Acupuncture has a respected tradition of restoring and balancing health with a 2,500 year track record to draw on.
Although the origins of acupuncture are deeply rooted in Chinese antiquity its’ modern day reputation is backed by the latest scientific research and worldwide recognition.
In recent years the use of acupuncture for natural fertility and pregnancy support has gained positive media attention and it is increasingly used alongside medically assisted techniques like IVF.
It can be used to balance hormones and improve cycle regularity, help ovulation, support follicle development, improve egg quality and increase blood flow to the womb lining as well as to reduce stress in the lead up to IVF.
Many patients also choose acupuncture to help back and joint pain and support recovery from injuries. Often 4-6 weekly sessions can significantly improve patients pain scores.
Acupuncture is relaxing and has a calming effect on the nervous system so it can be a wonderfully supportive tool for those struggling with anxiety, insomnia and depression.
Other conditions which get worse with stress like IBS, heart burn, psoriasis, eczema and hormonal issues like period pain, endometriosis and fibroids can also benefit from a short course of acupuncture.
Acupuncture works by stimulating ‘qi’ which flows along the connective tissue throughout the body. This fine electrical magnetic energy, ‘qi’ or ‘prana’ forms an extensive network which connects to the brain.
The acupuncture points or ‘men’ or ‘gates’ run along the main acupuncture meridians or channels and when a fine needle is inserted painlessly into the point it creates an electrical charge which can be felt as ‘deqi’ or ‘needle sensation.’
This increased charge gives feedback to the brain to relax a certain muscle group, to send more endorphins to reduce labour or period pain or release neurotransmitters to improve mood and support relaxation and sleep.
Just stimulating a single point, BL67, on the side of each little toe for 20 minutes for several days in a row can increase breech babies ability to move and correct their position.
Acupuncturists use point systems or location maps which have been passed down by word-of-mouth from one generation of family acupuncturists to the next for millennia to decide which combination of points to use and how to find them.
In the 1950’s Chairman Mao controversially edited and ‘rationalised’ this family knowledge into what is today known as Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM.
Although many other different traditions still exist throughout Asia in Taiwan, Japan and Korea.
