Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the virtually painless insertion of very fine sterile needles into acupuncture points on the body.

How it works

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture regulates the circulation of Qi (energy), leading the body to an optimum state in which it can heal itself.  Many triggers can cause the Qi to become blocked; some of the most common are diet and lifestyle, overwork, stress, emotional events and physical trauma.

Using local acupuncture points encourages local healing, whilst using balancing points returns the Qi of the whole body to harmony.

According to recent Western scientific discoveries, including over 10,000 Cochrane registered research trials; acupuncture stimulates nerve endings, encourages tissue healing and reduces inflammation.

It also stimulates the nervous system to release chemical messengers such as endorphins, which change mood and reduce pain.

Acupuncture can regulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system (involving the flight/flight/rest/digest reactions of the body). It also regulates the function of internal organs via mediation of spinal nerves and the hypothalamus.

Both Chinese Traditional Medicine and Western perspectives on acupuncture are valid in their own way. The art of the traditional acupuncturist is to discern where subtle energy is blocked and return it to healthy balance. The science of the modern acupuncturist is to understand how that process works.

Ear (Auricular) Acupuncture

Developed in the 1950s by French doctor and medical research scientist Dr Paul Nogier, ear (auricular) therapy has become an important part of both Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern acupuncture practice.

Ear (auricular) therapy may be of benefit in some conditions as well as increasing the overall benefit of traditional acupuncture. One advantage is that ear points can be the stimulated daily by the patient , with the use of of tiny ball bearings covered with an adhesive strip which are placed on points in the ear.

Ear (auricular) therapy also contains protocols for the treatment of trauma and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)