About Acupuncture...

Acupuncture is one of the oldest recorded forms of medicine having been used for over 3,000 years in China. There are several theories as to how the effects are produced. The important thing is that it does work and that any side effects are extremely rare. The traditional Chinese view is that Qi (energy) flows freely when the body is in a healthy state. If there is a problem, energy stagnates. The stimulation of appropriate acupuncture points frees this stagnation.

Scientific evidence shows that acupuncture stimulates the brain to produce natural pain relieving chemicals - endorphins. These assist the body to heal itself and gain pain relief.

Will it Work?

Research has shown that 70% of people gain relief from pain with acupuncture. It does not work for everybody and every condition but, frequently, good results are achieved when more conventional medicine has failed. There is nothing spiritual about it and patients don't need to believe in acupuncture for it to work. The effects of acupuncture are cumulative, with a build up of effects as treatment progresses. Some people are particularly good responders while others may see little benefit until they have had a few treatments - this is more likely with a chronic condition. Occasionally, the condition may become slightly worse at first. This is not a bad sign as it usually means the condition will respond.

Conditions that may be helped by acupuncture include:

  • Pain, nausea, dizziness,
  • Acute/chronic injuries, sports injuries
  • Arthritis and rheumatism
  • Back and neck pain
  • Muscle and joint problems
  • Headaches
  • Women's health problems

Why a Physiotherapist?

All the clinicians that use acupuncture at Bradley Stoke Physiotherapy Clinic are members of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) which is affiliated to the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS). Both AACP and BMAS promote high standards of working practices in acupuncture and provide rigorous training to ensure that practitioners are medically qualified.

All our acupuncturists are trained to a high standard and are qualified to give pain relief.

For more information please contact us or phone 01454 618 525.