London acupuncture and bodywork therapy by Duncan McGechie
Introduction
Many people use acupuncture and massage to help deal with specific health problems, but also as a preventative to assist them in finding balance in their lives and achieve an optimal state of health, reduced stress, and positive outlook. Traditional Acupuncture and Bodywork Therapy could help you key into the relationship between body and mind, facilitating a person's health and search for well being.
How is your body?
- Do you have a pain or restriction which limits your activities?
- Would you like to feel more in touch with your body?
- Do you get aches pains that come and go?
- Can you feel muscular tension?
What are you looking for in life?
- Are you looking for change?
- Do you feel run down, tired or stressed?
- Would you like to feel more 'grounded' or 'centred'?
- Could you benefit from being more calm or alert?
If you suffer from discomfort and pain including:
- Injuries, chronic occupational syndromes (RSI, Carpal tunnel) or arthritis
- Digestive problems (inclucing IBS)
- Menstrual and gynaecological problems (period pain or irregular periods, infertility or menopausal symptoms)
- Headaches, facial pain and paralysis
- Low energy, lethargy or feeling tired (ME and chronic fatigue)
- Allergies, intolerances, low immunity and sinus problems
- Insomnia, anxiety and panic attacks or depression
Traditional Acupuncture and Bodywork Therapy may be able to help you.
Movement, Acupuncture and Bodywork
If applied in appropriate combination, these modalities can not only help deal with specific health problems; people can feel more grounded, clear and 'together' after treatment.
The release of restrictions, combined with flowing strengthening movement (e.g. Qigong Pilates Tai-Ji and Yoga) can help re-align, and improve body-use. This can lead to a more energized, in-touch, less stressed and fluid way of being in the world.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient oriental system of medicine which has been of great benefit to countless people over the centuries. If you have a health problem, an acupuncturist may be able to help you.
Very fine needles are inserted into the body at very specific points discovered empirically through the ages, (predominantly by the peoples of East Asia, most notably China and Japan) to effect healing in the body and mind.
It does this by affecting the flow of energy/ Qi in the body to bring about harmony so the person may become well. Other techniques may be employed like cupping which has been shown to draw fluid to the area and reduce inflammation.
Do you want to know more about acupuncture?
Bodywork
Massage is possibly the oldest form of medical treatment. It can help ease aches and pains, relax the muscles, relieve stress and can improve circulation and nutrition to the body tissues, harmonize the internal organs and calm the mind and spirit.
Sports massage therapy takes the principles of Swedish and remedial massage and focuses on rehabilitation and priming for physical activities. Familiarity with the kinds of problems active people get and how to approach them to maximise performance or aid recovery are key.
Tui Na massage is a Chinese system of bodywork which employs a wide range of manual techniques to restore the balance of Qi in the body in the treatment of physical symptoms, but also internal problems using the same theoretical basis as in acupuncture and qigong.
Myofascial Release treats muscular tension and distortions in the connective tissue by working on that tissue, the fascia. It can help to realign structural imbalances that may have taken hold over a long time through a persons posture, body use, injuries and as life takes its toll.
Muscle Energy Technique (MET) uses a carefully directed muscular contraction, which helps the muscle release and then lengthen by changing the way the nervous system perceives it.
Positional Release finds a position of ease by passively moving the painful or tight part. This allows the body to 'reset' tightness, relax, decrease pain and restore function and blood flow to a problem area. It stops a feedback pattern where pain causes more tightness, and tightness more pain.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine has been used to treat a wide variety of illnesses the world over, and the Chinese system has been established and related to medical theory from at least 200AD, possibly earlier. Prescriptions of a number of herbs are given for an identified 'pattern of disharmony' which can be precisely tailored the the patients individual needs.
It is thought that this combining is important to the effectiveness of herbs as some combinations make the pharmacological componenets more active, or reduce side effects.
Areas in which Chinese medicine has had good results include:
- Skin conditions; eczema, psoriasis
- Allergic conditions
- Arthritis and rheumatism
- Chronic fatigue and ME conditions
- Gynaecology and fertility treatment
- Depression, anxiety and stress related conditions
Acupuncture in the news
National institute for clinical excellence endorses acupuncture for back pain
NICE recommends acupuncture for back pain (Times)
Acupuncture shown to be better for back pain than conventional treatment
Acupuncture boosts IVF success
Scientists prove acupuncture works
New electric theory of how acupuncture works
Acupuncture treated my migraines
Acupuncture effective for back pain
Acupuncture shown to be more than a placebo
Duncan McGechie is a British Acupuncture Council member, qualified, registered and insured acupuncturist and bodywork practitioner and a member of the NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners.
I work in Holborn WC1 and Fulham SW6, and London Bridge SE1 in London, contact me?
Email info(at)acupuncturebodywork.co.uk or tel 07891 244 645