SO HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?

Chinese medicine looks at the body from an entirely different perspective. We look at the body in holistic terms as a system of meridians and organs which need to work in balance and harmony for optimal health and well-being. We look to the root cause of why something is happening and work to correct the imbalance, rather than just treating the symptoms.

Meridians are energy channels throughout your body carrying energy or Qi (pronounced chee). Acupuncture unblocks and moves the Qi through the body’s systems including the nervous, respiratory, circulatory, muscular, and digestive systems.There are twelve main meridians – Bladder, Kidney, Liver, Gall Bladder, Heart, Small Intestine, Triple Warmer, Pericardium, Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Large Intestine. They connect to the organ or system they are named after, but also have emotions that relate to them as well. So we are treating not just physical issues or ailments, but on an emotional level as well.

During a treatment, fine needles (the width of a piece of hair) are inserted into points to stimulate the body’s nervous system to balance Qi. Each acupuncture point has certain actions.

You remain clothed on the treatment table and I work with points predominantly in the legs, feet, arms and hands (so rest assured, I won’t be prodding and poking into areas you aren’t comfortable with).It may seem odd to have needles placed in your legs if you are having stomach pain, but trust me it works!

I use sterile single use needles which are disposed of immediately after removal.

Most new patients are amazed how painless acupuncture is – the thought is worse than the reality. You may feel some heaviness, tingling or electric sensation either around the needle or travelling up or down the affected energy pathway or meridian. But often there is no sensation at all and the needles are completely painless.Depending on the type of treatment you have received, you may feel very relaxed and calm or you may feel revitalized and more clear-headed.

It is not unusual to feel like resting after a treatment and occasionally your symptoms may flare for a short time before settling. Generally the effects of the treatment will be more obvious the following day.

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