AB
WHAT'S ACCUPUNCTURE FOR?
Acupuncture is for the natural treatment of all disorders (or as we like to call them, 'dis-harmonies'), It is the only modality that can offer complete healing of physical, mental and emotional. Acupuncture takes a holistic approach, treating the whole body, mind and spirit, rather than just an isolated part of a person. One part cannot function well if another is imbalanced. Acupuncture can help to bring the body back to balance (homeostasis) and reset the mind. It can make you more aware of the state of your body and mind, and know when something is not quite right. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medecine), we call this the balancing of Yin and Yang (feminine and masculine energy). When the two are not balanced, physical and mental symptoms appear.
ACUPUNCTURE FROM A WESTERN MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE
When there is stagnation in the body, this can manifest as pain or some other symptons and if left untreated can lead to serious disease. Stagnation can be a result of stress, negative emotions, poor diet, accident and injury or lack of phyysical exercise.
Acupuncture is a holistic therapy that uses very fine acupuncture needles on specific acupuncture points along the body to stimulate nerves which then sends signals along the neural pathways (your spine) and up to the brain, triggering the release of the body's own pain-relievers (called endorphins or 'feel-good' chemicals). Acupuncture increases the circulation of the free-flow of blood to the affected area, bringing rich nutrients to encourage faster healing and reduced pain.
As we age, the neurological signals to our brain weakens and so the brain starts to fall asleep. It stops producing all the endorphins and other hormones the body needs to stay well and pain free. Acupuncture works by stimulating the nerves to send neuro signals along the pathways to the brain to 'wake it up' so that it can start releasing again all the feel good chemicals and natural pain killers the body needs to be healthy. The brain needs to be jump started a few times by acupuncture before it can start to do it on its own again without any intervention of needles, this is the reason why a course of at least 6-12 treatments is needed for long term benefits.
Acupuncture also affects the production of other chemicals in the body which control our hormones, blood sugar level, cholestoral, blood pressure and other important bodily functions. Evidence based research indicates that acupuncture can help boost the body's immune system and affects the sympathetic nervous system and endocrine system.
ACUPUNCTURE FROM A TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM) PERSPECTIVE
Each of us has an energetic body that is connected with our physical bodies - a vibrational matrix containing our mental, emotional and spiritual histories. Our bodies remember every one of our life experiences - joyful experiences (yin) like the exhilaration of jumping on the trampoline, or the excitement of a first kiss. However, they also remember the less joyful times (yang) - the feeling of being bullied at school, the trauma of a car crash, or grief over the death in the family or loss of a loved one. If not processed and released correctly, negative emotional energies can remain and be stored in our bodies over time and cause physical or mental symptoms.
Releasing Old Emotional Baggage
In an ideal world, when trauma or deep feelings affect us, we experience and assimilate those feelings, and then discharge and release the energy. However, often we don't accept or deal with our inner responses at the time they happen - sometimes we suppress and block the flow of energy and bury the memory and the feelings. The vibration of the trauma then becomes embedded into our bodies and woven into our muscles, joints and organs. These blocked feelings of guilt, shame, pain and fear become the tension in our bodies, the illnesses and diseases we don't understand.
Releasing blocked energy from our bodies is a vital part of cultivating good health and wellbeing. Acupuncture can help you to do this, safely and naturally. Understanding, processing and discharging the holding from our bodies is a vital step in the healing process. As you receive acupuncture treatments, you will open your body to release the stuck energy that is no longer serving you. There is often a release of emotions that takes place; sometimes there is a memory, an image, or a knowing of some kind that arises at the time of treatment. Clients can get very emotional during or soon after a treatment, this is perfectly natural. It is not uncommon for reports of uncontrollable crying in the following evening/day.
As you continue with your acupuncture treatments, you will:-
-
Release blocked emotional energy that has been holding you back in your life.
-
Retune, rebalance and restore your whole energy system to vibrant health (and therefore your physical body too).
-
Let go of what no longer serves you, and awaken strengths that have been lying dormant within you. Slowly but surely you will start to feel more fully yourself again.
THE BENEFITS OF ACCUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions but is not only for when you have something wrong, but can be used as part of a wellness regime to stay healthy, reduce stress, boost your immune system or energy level when you are feeling sluggish. Clinical studies have shown Acupuncture to be the most effective treatment for chronic and acute pain. Acupuncture provides instant pain relief from the moment the needles are inserted, and long lasting results by helping the body to heal itself at the root of the problem, rather than just relying on painkillers and western drugs to suppress and mask the symptoms. The following is a list of some of the most common conditions that acupuncture treats:-
-
Stress
-
Insomnia
-
Anxiety/Depression
-
Headaches / Migraines
-
Bell's Palsy / Facial Paralysis
-
Numbness of the hands and feet
-
Back & Knee pain
-
Shoulder and neck pain
-
Fibromyalglia
-
Digestive disorders
-
High blood pressure
-
High Cholesterol
-
Diabetes
-
Infertility
-
PMS
-
Menopause
-
Hormonal Balance
-
Asthma/Sinus
DOES ACUPUNCTURE HURT? WHAT HAPPENS DURING A TREATMENT?
Everyone is different so everyone reacts differently. Some people don't feel a thing, whilst others may feel a slight sensation upon insertion but this quickly dissipates as the patient relaxes. A very stagnant person may feel, whilst the needles are inside, the energy blockage being cleared and a sensation of energy flowing up and down their limbs/body or a dull ache at the site of the needle. This is all good indication that the treatment is working and nothing to worry about. As the patient relaxes once all the needles are inserted, the body will start to become more balanced. When the person is in a state of total balance, they will start to feel deeply relaxed and may even fall into sleep. This is natural and should not be resisted as the body heals better when a person is fully relaxed.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?
Again this will vary from person to person, it depends on the condition being treated, and how long the person has had this condition (generally speaking the more chronic the condition the longer length of time is needed to treat it) and their response to treatment. Generally speaking at least a few treatments, 5-6 is needed initially before good improvements can be seen. More treatments are required for chronic conditions. Generally speaking, great improvements are received after 10-12 treatments over a 4-6 week period. Even when symptoms are completely gone, it is advisable to continue treatment for at least 2/3 times in order to stabilise the body. After this, monthly maintenance visits are advised to stay balanced and healthy.
Like most things in life, you have to work hard at staying healthy, even when you feel better! As stress and negative emotions will continue to build up and therefore need to be released with acupuncture.
WHAT CLOTHING DO I NEED TO WEAR?
There is no special clothing that you need to wear to attend treatments...just as long as your clothes are loose fitting so that we can pull up your sleeves and trousers legs, so something like a jogging suit would be perfect. Please do not wear tight jeans or anything that is restricting and uncomfortable to relax in.
IS THERE ANY SPECIAL AFTER CARE THAT I NEED TO OBSERVE?
Again there are no special aftercare...just to drink plenty of water after a treatment to flush out toxins from the body that acupuncture helps to break down. Also avoid doing anything strenuous like going to the gym, as it is important to rest and relax your body after the treatment as the body continues to heal itself.