Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been practiced for over 2,500 years and is widely used and accepted all over the world. It is an effective and gentle treatment which focuses on helping the whole person, aiming to improve overall health and wellbeing. Very fine needles are inserted in various acupuncture points to allow the free flow of energy around the body.
Testimonial
I hadn't had a good nights sleep for I don't know how long, my stressful job kept me awake at night. But after acupuncture with Sharon I feel so much much more relaxed and I am sleeping really well. Peter E
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizes many conditions treatable with Acupuncture, such as:
- Chronic back pain
- Headache / migraine
- Neck pain
- Osteoarthritis of the knee
The initial consultation will last up to an hour and a half as a full medical history will need to be taken, including any symptoms you may be having. Other diagnostic techniques may be used such as tongue, body, abdomen and pulse diagnosis, in order to establish why these symptoms are occurring. This information is then used to gain a full picture of your health and to make a diagnosis in order to treat you, this first session will include your first treatment.
During the sessions I remain in the the room with you at all times to monitor the progress of the treatment.
Low cost Multi-bed sessions are available
Multi‑bed acupuncture clinics are a recent and successful phenomenon in the UK ‑ Patients benefit from the reduced cost of treatment in exchange for less one-on-one time with the practitioner.
Sharon has 2 rooms so each patient has privacy, each session is an hour long and costs £30. The treatment start times are staggered so when you first arrive there will be time for discussion regarding your medical history and why you have come for treatment. Once you are comfortable and the needles are administered Sharon will then leave you to relax while she goes to the other room. Sharon is in earshot at all times so you can just call for her if you need and she will be checking in on you throughout the session.
If you prefer a more one on one session then a multi-bed treatment probably would not suit you. If you would like to have a chat about multi-bed treatments just drop me a text, call or e-mail and i will be happy to explain.
How acupuncture works
The western scientific opinion of how Acupuncture works is generally thought to be somehow related to the nerves, however the mechanism is not yet fully understood. The idea is that the insertion of needles affects the nerves which in turn can result in muscle relaxation, brain signals being over-ridden and also chemical changes in body fluids, resulting in possible relief of symptoms.
The Eastern opinion of how Acupuncture works is very different. It is believed that all material that exists, either organic or inorganic, is an expression of a universal energy known as Qi (pronounced chee). Qi energy has 2 aspects Yin and Yang. Yang energy ascends and therefore created Heaven and Yin energy descends and therefore created Earth. The interaction of the Qi from Heaven and the Qi from Earth resulted in the creation of humans. This means that we are directly influenced by the flow of this energy from Heaven and Earth.
This energy enters our bodies via channels known as meridians. The Qi flows in the meridians and is directly related to our health, for example if we are tired we may not have enough Qi or if we have pain there may be an impairment of this flow. We can feel this pain not just physically but also emotionally, spiritually and mentally.
The insertion of needles into specific points on the body can harmonise and improve the flow of Qi and bring us back into balance. The points chosen however are not necessarily where the pain is, for example if someone is getting headaches the appropriate point may actually be on the foot not in the head. This is because the underlying root of the problem may not be associated with where the pain is actually felt, as Acupuncture treats the cause of a problem as well as the symptoms. These causes can be due to a number of factors such as the weather, emotions, diet, life style, over working and so on.
The Qi flows in a cycle, much like the seasons, over the course of 24 hours. This means that the Qi is stronger in certain meridians at certain times, for example the Stomach meridian is stronger between 7-9am, which is therefore a great time to eat breakfast. However this also means that it is at it’s weakest between 7-9pm so therefore not eating after 7pm is better for digestion.
There are many cycles, other than the seasons, that can affect us. A system of Acupuncture known and Stems and Branches looks at the energy of these cycles at the time of birth and also of the day of treatment which can influence the points used. According to this system our birth energy can reflect our strengths and weaknesses and can help the practitioner to understand why a patient is suffering with the conditions they have, and therefore have more tools to treat them.
TESTIMONIAL
Back and Neck pain no more. I have suffered from back pain for many years following a car accident. Since starting a desk job, I was finding that I also had neck and back pain on a more regular basis. I decided to try acupuncture as nothing else was working. I was a little sceptical at first, but Sharon immediately put me at ease and was able to pinpoint the cause of my discomfort. We started on a program of every 4 weeks and eventually moved to every 6 weeks. Sharon was always interested in treating not just the main problem, but also my general well-being. Her passion and knowledge of acupuncture is amazing and the treatments have been immensely beneficial to me. I always looked forward to my next session and will be at a loss without Sharon. Her new clients will be very lucky to have her. Colin S
