About Acupuncture

What is acupuncture, and should you use it?

Acupuncture is a therapeutic tool within Traditional Chinese Medicine – just as pharmaceutical drugs, or surgery are therapeutic tools within Conventional Medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, like Conventional Medicine, can treat virtually anything, and like Conventional Medicine, it is probably better at some things than others.

Conditions that acupuncture treats successfully are often those that Conventional Medicine is less successful with. So there is good evidence of acupuncture’s effectiveness for morning sickness, and turning breech babies. There is good evidence for effectiveness as an adjunct to IVF. However, it is also useful in conditions not specific to a woman’s reproductive years! I have had good success treating allergy, depression and other psychological ailments, and migraine and headache. It is particularly good for acute musculo-skeletal pain – sore and stiff shoulders and knees, tight and painful tendons, joints that don’t feel right.

We diagnose in a completely different way to Conventional Medicine, but the overall process is similar: a diagnosis leads to a treatment plan, and prescription, but the prescription will consist of dietary and lifestyle advice, acupuncture points, and possibly herbs.

Traditional Acupuncture can assist with many health problems. Distinctively it does not address physical and psychological symptoms separately, but seeks to treat the patient as a whole person. As well as the experience of millions of patients, there is now a growing body of evidence-based clinical research to show that acupuncture works safely and successfully.

Symptoms & Treatments

Often people find that when they have acupuncture for one thing, other aspects of their health improve. For example, while being trated for anxiety, they may find that their menstrual pain or general sense of well-being improves.

My main areas of work are gynaecology from menarche to menopause, especially fertility; I have an interest in headaches, and have published in this area; and I have a special interest in psychological distress. I have a degree in psychology and training in counselling.

My main areas of work are:

• Conception support
• IVF support
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Menstrual irregularities
• Painful periods
• Ovarian cysts
• Headaches, including migraines
• Depression
• Anxiety

However I am trained as a generalist, and am happy to discuss anything you might want help with. If I think I can't help I will try to refer you onto appropriate care elsewhere.

Who might benefit from acupuncture?

You might have a recent sports injury or sprain, or sore muscle or joint that is troubling you.  Acupuncture can very often give rapid relief from acute musculo-skeletal pain.

However you might equally have a condition that’s been troubling you for some time.  For example you may be depressed, or you might be struggling to conceive a baby. You may have seen your doctor already, and maybe other complementary therapists; but you haven’t yet found an approach that suits you.

This website tells you about acupuncture and the sort of conditions it can help with, but nothing replaces discussing your specific needs with me, so please feel free to phone to discuss what ails you. I can help with a wide range of conditions, but will always seek to refer you elsewhere if I feel I can’t be of immediate help.