Acupuncture
Stevenage
Acupuncture is a tried and tested
system of medicine. The Chinese and other eastern cultures have
been using acupuncture to restore, promote and maintain good
health for thousands of years.
Nowadays more and more people are
finding this long established therapy can offer an effective
solution to all manner of today’s ills.
Acupuncture is now accepted all over the world as a valid system
of healthcare and in the UK there are currently over 2800
qualified acupuncturists registered with the British Acupuncture
Council.
Who has acupuncture?
Many people come to acupuncture for
help from specific symptoms or conditions. Others choose
acupuncture as a preventive measure to strengthen their
constitution, or because they just feel generally unwell.
Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages, including babies
and children. It can also be used alongside conventional
medicine.
What happens when I go for treatment?
You will be asked about your
current symptoms, what treatment you have received, your medical
history, your diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and
emotional state. The acupuncturist is also likely to feel your
pulse on both wrists, and may ask to look at your tongue. The
acupuncture points used are not always close to the part of the
body where you experience the problem. For example, although you
might suffer from headaches, needles may be inserted in your foot
or hand.
How many sessions will I need?
Frequency and length of treatment
depends on your individual conditions. Some change is usually
felt after five treatments, although occasionally only one or two
treatments are required. Some patients may need long term
treatment. Your acupuncturist will normally ask to see you once
or twice a week at first.
Should my doctor know?
If you have been prescribed
medication it makes sense to tell your doctor that you are
planning to have acupuncture. You should always tell your
acupuncturist about any medication you are taking as this may
affect your response to the acupuncture treatment.
Is it Safe?
Acupuncture has a very sound track
record. The needles are single-use, sterile and disposable.
Responses to treatment can sometimes include tiredness or mild
dizziness, and on occasion minor bruising may occur. However, all
such reactions are short-lived.
What does it feel like?
Acupuncture needles are much finer
than needles used for injections, and blood tests. When the
needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as a tingling
or dull ache.
What can acupuncture do for me?
Acupuncture is widely considered to
be beneficial for a range of illnesses and symptoms, from clearly
defined complaints such as headaches, vomiting, neck ache, and
back, arthritic, and dental pain, through to more general feelings
of ill health such as nausea or low energy.
Conditions commonly treated fall into the following categories
of disorder:
Eye, ear, nose and throat;
circulatory; gastrointestinal; gynaecological; genito-urinary;
immune; musculo-skeletal; neurological; respiratory; emotional;
and psychological; addiction.
Many woman choose to have acupuncture throughout pregnancy and
childbirth. In addition, it is increasingly used by couples
dealing with problems of fertility or to support IVF treatment.
To find out more about what acupuncture can do for you please
speak to your local BacC acupuncturist or contact the British
Acupuncture Council.
The point of acupuncture
Good health is not just the absence
of pain or disease. Traditional acupuncture works to maintain the
body’s equilibrium by focusing on all aspects of wellbeing,
physical, mental and emotional. According to traditional Chinese
philosophy, our health is dependent on the body’s motivating
energy moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of
channels beneath the skin. This energy is known as qi.
The flow of qi can be disturbed by any number of factors. These
include emotional states such as anxiety, anger, or grief, as well
as poor nutrition, hereditary factors, infections, and trauma.
When the qi is unbalanced, illness may result.
The acupuncturist inserts ultra fine needles at chosen points
along the channels of energy. The aim is to stimulate the body’s
own healing response and restore its natural balance.
Treatment is aimed at the root of your condition, as well as your
symptoms. This approach can lead to a more permanent resolution
of your problem.
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