What is Acupuncture?

Below you can watch an excellent video full of helpful facts and descriptions produced by the British Acupuncture Council about what acupuncture is but first I’d like to tell you a little about how I see acupuncture to give you a flavour of my approach as a practitioner and help you decide if I’m the right match for you.

My view, shaped by my own experience as a practitioner and my research into acupuncture and trauma (learn more about my research here) sees acupuncture not only as a way of restoring people’s health but also restoring their connection to themselves, hence the name of my business, “Restore Me”. I’ll explain a little more…

All too often I see patients who are heavy with the weight of uncomfortable symptoms relating to their physical or mental health, often both. Heavy with discomfort, they are unable to move forward in their lives; they can feel stuck but lack the energy and resolve to make the necessary changes to improve their situation. Feelings of frustration and disappointment arise which further contribute to ill health and so the cycle continues. In the process the real essence of the person (the patient) becomes hidden under many layers of symptoms. It’s not just that they are in pain, for example, but they also stop doing things that previously brought them joy, they start thinking differently about themselves and the way they meet the world changes too; cumulatively these changes can mean they lose their sense of self and sense of purpose.

The effects of acupuncture don’t just stop at resolving pain or relieving anxiety, there’s more… As symptoms resolve, patients feel better physically and mentally; they feel lighter and have more energy. Consequently they feel more like their old selves again (but a healthier, stronger version!) and are ready to meet the world again with renewed strength and purpose. Remember those changes they wanted to make but didn't have the energy for? Well guess what, they are now ready to make them…

Acupuncture is a highly personalised medicine that treats you as a whole person (hence the word holistic). This means that if you come with neck and shoulder pain I will ask you about other aspects of your health and wellbeing. I may discover, for example that you are working in a very stressful job where you sit for many hours without moving, that you sometimes feel anxious and have frequent digestive issues, `occasional headaches with pain starting in your forehead and bad PMT. So you see, even though I will treat your pain, you are actually coming with much more than just your sore neck and shoulder!

Common conditions supported by acupuncture

• Mental health: stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD

• Addiction

• Menopausal symptoms

• Insomnia

• Osteoarthritis

• Chronic pain

• Low back, neck and shoulder pain

• Headache and migraine

• Low energy and fatigue

• Chronic fatigue

• Fibromyalgia

• Fertility

• Fertility requiring assisted conception (IVF, ICSI)

• PCOS, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea

• Digestive issues: constipation, IBS, dyspepsia

• Cancer

• Long Covid, asthma, respiratory issues

A more comprehensive list, supported by research, is available from the British Acupuncture Council.