What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is part of an ancient system of medicine called "Traditional Chinese Medicine" - TCM, originating from China. It is based on the idea of "Qi" (energy) flowing around the body concentrated in channels called "meridians". Normally energy travels around the body smoothly but aspects such as emotions, the weather, diet and physical trauma can all affect the energy and can cause it to become imbalanced/blocked.

What can acupuncture help?

Acupuncture can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions such as pain (including frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, arthritis etc), insomnia, stress, hypertension, anxiety, eczema, headaches, migraines, dizziness, sinusitis, hay-fever, digestive problems, I.B.S, menstrual disorders, menopause, infertility, Bell's palsy.

Acupuncture can also help in stopping smoking and can be used as a preventative measure to uphold health. Facial Rejuvenation acupuncture can help to brighten your complexion and work on problem areas.

Acupuncture can produce very successful results; maybe this is due to its holistic view of the body, treating the individual as a whole rather than simply relieving symptoms. Treatment is based around the condition a person is suffering from and the underlying cause of this, once the cause is treated the manifestations will diminish.

Diagnosis and treatment

During the first consultation a variety of questions will be asked, mainly surrounding the patient's symptoms, but also about their diet , sleep patterns, digestive system etc. The practitioner will also look at the persons tongue and feel their pulses at the wrists to help form a diagnosis.

Once a diagnosis has been made a selection of acupuncture points will be discussed for use. These points are located on the meridians where the energy is more concentrated. The points are specific and individual for every person and stimulate the body to repair itself, restoring the natural flow of the energy.

The needles used are very fine and should not hurt on insertion. The feeling is described as tingling, numbness, heaviness or an ache. The needles are left in position for 20 minutes. Many people find the treatment very relaxing. Single use needles are always used.

How long does a treatment last?

The first consultation and treatment will last around an hour and a half and the following treatments around one hour. The number of treatments required will be discussed at the consultation, this can differ for everyone depending on the problem and how long they have suffered etc..

The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)

The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) was formed in 1995 and now in 2004 it contains 2500 members. Entry into the Council demands high standards of ethics and education - 3 years full time study with at least 400 clinical hours and biomedical science.

The BAcC has codes of Safe Practice, Professional Conduct and Health and Disciplinary Procedures. All members are covered by full Medical and Malpractice and Public/Products liability insurance.

Our Practitioner

Lynsey Garratt

Traditional Chinese Medicine Degree
Salford University 2000

Health Insurance

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Most health insurance companies who cover osteopathy.

Lynsey started training at Salford University on the "Traditional Chinese Medicine" degree in 2000. She then went on to train in Chinese Patent Herbs an Shinzen College of TCM in Manchester to use alongside her acupuncture. Lynsey has further trained in China at the 1^st Teaching Hospital of Tianjin, where she gained great insight into how acupuncture can be used to its full advantage.

She has also trained in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture with Virginia Doran at the Acupuncture College in Leamington Spa. This is becoming a popular treatment, receiving quite a lot of press since coming over from America.

If you would like to know more about acupuncture please do not hesitate to ring Lynsey or reception for a more detailed information sheet.

Links

British Acupuncture Council

Acupuncture