Everybody´s AcupunctureIn China the practice of acupuncture can be traced back to the Stone Age with sharpened stones. Stone acupuncture needles dating back to 3,000BC have been found by archaeologists in Inner Mongolia.
I first had acupuncture seventeen years ago to help me stop smoking; previously I had tried patches and gum. I had three treatments and it worked, and with the money I saved from not smoking I had driving lessons and passed my test!
More recently I had been suffering from hayfever really badly, and during the month of June I used to get very 'chesty'. I took anti-histamines and a nasal spray but they didn't really help my symptoms.
Three years ago I heard about acupuncture so I thought I would give it a go. I couldn't believe the difference it made, especially with the few dietary changes which Heather explained I should make. I realise that it is important to work the two together to get the best benefit. I have been to see Heather for the past three years, for about four treatments, just before the hay fever season starts and it really works.
I have to cut right back on dairy products during the hay fever months, also bananas and orange juice and not too much alcohol because of the sugar content. Also I have reduced the amount of wheat products that I eat such as bread and biscuits. I have porridge for breakfast with half milk and half water, and I drink tea with a slice of fresh lemon (very refreshing).
Now I can look forward to the summer instead of dreading it! Also, it has helped me lose a little bit of weight!
I have had problems with my lower back for the last forty years. I have recently had quite severe pain in my hip, thigh and knee which I believe is cause by arthritis.
Heather has treated my back pain on and off for the last couple of years and the pain only returns intermittently and is easily treated.
More recently, Heather has been treating my hip and leg with both needles and laser acupuncture and over a period of five or six weeks the pain has reduced dramatically and I have about 85% of my normal mobility back.
If possible I try to rest after a treatment as this has proved, for me, to increase the effectiveness.
I have found that as well as being extremely effective in relieving pain, acupuncture is also very good for reducing stress. Acupuncture gives me a feeling of great contentment and calm, and this improvement to my quality of life is an added bonus!
Hi I'm John. I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis several years ago and was told that if I did not give up manual work I would be in a wheel chair.
I carried on for a few years with continuous pain in most of my joints, mostly in my hands. Then I was recommended to Heather for Acupuncture which I eventually tried and was surprised by the results so I kept returning.
I am now virtually pain free in most of my joints and she has also treated me for sciatica, high blood pressure and sleeping problems. The results are very good. All in all I am very pleased with the results and still see Heather at about six week intervals.
I had acute lower left back pain and for three weeks I had been suffering, taking painkillers prescribed by the doctor. At the end of the day it was not curing the problem just making life easier.
I decided to give acupuncture a go. 'Don' t knock it till you've tried it! '
My first experience and I was looking forward for the release of pain! About a dozen needles were used from my lower back to my heel. It just felt like a flick, and as the treatment continued I was feeling totally relaxed as if all of the bad were being drained away. It was a wonderful experience, I cannot really describe it.
After the treatment, as the week progressed the pain moved (a good sign) and I went back the following week for more treatment. I was looking forward to it and that was my last one. It was well worth it and I would not hesitate to return again if I needed to.
I had an absolutely throbbing headache, which was eased by nothing: it was awful. I work as a student welfare officer at school, so working under pressure is not alien to me, but this particular day the headache was really starting to affect my concentration and also my patience. Heather, a teacher and acupuncturist at the school, entered my office and immediately noticed that I wasn't my usual self. I explained about the headache, hastened to add I rarely get headaches, and she told me about acupuncture. Being a trained nurse with many years experience I knew of many treatments for headache, ranging from deep breathing (a personal favourite) to medication. Of course I had heard of acupuncture, and knew a little about it, but had chosen not to take it seriously - boy was I wrong! Having trained as a nurse and a big believer in western medicine, to my mind there was no way I could see any logic behind acupuncture. However I was desperate, I just wanted the pain to go away, so I agreed to try it.
Heather explained what she was going to do, and I really didn't believe it would work, but once the needles had been placed on my temples the pain instantly disappeared. I waited for the pain to return, but it didn't. I still don' t understand it but the results were fantastic and I have never experienced anything like it. It was an amazing experience!
“There is an old Chinese saying that anger speeds up ageing and laughter makes you younger. I love acupuncture because it always makes me feel uplifted, happier and able to laugh again!”
Janet, Taunton