Insomnia isn’t fun and there’s a reason sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture.Now while it might seem counter intuitive to stick needles in you to help you sleep, research shows that acupuncture can help with your zzzzz’s to help get you to get to sleep and stay asleep.A study of volunteers with anxiety and insomnia revealed that acupuncture increased the night time levels of the “sleep hormone” melatonin. At the end of the trial anxiety levels were significantly lower and sleep efficiency had increased. Both sleep quality and sleep time had improved considerably.If you regularly wake at a certain time it can be your body talking to you telling you things are not as optimal as they could be. From a Chinese Medicine point of view, these are very telling signals from your body that you are out of balance. For example:Waking regularly between 1 – 3am can be a sign your liver needs some TLC, you are holding onto a lot of anger, or you have an overload of toxins.Waking up regularly between 3 – 5am can be sign your lung meridian is out of balance or you have a lot of grief and sadness. Acupuncture can help get your system and emotions balanced so you can sleep soundly through the whole night. It also helps with insomnia, sleep disturbances and overall energy levels.

A period tracking app can be a great tool.  Except if you are trying to get pregnant. If you are trying to have a baby, the evidence so far suggests don’t rely too heavily on an app.  Especially if you are finding it hard to conceive.   A recently Australian study (yet to be published) looked at the 36 most common apps in Oz and found that less than 43% actually got it right at predicting ovulation correctly.   Factors including exercise, weight, diet, and ethnicity all play a role in a woman’s menstrual cycle and chances of a couple conceiving.  An algorithm can’t capture all factors that affect fertility. https://theconversation.com/planning-a-baby-a-fertility-app-wont-necessarily-tell-you-the-best-time-to-try-123779?fbclid=IwAR2DvhulT_a_Gqj3517Iu3jiLO-th3DJGSUo6xkhZPkjImrNYgQMtSfvxjQI specialise in working with women – and couples – who are struggling to get pregnant.  More and more research shows that acupuncture helps treat infertility. It can be used on its own to help balance hormones and boost your system, or in conjunction with other fertility treatments (and it can also help reduce symptoms if you are taking fertility medication).FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

Lots of people are afraid to try acupuncture because they are afraid of needles.What I do is very, very different from getting a jab at the doctors. In fact, they are worlds apart.When some people think of acupuncture they conjure up all sorts of scenarios using huge hypodermic needles (or worse).  That couldn’t be further from the truth. Acupuncture uses needles that are about the same width as a strand of hair on your head!Acupuncture works by using very fine disposable needles inserted into specific points – usually in your arms and legs, to balance your system, relieving symptoms.It is a painless and highly effective treatment for most health conditions, injuries and pain.In fact, studies show that acupuncture is as effective, if not more so, than morphine for pain. Best of all, it works alongside other treatments and medications and is a natural, drug-free treatment with no nasty side-effects.Sound like something you need?​

People often say they’ve tried acupuncture and it didn’t work.  But it turns out what they had done was ‘dry needling’ generally by their physio, which is very, very different from TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Acupuncture and what I practice.The biggest difference is that physios and other practitioners using dry needling can practice this form of acupuncture with limited training.  Often just a few short courses vs a traditionally trained and qualified Acupuncturist who studies for four-years to degree level.Dry needling is Western-medicine focussed, has a different aim, and mainly uses myofascial trigger points (you know, those ouchy points) to stimulate the nervous system to relieve pain and muscle spasms.  Sometimes they use a small electrical impulse with the needle as well.  While this can work for the right condition such as tennis elbow or general pain release, often the underlying factors are not addressed and then the condition can come back.Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture looks deeper into the sign and symptoms our body displays. Headaches are just a warning of your body telling you something is not right. Now we can use a dry needling approach and resolve the headaches, but, unless you address the cause of the headaches and resolve it, the headache will come back.TCM is based on balancing the body. If things are in balance then there should be no pain and the body should function without any problems.TCM has been practised for over 3000 years and the scholars of old have used descriptive language to explain the internal workings according to their observations. they belief that health is dependent on your energy or Qi being balanced (exchange Qi for immune system, blood, lymphatic system… )Rather than just focus on one issue, complaint or injury and using a band aid approach, Traditional Acupuncture looks at your system as a whole.  The overarching principle is that when Qi (blood, lymphatics, hormones out of balance) can’t flow freely, pain and illness occur.  This can happen for many reasons, including infection, injury, sickness, emotional or physical stress, poor nutrition, etc.  The aim is to rebalance your body using ultra-fine sterile needles (they are seriously tiny – about the width of a human hair) into specific acupuncture points.  This helps trigger your body’s natural healing process and restore your physical and emotional balance.​

Acupuncture can help with both ends of the pregnancy from conception to delivery, as well as all the stages in between.If you are:trying to get pregnantdealing with fertility issuessuffering with morning sickness, fluid retention, heart burn, discomfort, etchave a breech baby you need to turn aroundare going to be induced or want to help get things startedwant as easy and healthy a pregnancy and labour as you can possibly have. For over 3000 years Traditional Chinese Medicine has been using acupuncture to help women with care during their pregnancy and beyond. It is a great effective, drug-free treatment that is safe and has few risks. It works by using very fine disposable needles inserted into specific points, to balance your system, relieving symptoms.In fact, scientific research says acupuncture can help ease many of the common aches and discomforts during pregnancy. Even better, it’s natural, stress-free for you and your baby.I work alongside your primary care team including your midwife, GP and specialists to help you have a healthy and happy pregnancy.Certain points should not be used during pregnancy except during labour, which is why it’s so important to see a practitioner trained in pregnancy acupuncture care.Book your appointment today and find out how acupuncture can help you in your pregnancy journey.In fact, scientific research says acupuncture can help ease many of the common aches and discomforts during pregnancy. Even better, it’s natural, stress-free for you and your baby.Some of the issues and conditions Acupuncture can help with include:Morning sicknessStudies have shown acupuncture is often effective in reducing nausea and vomiting during all stages of your pregnancy.Headaches and MigrainesResearch has shown that acupuncture can reduce pregnancy-induced headaches.High blood pressureAcupuncture helps reduce high blood pressure, especially if treatment starts early when the hypertension is first diagnosed.Back and body painEffectively treat upper or lower back, rib, hip, pubic symphysis, and sciatic nerve pain, as well as carpal tunnel – without needing drugs.Breech and Posterior BabiesHelps turn babies to the optimal position for delivery. Ideally treatment is at 34-36 weeks, but can still be useful later in your pregnancy if needed.Labour preparationAcupuncture can help prepare you and your pelvis and cervix for the task ahead and reducing the chances of needing medical intervention such as an induction or caesarean delivery.InductionA natural alternative to conventional medical gel or drip induction, helps gently induce labour.Postnatal CareOnce your baby is born acupuncture can help with a range of conditions including improving breast feeding, nipple pain and milk production, healing wounds and scar tissue repair, exhaustion, postnatal depression and anxiety.Acupuncture can also help with:AnaemiaAnxiety and depressionConstipation and other stomach or digestive issuesDepressionHeartburnOedema and swelling in the legs and feetHaemorrhoidsThrush and candida overgrowthInsomnia and sleep issuesSinus problems and allergiesThreatened miscarriageExhaustionPeriod pain and PMSHormonal balancing before or after birth Wherever you are on your pregnancy journey, contact me to find out how I can help.