Acupuncture

 

Five Element acupuncture is simple, elegant and profound

Its core principle is the recognition that our body, mind and spirit or “shen” (emotions) are linked, and that illness and pain reflects an interruption in the smooth flow of our physical and emotional energy.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of sterile, single-use needles at specific points on the body. The needles are inserted into the skin and either removed quickly, or left in place for a while, depending on the result intended. The needles measure an average width of 0.13mm – as fine as a human hair. If needle insertion is felt at all, it can be a momentary sensation or a slight dull ache on the point. As well as addressing chronic pain and musculo-skeletal issues, a growing body of evidence-based clinical research is discovering that acupuncture can trigger the body’s healing process by calming the central nervous system, regulating hormones and releasing endorphins.

 

Acupuncture is:

  • A safe and effective treatment that involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body.
  • Treatment considers the whole person both physically and emotionally and is tailored for each patient, addressing the root cause of illness alongside treating specific symptoms.
  • Regulates the nervous system, reduces stress, and can stimulate the body’s own innate healing and recovery mechanisms.
  • A professionally trained practitioner who is registered with the British Acupuncture Council employ knowledge of Chinese Medical theory and western biomedicine in assessing treatment.
  • Officially recognised by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).

 

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provide guidelines for the treatments and care of patients and consider acupuncture an appropriate treatment for:

    • chronic (long-term) pain
    • chronic tension-type headaches
    • migraines
    • prostatitis symptoms
    • hiccups
    • joint and muscle pain
    • jaw pain
    • cancer symptoms such as pain
    • side effects of cancer treatment such as feeling or being sick from chemotherapy
    • feeling sick or being sick after surgery

      • (from NHS website)

 

Treatment

Your initial session will take up to 90 minutes and begins with an in-depth consultation to carefully identify the key areas for which you seek treatment. This includes lifestyle details, diet, sleep and relevant medical history. Some simple physical checks are performed to help establish a correct diagnosis. Your first acupuncture treatment will then follow. Please come wearing loose fitting clothing, and be prepared at times to remove outer clothing. Blankets are provided for your comfort.

Following treatments are up to 60 minutes and each treatment is tailored to your specific needs. A normal course of treatment would be a weekly appointment for five weeks, progressing to fortnightly and then proceeding to longer intervals as and when required. Individual treatments can also be booked.