Acupuncture 

Traditional Acupuncture is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medince – a tried and tested  healthcare system based on ancient principles that date back almost two thousand years. 

Today Its benefits are now widely acknowledged all over the world and in the past decade have begun to feature more prominently in mainstream healthcare in the UK.

In conjunction with needling, the practitioner may use other techniques such as moxibustion, cupping and medical massage and may also suggest dietary or lifestyle changes.

This system takes a holistic approach to health and regards illness as an indication that the body is out of balance; the degree of this imbalance being unique to each individual. The overall aim of treatment is to restore the body’s equilibrium.

Your practitioner will use subtle techniques and diagnostic tools that have been developed over hundreds of years to build a thorough diagnosis of the patient. 

The patient is seen as an individual and focus is not on the illness itself but on the symptoms and their relation to one another; finding the root of the problem within that particular patient and treating that. Therefore two people that have the same western diagnosis may well have two different acupuncture treatments.

“Traditional acupuncturists believe that the underlying principle of treatment is that illness and pain occur when the body’s qi, or vital energy, cannot flow freely. There can be many reasons for this; emotional and physical stress, poor nutrition, infection or injury are among the most common. By inserting ultra-fine sterile needles into specific acupuncture points, a traditional acupuncturist seeks to re-establish the free flow of qi to restore balance and trigger the body’s natural healing response.”  

An excerpt from The British Acupuncture Council’s (BAcC) website.

What to expect from your treatment sessions

After talking with Martine about how acupuncture can help you, she will send you some consultation forms to fill out prior to you attending your initial consultation and treatment session. During this initial consultation, which should take between 1-2 hours, she will go through the forms with you and discuss your main complaint and other areas of health that you may be concerned with. Martine will also use Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostics, like looking at your tongue and feeling the pulses. All this information is then put together to formulate your diagnosis and personal treatment plan.

Most importantly she will work out your constitutional elemental imbalance. This will become clearer as treatment sessions progress.

After the initial consultation and as part of the first session you will have your first acupuncture (or Tui Na) treatment. Usually a few fine sterile needles will be placed in the back, feet or hands. Sometimes they can be left in for 10 – 20 minutes, sometimes they can be inserted and taken out after a sensation has been achieved, this all depends on what is needed in the session. Generally in Five Element Acupuncture very few needles are used. It is usually a very relaxing sensation. After the treatment Martine will discuss relevant lifestyle advice with you that would be beneficial, such as various Chinese health related exercises, meditations or specific Chinese medicine dietary/food advice, again depending on your specific health needs.

Other important information and points

• It is important to know that Acupuncture is safe alongside conventional medical treatment. 
• Acupuncture treatment may enable you to reduce or even stop taking some forms of medication, though your doctor should always be consulted regarding any change of prescription. 
• Acupuncture can support conventional medical treatments for cancer by helping the body eliminate toxins as well as giving relief from pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
• Acupuncture is not like having an injection and is not painful.
• Acupuncture uses fine sterile needles that are disposed of after they are used.