Acupuncture

Acupuncture in Durham

Acupuncture is recognised by the World Health Organization for the treatment of a wide range of symptoms, including:

  • Digestive
    Gastritis and acid reflux, spastic colon, constipation, diarrhoea
  • Respiratory
    Sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, recurrent chest infections
  • Neurological
    Headaches, migraines, stress and emotions, unexplained pain
  • Muscular
    Neck and back pain, knee, foot and ankle, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture stimulates sensory nerves under the skin, and in muscles, triggering the body’s own natural pain-relieving endorphins, and allowing your body to deal with pain and inflammation. This ultimately aids your recovery and rehabilitation from lots of different health conditions.

Your acupuncturist here at NIHP Durham in Sacriston will choose specific points on your body to place the needles based on your condition. 

The needles used are very fine, pre-sterilised and are disposed of immediately after use. You may feel a tingling or a dull ache when they are inserted, but you should not experience any significant pain. Once the needles are in place, they may be left in position for a length of time lasting from a few minutes up to around 30 minutes.

Your acupuncturists may also apply heat and electrical stimulation, or use other therapies such as cupping, moxibustion and Gua Sha. So even if you are not comfortable with needles, you can still benefit from treatment.

How does Acupuncture work?

The modern scientific explanation is that needling various points around the body stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord and brain. As a result, this stimulates the body’s natural healing abilities, and promotes physical and emotional well-being.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the belief that an energy, or “life force”, flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as Qi (pronounced “chee”). When Qi flows freely we remain in good health.

However, as we go through life, it is common for imbalances to develop and it is these that cause feelings of a lack of vitality and may eventually lead to poor health. Traditional Acupuncture aims to re-establish the body’s equilibrium, promoting the natural healing process.

Will treatment help me?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) currently recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic tension-type headaches and migraines.

However, there is a growing body of evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture. For example, a major study published in 2012* found acupuncture to be effective for the treatment of a range of pain conditions. More recently, the Acupuncture Evidence Project, a review of clinical trials of acupuncture published in 2017**, found strong positive evidence of effectiveness for the following conditions:

  • low back pain
  • knee osteoarthritis
  • post-operative pain
  • migraine prevention
  • allergic rhinitis
  • chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting
  • post-operative nausea and vomiting

In total, evidence of effectiveness was found for over 100 conditions, so whatever your symptoms, it is worth investigating the possibility of acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture can be used in conjunction with Bowen Technique for certain conditions. Find out more from Jill.

*Vickers A. et al, 2012 ‘Acupuncture for Chronic Pain’ Archives of Internal Medicine 172(19)
**McDonald J, Janz S, 2017 ‘Acupuncture Evidence Project’ AACMA