As a natural (drug free) form of healing, acupuncture provides a holistic approach to the body’s health, treats a wide range of ailments, treats the underlying cause of illness as well as the symptoms. Acupuncture is one of the medical therapies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It involves the insertion of very fine (less than 0.30mm, stainless steel, sterile and disposable needles) into specific points on the body.
TCM practitioners discovered that the body forms disharmonies as a result of the various physical and mental stresses on life. Oriental medicine explains these disharmonies as an imbalance of opposing forces called yin and yang. This imbalance disrupts the flow of the body’s vital energy (qi) along the meridians, which are channels through which the body’s energy is thought to flow. Acupuncture restores the smooth flow of qi. By inserting and manipulating hair-thin needles at specific points, I am able to help return the body to its natural balance and promote the body’s ability to heal itself.
Acupuncture has been used widely in China for thousands of years and if you have to visit a hospital or a health centre there, you will find acupuncture and other TCM therapies available and practised successfully in conjunction with Western medicine in a safe and professional environment.
The World Health Organisation illness list that responds well to Acupuncture
- Back pain
- Bell’s palsy
- Digestive Disorders
- Hay fever
- ME, lack of energy
- Migraine and Headaches
- Menstrual disorders
- Muscle and joint pain
- Sport injuries
- Stroke rehabilitation
Infant: Colic, Teething, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Respiratory problems
Moxibustion involves the heating of acupuncture points with smouldering mugwort herb (known as moxa). Moxibustion stimulates circulation, counteracts cold and dampness in the body, and promotes the smooth flow of blood and qi. This safe, non-invasive technique may be used alone, but it is generally used in conjunction with acupuncture treatment.
Diet and Lifestyle
The principles of Chinese Medicine state clearly that food and exercise play an important role in maintaining good health by contributing to an optimal balance. In fact, the Chinese believe that food is one of the three sources of Qì (food, hereditary, and environment). Therefore, according to TCM, the foods we eat directly influence the excesses and deficiencies in our bodies.
Foods are seen as having different properties: yin or yang, warming or cooling, drying or moistening, etc. Certain foods are better for some people than others, depending on the person’s type and constitution.