This is probably the most common question I get asked. My immediate thought is always ‘why does it matter?’

Is that rude? I don’t mean it to be. But, I don’t ask the doctor how my antibiotics work or how the heart medication my Dad takes works. I just trust that the doctors know what they are doing and that these things are tried and tested.

So what is it about Acupuncture that makes people so curious? It’s certainly been tried and tested! Acupuncture has been around for over 2000 years, we know this as manuscripts have been found which document treatment protocols that are still used today and these refer to even older writings! So we can be pretty confident that a practice that has been around for such a long time could only have survived if it was successful.

I wonder if the curiosity comes from the fact that it’s so far away from the Western medicine that we are all familiar with.  In Eastern medicine the body is viewed as many interconnecting systems - each relying on the other, each reducing or increasing the role or influence of the other.  What does this mean though?

It was the Chinese elders many many years ago, living in complete harmony with nature and their surroundings (much like we all must have done once) who were able to map the bodies' systems, organs and the connected pathways between them (we now know this to be connective tissue or fascia). Quite how they did this with no x-rays or MRI machines is a bit of a mystery! An interesting fact as well,  is that they did not perform human dissection either!

These communication pathways or Channels, as they are referred to in Acupuncture, connect the organs with each other and cover the whole body from the finger tips to the top of the head. Each Channel has many important and influential junctions along its length, these are where the Acupuncture points are found, there are 365 major points.  It’s at these points we are able to influence the behaviour of the Energy which  flows within.  We refer to this as Energy as Qi, which translates to 'life force' .

When we treat a client we try to understand what is happening holistically and which Channels are involved - very rarely is there one thing going on.  If we want to control an Excessive condition such as allergies, where the body is over reacting to a given stimulus, then we needle the appropriate points in a Reducing direction (reducing the Energy in that Channel) and if we want to increase the Energy in the Channel for a Deficient condition such as lower back pain, we needle in the Reinforcing direction (increasing the Energy flowing thru that Channel). We always complement any Reducing needles with Reinforcing needles in another Channel so that we do not deplete the Client's Qi, but build it up where necessary to aid recovery.

I like to think the needles 'talk' to the body and help to 'reset' it where needed, bringing it back into balance. If you would like to know more and think that Acupuncure may be able to help you, please do get in touch. 

We all are very aware at the moment of the importance of taking care of our health.  Along with personal hygiene we should be ensuring we are doing all we can to keep our immune systems strong. And there are a number of ways you can do this, acupuncture being one of them.
As we know a lot of contractible illness are caught thru the nose or mouth, and pass directly to our airway to our lungs. Our first defence is our Wei Qi, this is the Qi energy which circulates just beneath our skin and regulates sweating and immunity.
It is dependent on lung function, therefore we strengthen lung function which can be compromised by a number of factors, such as asthma, seasonal allergies, heart conditions and lack of exercise. As we view all aspects of care holistically we don’t just look to strengthen the lungs in isolation. The lungs are linked to many other systems within the body such as the heart, kidneys and digestive system so it is important to strengthen these too so that the immune system can function at its best.
There are many simple things you can to do improve your immune system and boost your Wei qi;

• Regular acupuncture treatments – research has shown acupuncture can increase white blood cells and regulate the immune system
• A cool shower once a day
• Exercise outside
• A good sleep routine
• A healthy diet
• Try to manage stress levels, and balance working hours with time off
• Avoid unnecessary antibiotics, antihistamines and sinus medication
• If you are ill, make sure you rest and give yourself time to recover
• Increase your Vitamin D & C

 
Photo by Olia Nayda on Unsplash

So many women (up to 50%) suffer with hot flushes, these are usually attributed to the changes that our bodies go thru when we reach menopausal age. 
What causes them?
Changes in hormone levels (increased Gonadotropins) can cause night sweats and day time hot flushes in addition to other unwanted side effects such as disturbed sleep, depression and headaches. Not much is actually understood about the aetiology of hot flushes, Western medicine believes that an increase in Gonadotropins is to blame.  These are vital to the normal function of our endocrine system which is responsible for growth, sexual development and our reproduction functions.
There are other explanations which involve the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain that controls temperature. It is thought that when hormone levels drop, as part of the menopause, the hypothalamus wrongly thinks you are too hot sending more blood to the skin and causing the body to sweat to cool the skin down!!
What does TCM think?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine we look at these symptoms slightly differently, whilst acknowledging that this decline in the bodies’ resources is a natural part of a women’s life.  The bodies energy (Qi) and Blood are no longer needed to power reproduction and instead are concentrated on maintaining vitality into later life, this can sometime cause an imbalance which needs assistance to right itself.
Of the systems involved the Kidneys are of greatest importance, these are responsible for a great many things in Chinese medicine, such as;

• Storing Jing (this the original Qi) controls birth, development, reproduction and growth
• Produces marrow and Rules the bones
• Rule Water and Water metabolism
• Is the residence of willpower

Therefore when problems with menopause start it’s usually rooted in a Kidney Deficiency issue. By strengthening the Kidneys we can restore balance and reduce the number and the severity of many symptoms.  The Kidneys have a cooling and nourishing action, and therefore help with symptoms such as dry skin and hot flushes.  They also ‘rule the bones’ so it is vital to keep the Kidneys strong to ensure bone health and reduce the likelihood of early osteoporosis.
Another area which acupuncture can help greatly with is emotional wellbeing. During a significant time of change many women experience mood swings, stress and disturbed sleep patterns. Most people find acupuncture a very relaxing experience and treatments can be tailored to encompass all of the individual symptoms that a women might be feeling.
What else can you do to help?
Other ways to help are ensuring you have a healthy balanced diet and not to eat too much cold or raw food.  One very good thing to try is Bone Broth, this old fashioned recipe can be found in many cultures, it has a strengthening and nourishing effect on a number of the key systems – Kidneys, Liver, Lungs and Spleen.  You can find out more about this and the recipe here on my website; http://www.eastnorwichacupuncture.co.uk/blog/nourishing-bone-broth
It is also important not to over exert yourself, exercise is beneficial so make sure you do some regularly, but do not over do it! Get plenty of rest and keep well hydrated.
If you would like to find out whether acupuncture can help you, call me for an informal chat on 07794 844196 or email me at [email protected]
 
Recent studies/articles;
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279714.php
https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupuncture+and+Menopause
 
to edit.

So the shoe was on the other foot recently! Or should that be the needle was in the other back!! He he! 
What am ! talking about?  Well I found myself being the patient and at a colleague’s acupuncture clinic earlier last week. I recently had a renewed bout of Costochondritis which was getting me down, and after going to the docs last year and being told to take pain killers I knew acupuncture could be more effective at getting to the root cause of the problem.

Costochondritis is a very painful condition, it is where the cartilage between the ribs and sternum becomes inflamed. In my case the pain mainly occurs first thing in the morning, my whole rib cage is sore with stabbing type pains when I move, this is painful enough to wake me up and I just can’t get comfortable!  The only relief is to get up, and then it gradually subsides, unfortunately sometimes this is at 5.30am!!

The causes are basically unknown, inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to infection, irritation or injury, so any of these factors could be contributory. In my case I couldn’t find a specific reason in Western medical terms, so I looked to Traditional Chinese Medicine for the answers.

The main organ involved in TCM diagnosis would be the Liver. The Liver is affected by anger and frustration, which in themselves can be caused by fear. Emotions are believed to have a dramatic effect on health, in TCM the mind & body are not separated but have a direct influence on each other.  Added to the nature of the Liver, are its functions: -

* Stores the Blood – the Liver controls the flow of Blood to the muscles and sinews during activity, and its return at times of rest
* Maintains the Smooth Flow of Qi - If the free flow of the qi is stagnated by the liver, the blood will in turn stagnate as well leading to pain
* Controls Tendons & Sinews – nourishing the tendons, any Liver deficiency or Qi stagnation will result in tendons and sinews being weak leading to numbness or the dysfunction of joints.

So having ‘diagnosed’ myself (which isn’t always wise!) with Liver Qi Stagnation I wanted to get a second opinion and also being acutely aware that  I would not be able to needle all the points required, I headed over to see the lovely Rebecca Geanty @ The Acupuncture Rooms.

She agreed with my diagnosis (phew!) but also pointed out my general Qi deficiency, which I knew about but hadn’t factored in (this is why its not wise to treat yourself, as stated earlier!) this meant that my Kidneys and Spleen both needed strengthening as well as getting my Qi moving, to deal with the Stagnation.

So after having our consultation and general discussion about how fab acupuncture was, I lay on the treatment bed and was ready to become completely relaxed. I’m not going to lie I did feel a few of the needles, but not in a really painful way, just a jolt or a sting or scratch, each one was different! Then once they were all in I was left to relax. It was great I have to say have someone else look after me for a change!

In the following week I did feel a decrease in the severity of the pain and also how early in the morning I was being effected.  So we are on the right path, just need to a have a few more treatments, 3 or 4 should do it I would think.

I’ll keep you posted.

If you are suffering with Costochondritis then give me a call on 07794 844196 to see how acupuncture can help

Due to the continuing popularity of the Saturday multi-bed I am now offering a Monday multi-bed.

Hooray!

Now you can get the same great Acupuncture treatment for an affordable price right up to 8pm every Monday.

All conditions accepted. See Prices & Packages page for more details