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Acupuncture
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain. Increasingly, it is being used for overall wellness, including stress management. Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as chi or qi (chee) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.
Acupuncture Can Help To Relieve Pain & Discomfort
- Chemotherapy-induced and postoperative nausea and vomiting
- Dental pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches, including tension headaches and migraines
- Labor pain
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Menstrual cramps
- Respiratory disorders, such as allergic rhinitis
- Tennis elbow
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What Our Customers Love About us
What Makes Healife Unique?
Safe and Hygiene
We take pride in our high standards of safety and hygiene: each needle is sterilized and disposed immediately, we follow the regulations as per the ministry of health for needle depth and we employ only experienced practitioners to ensure your comfort.
Experienced Practitioners
An outstanding team of experienced and professional practitioners dedicated approach let by a UKcertified management team that put authenticity and ethical practice at the heart of what we do.
Result Oriented
We put all of our effort to produce tangible results for our
Scientific Basis Of Acupuncture
- From a scientific perspective, the act of placing a needle into specific points (acupoints) of the body causes the release of various neuropeptides, endorphins being one of them.
- A study conducted in 2002 has suggested that the needle insertion into the acupoint ST36 (Zusanli) has illicit a cell regenerative respond in a region in the brain together with an increase in the secretion of neuropeptide Y.
- As neuropeptide Y is mainly useful in balancing mental function, this supports the traditional usage of this point for homeostasis purposes.
- This research opens up the understanding of acupuncture from a scientific point of view whereby acupuncture can elicit a physical response in the human body.
- The meridian has evaded explanation for the longest time as a mere pseudo-scientific concept.
- An emerging theory suggests that the energy meridian line has a physical presence in the human body.
- An extensive list of evidence has been reviewed and the panel concluded that the meridian lines in the body is linked to the myofascial network.
- The fascia is a network of covering on the muscle which keeps the shape of the muscles and bodily posture.
- It also functions as an information transfer medium between the Central Nervous System and the body.
- Emerging scientific evidence details the usefulness of acupuncture in regulating the autonomic nervous system via the stimulation of the central nervous system of the brain.
- This will benefit conditions such as epilepsy, anxiety, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
- As acupuncture balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous (identifies as the Yin and Yang) system, it restores balance to the autonomic nervous system and thus In term of endocrinological regulation, acupuncture is noted to help with the regulation of thyroid hormones.
- Generally, acupuncture helps to regulate endocrine function and could benefit those that have hormonal imbalances.
- Acupuncture regulates hormone production as well and this is done via regulation of the circadian rhythm
Scientific Basis Of Acupuncture
- Acupuncture therapy has been known as a practice associated with Oriental Medicine and has potential therapeutic procedure for which there is good scientific evidence.
- It was originated in China and is often assumed to be a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Oriental Medicine is usually characterized as having a unique pathophysiological concept of disease, key components of which are the flow of qi, a kind of energy.
- The absence of a clear distinction between body and soul, known as “mind-soul unity (⼼⾝⼀如)” in Kampo Medicine, is also an important characteristic of Oriental Medicine. Based on this unique concept, psychogenic disorders are understood as conditions caused by the abnormal flow of chi; this understanding is sufficient even when Western medicine is unable, through examination of the body or brain using modern technology, to link the condition to a precise cause.
- The concept of qi and the mechanisms that regulate qi are not understood precisely. Nevertheless qi it is an important concept in understanding the human being as a self-regulatory organism. In a simpler way, acupuncture is designed to balance the flow of one’s life force energy, “Qi” by placing the very fine needles at strategic points which lying through specific pathways of body (meridians) to unblock and balance the flow of “Qi”.
How Does It Work?
Phase 1: Assessment
- The therapist will examine the patient and the condition.
- You will be give a time to ask all your questions before the procedure
- The therapist will decide with you they type of the acupuncture that will best suit you
Phase 2: Detoxification
- The acupoints will be determined and a fine, thin needle will be placed. Facial needles are much thinner & shorter than body needles.
- Each needle will stay there for a certain amount of time and then removed effortlessly.
Phase 3: After Care
- After your acupuncture session, your body releases toxins into your system.
- Your therapist will advice you to start drinking plenty of water helps flush out the toxins from your body.
- You will also be told to avoid drinking coffee and alcohol after acupuncture because they can cause dehydration.
- You will be advised how many sessions to your boy needs and how often and you will be booked your next appointment if necessary
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You might feel a little pressure/ sensation (call as “De Qi” sensation – the arrival of energy to the point, or the needling response) as the needle pierces the skin. The needles used are very thin compared to normal needles used for injection.
No.
Acupuncture is extremely safe when practised by a qualified practitioner. Our therapists have an in-depth knowledge of Chinese Medicine and the meridian system as well as anatomy and physiology from a medical perspective. We use sterile single use needles and abide by the Clinical Guidelines of the organisation. Occasionally a small bruise may occur at the site of the needle insertion but this is not usually painful and will clear in a few days.
Before coming for acupuncture, patients are advised to have a light meal. Doing acupuncture on an empty stomach might cause dizziness to some
Once or twice a week for the first few weeks are recommended as the benefits of acupuncture will accumulate when treatments are done more frequently. For treatment purposes, the number of sessions depends on the patient and the condition. Patients with acute conditions (something severe and sudden in onset) may only require 3-6 treatments to heal, whereas chronic conditions (long developing symptoms) may take longer.
Almost everyone can benefit from acupuncture and it is rare for patients to experience side effects from the treatment. However, those with known allergies to metal such as stainless steel, silver, and/or gold might have an adverse reaction to acupuncture. Also, patients who have had transplants must inform our physician before commencing on acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture is safe during pregnancy, but we wanted to avoid risk at any cost as we are afraid that it might induce early labor. Because there are some acupuncture points that are contraindicated during pregnancy so it is important to inform the practitioner if you are pregnant.
Generally, you will not bleed due to the fineness of the needle. A small spot of blood may appear if the needle punctures a small capillary.
It is very important to continue your medication. There can be serious consequences from suddenly stopping some pharmaceutical drugs. Whilst it is possible to use acupuncture to reduce the need for some medications, this should only be done in full consultation with your medical practitioner.
