Acupuncture is a mainstay of traditional Chinese medicine, which has been practiced for thousands of years. The Chinese healing tradition sees the body as a delicate balance of yin and yang. These are two opposing, but inseparable forces. According to traditional Chinese medicine, disease occurs when the forces of yin and yang are out of balance.

Acupuncture, Involves inserting very thin metal needles into the skin at precise points on the body to access the meridians (energetic channels) and manipulate the Qi (energy) flowing through them, with the aim of restoring and maintaining health.

Treatments time 45-75mins

Cupping - Moxibustion & Herbs are also used in Treatments when you come to Clinic.

Also many thousands of years old, these therapies will be Used in conjunction with your Tui Na & Acupuncture Treatments, when your practitioner feels them to appropriate for your condition and to speed up recovery time.

Some treatments will incorporate all of the above modalities.

Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy that uses vacuum to release bound up tissues, move stagnation and fluids, help flush blood in areas where trauma occured, and nourish deficiencies. The therapist will apply medicated oil onto the patient’s back or other problematic area, and apply cups either using flame or suction device. The treatment may leave characteristic bruise-like marks, which will disappear within a few days.

Cupping has recently become a recognised treatment for Olympic athletes, as it greatly speeds up recovery from both injuries and general training.

Moxibustion is a method of heating specific acupuncture points on the body by burning an herb material close to the skin. This technique can be used alone or in combination with acupuncture – the Chinese character for acupuncture means “acupuncture-moxibustion.”

What is moxa made of?

The herb material used is mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, Ai Ye) an invasive weed, which grows in many climates,  Mugwort has a long history of use in folk medicine. It is believed that the Romans planted mugwort by roadsides to make it available to travelers to put in their shoes to relieve aching feet and protect them from exhaustion. Maybe this is because of its ability to enhance the movement of qi and blood.

Mugwort gets its botanical name from the Greek moon goddess Artemis, a patron of women, and is a wonderful herb for gynecological conditions. In Chinese Herbal Medicine it is used to treat heavy menstrual bleeding and uterine bleeding and to increase blood circulation to the pelvic area to treat menstrual pain. Moxibustion (applying heat near the skin) has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position before childbirth.

Mugwort is used because of its acrid, spicy odor which makes it able to travel through all of the meridians, regulate qi and blood, and expel cold. It also burns at a specific frequency allowing the heat to penetrate deep into the body. One of mugwort’s active components, borneol, is commonly used in topical therapies for its analgesic effects.

What is moxibustion used for?

Moxibustion can be used to prevent diseases and maintain health as part of tonification treatments to help strengthen the organs and immune system. It warms the meridians and expels cold. It can be used to promote circulation over areas of chronic pain or muscle tension. It is especially used for pain that is worse with exposure to cold or damp weather, as with some types of arthritis pain. When applied to acupuncture points that strengthen and lift the qi, moxibustion can boost the immune system and help with fatigue, digestive issues, and much more.