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There are two contrasting theories as to why people get sick – germ theory and terrain theory. Germ theory suggests that there is usually a specific cause for any disorder, for example a bacterial infection. The cause is bacteria. A physician thinking in this way would use anti-biotics as a first line of treatment. Whether it is bacteria or a fungus or a virus, the doctor diagnoses a specific agent as the cause and the treatment plan would be to deal with that agent. Terrain theory on the other hand argues that it is the health of the body’s internal environment that is the fundamental

This is a question I get asked by almost all my new patients, and I can certainly understand why! Most people only experience a needle insertion as an injection at the dentist’s or when giving a blood sample at the doctor’s surgery. People associate needles with disagreeable sensations. I would stress that acupuncture is very different. Acupuncture needles are very fine and are usually painless on insertion. There can be a quick sting or a tingling sensation, but any discomfort is fleeting.  Sometimes there can be a dull ache where the needles are. Many of my patients find an acupuncture session extremely relaxing and it

How does acupuncture work? I get asked this question all the time, and very often what people really want to know how does it help their pain. How can needles really help with musculoskeletal problems and pain?  This is the question. An acupuncturist might say that these issues are usually caused by qi and blood stagnation and that a treatment would aim to restore a normal flow of energy in the body and thus facilitate healing. Language like ‘qi and blood stagnation’ can come across as jargon.  What does it really mean? One way to explain it would be to imagine that you have a

A lot of people come to me with what is called a frozen shoulder. It is a common complaint in people as they get into their late forties and early fifties, though sometimes it can present in younger people. A frozen shoulder is miserable. The pain can make it difficult to find a comfortable sleep position. The lack of mobility in the joint makes it difficult to exercise. Even everyday activities like showering or brushing your hair can become troublesome. Causes of frozen shoulder From a traditional acupuncture point of view a frozen shoulder is the result of a lack of circulation in the shoulder.

These are extraordinarily complex conditions and difficult to treat.  I think it would be fair to say that western medicine has often struggled to understand or to offer effective treatments for these problems.  From an acupuncture standpoint I like to keep things very simple.  Illness in Chinese medicine is understood as an imbalance in the flow of energy in the body.  Energetically things get stuck. In such circumstances people do not flourish physically or mentally. We can see an analogy in the natural world. A healthy environment is full of balanced movement, expressed through nutrient cycles and the interrelationship of thousands of species.  Life is