and consistent approach to healthcare was developed. This theoretical knowledge is the basis of the diagnosis and treatment. In Chinese medicine the physical, emotional and mental aspects of a human being are interdependent and they form a unity. Therefore the symptoms of a disease cannot be separated from the person as a whole and so treatment plans and point combinations are tailored to the individual's needs.
The traditional acupuncture theories of health and illness are based on Qi (loosely translated as "life-force"). Qi flows around the body through a network of channels or meridians. Through questioning and observation the acupuncturist assesses the state of the patient's Qi. This assessment can be related to the "organs" - which are defined differently in Chinese Medicine to the biomedical lung, liver etc organs, altough there are some overlaps. In the traditional theory illness can be described in terms of deficiency of Qi, excess of Qi, or blockage of Qi within the meridian and organ system. The acupuncturist seeks to move the Qi within this system to strengthen deficiency, reduce excess and clear blockages and thus restore balance. As a result, your ability to heal yourself is activated. Usually, your symptoms are relieved and you feel a greater sense of wellbeing. How long this takes is often related to how long you have had the problems.
The needles are filiform, single use, sterile, stainless steel needles. They are sometimes inserted only for a few seconds and sometimes they are left in place for a little while before they are removed. They are so fine that most people don't even feel them when they are inserted. There may be some mild tingling or dull sensation when the needles are manipulated. Most people find the treatments very relaxing.
Other Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities:
Gua Sha or scraping of the skin with a blunt tool: a relaxing and refreshing treatment that stimulates blood and lymphatic flow, releases toxins and reduces inflammation. The skin's microcirculation increases which brings better hydration.
Cupping increases blood flow into the area treated, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. It supports natural healing by removing normal metabolic waste and freeing up muscles and fascia.
Tui na, a massage technique that gently encourages the nourishment of tissues and the free movement of fascia.
Moxibustion: during which a dried herb - mugwort or moxa - is slowly burnt to warm and activate energy channels and acupuncture points.
Traditionally practitioners would also give dietary advice and qigong exercises to their patients.
What are the benefits
When you are considering acupuncture for your condition, the best step is to first consult the British Acupuncture Council's Fact Sheets.
Whatever your particular problem, because treatment is designed to affect your whole body and not just your symptoms, you may notice other niggling complaints also get better with a course of treatment. Indeed, some people choose acupuncture when they feel their bodily functions are out of balance, but they have no obvious diagnosis. Once tried, many people have regular or ‘top-up’ treatments because they find it so beneficial and relaxing. For some conditions, such as migraine, acupuncture can be given to prevent flare-ups from occurring. Another benefit of acupuncture is that it can be given alongside other therapies and / or medication, in almost all circumstances.
Here are some examples of evidence:
A robust patient-data meta-analysis by Vickers et al (2018), involving 20,000 patients, supports acupuncture as an effective treatment for chronic pain conditions such as:
- Headache, Migraine
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Lower back pain
- Osteoarthritic pain
The results confirmed a genuine, long-term effect rather than a placebo response, with the benefits holding for at least a year. For more information please see the BAcC Factsheets.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly updates its evidence map of acupuncture, with recent findings suggesting that acupuncture offers benefits for various mental health conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
Please consult the BAcC Fact Sheets for a comprehensive review of this evidence on the topic.
- Fibromyalgia:
is a poorly understood, challenging, chronic pain condition which presents with a wide range of symptoms. A traditional acupuncturist takes into account all those signs and symptoms to develop the best course of treatment that fits that particular patient at that time. NICE Guidelines (2021) recommend considering acupuncture for chronic primary pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia. Supporting this, studies recognized by John Hopkins University in the US suggest that acupuncture can effectively manage fibromyalgia symptoms.
If you are unsure whether acupuncture is right for you, please do get in touch. I will be more than happy to answer your questions without any obligations.
What to expect
At the initial consultation I will take your detailed medical history, feel your pulses, look at your tongue and examine the area of your symptoms. Your individual treatment plan will be based on your state of health and lifestyle.
Normally people have a course of treatments. Weekly sessions are quite usual to start with, for the first 6 sessions, reducing the frequency as your body responds.
The initial consultation includes the first treatment and lasts for about 1.5 hours. Follow-up sessions are about 1 hour long.
For information on pricing and to book please click here.
Photographer: Matthew Kaltenborn
Patient Journeys
Here are two reviews that I received from two ptients. They outlined their "patient journey" in detail.
The first one was written by an initially sceptical person. The second one was written by someone who has a deep seated fear of needles.
"SymptomsI have suffered blocked sinuses, and associated nasal drip for a number of years. Treatment with medication such as nasal sprays and nasal steroids have had limited and typically short term benefits. Over the winter months this contributes to winter colds and an annoying persistent cough. I also suffer from hayfever over the summer months starting with tree pollen and often have very itchy irritated eyes. I had often thought that these nasal / respiratory symptoms were related.Achievements
- Needles - I have a pathological fear of needles. Overcoming this to make my appointment and first visit was a huge step for me. Your patience, reassurance and calm explanation of exactly what you were doing and going to do during each visit made this manageable for me to the point that I no longer have the dreaded anticipation of being needled. You also clearly explained exactly the purpose of each needle.
- Sinuses - I initially contacted you about my persistently blocked sinuses. These were sometimes painful, but always caused limitations on breathing through my nose, particularly on exercising. As a result of the treatments my sinuses are now largely cleared and nasal passages open. I also do not need to clear my throat in the morning nearly as much as I used to and have not had an irritating cough so far this year.
- Hayfever - I have suffered from Hayfever for many years, with typical symptoms, but was particularly troubled by itchy irritated eyes. Not ideal as I wear specs and enjoy gardening. Although I did not seek help for this initially, during our discussions weagrreed to try to manage this. I am truly delighted to say that this is the first year in many that I have had practically no symptoms and have had no more than 6 or 7 antihistamines over the whole year. Amazing !
- Building up my immune system - This is a work in progress. We have reduced the frequency of visits to monthly, but agreed to build on the success achieved so far by trying to strengthen my immune system to try to prevent / reduce my winter coughs ( the kind that are triggered by going from hot to cold spaces or vice versa). We will see how that goes but I am very optimistic.
Practicalities
- Initial discussion - This was very comprehensive and I liked that you took some considerable time to really understand my symptoms, what I hoped to achieve and my reservations about treatment. Crucially, you made sure that I was comfortable to give feedback, ask questions and you always actively encourage me to do that. I now understand that it is as helpful for you to best treat me as it is for me to be relaxed.
- Plan next steps - We always agree clear next steps and I never feel pressured into any course of action. Indeed, given my reservations about needles, you have said on some occasions that a particular treatment option might be helpful but that it would not be for me. This helps with trust, relaxation and I think maximum benefit from the treatments.
- Timelines - I have never felt pressured into making regular appointments, rather, you have suggested visits appropriate to treatment needs. We are now on monthly visits, but reassuringly you have made it clear that if I have any issues, I should call.
- Other issues. - It’s brilliant that you always check if I have any other issues. To this end you have immediately helped relieve sore muscles and joints using other treatments you know. I think the ones I have had are cupping and moxy. You have also suggested some dietary tweaks that might help.
- Calm and reassuring - Your calm and reassuring manner compliment your great listening skills and ability to get to the real issue.,
Thank you so much for helping to manage my Sinus and Nasal issues. You really have made a big difference to my quality of life.It is apparent that you invest a great deal of time and consideration into what people visiting you might benefit from. I hope that they are aware of the level of care and commitment you invest in them and the additional work you undertake to understand and best treat the ailments.You have a range of skills and talents that complement each other. It may not be appropriate to share these “all in one go” with people, but I do think it important that your breadth of experience and expertise be known. Not all practitioners are as skilled and as a patient, choosing who to contact for therapy is daunting."
