The origins of acupuncure can be traced back over 3000 years. It's practice is based on the theory that Qi (energy or life-force) flows through meridians (or channels) nourishing our whole body and that disruption to the flow of the Qi causes illness.

Hair-fine needles are inserted at points along the meridians to restore the flow of Qi and bring the body back to balance. Heather uses gentle techniques and treatments are normally painless and relaxing.

Does it hurt?

Heather uses techniques from both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Japanese styles of acupuncture depending on the needs of the individual. The needles are incredibly fine and you can fit 10 acupuncture needles inside a hyperdermic needle that is used for injections by your doctor. The treatments are normally painless and relaxing.

What can acupuncture help me with?

The World Health Organisation lists over 200 conditions that Acupuncture can effectively treat. As Traditional Chinese Medicine treats the underlying imbalance rather than the condition itself most conditions can be treated using acupuncture and Chinese medicine. If you would like to know if acupuncture can help you or your child, please email Heather.

Apart from preconception, fertility, pregnancy, women's health and Children's Health, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can treat the following conditions:

Digestive disorders:

Musculoskeletal conditions:

• Lower back pain
• Neck & Shoulder pain
• Sports Injuries
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout

Skin conditions:

• Eczema
• Acne
• Psoriasis
• Hair Loss
• Rashes

Urogenital disorders

• Cystitis
• Prostatitis
• Low sexual function
• Kidney disorders
• Nocturnal Enuresis

Psycological conditions:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Addictions
• Emotional Disturbance
• Nervousness

What does treatment involve?

We will sit and have a chat about why you have come and go through your medical history. I will ask questions about your diet, lifestyle, sleep, energy levels, menstrual cycle and some questions that may seem unconnected to your condition such as whether you prefer hot or cold

How will I feel during and after treatment?

Everybody is different and will respond differently to treatment but generally people feel relaxed during treatment. I palpate your abdomen to aid in diagnosis and treatment and areas that were uncomfortable or painful at the start of treatment normally clear during the treatment. Afterwards you should feel relaxed but alert.

How long will it take before I see results?

This varies greatly depending on the individual, your state of general health, how long you have had the complaint and how wiilling you are to participate in your return to health (making dietry/lifestyle changes etc). Many issues will clear in just a few treatments and while some women's health issues can take 6 or more months of treatment if they have been ongoing for many years. Pre-conception care should be for a minimum of 4 months before you start trying to concieve as this is how long it takes for the sperm and egg to develop.

Is acupuncture safe in pregnancy?

Yes. There are a few points that a knowledgable acupuncturist will avoid during pregnancy and it is good to see an acupuncturist who specialises in pregnancy.

If I'm coming for fertility, should my partner come too?

I does take two! And the health of you both is equally important so if your partner is open to coming for treatment that is ideal and the dietry and lifestyle suggestions during the pre-conception period apply to you both.

My child hates needles and won't sit still, can you still help?

There are plenty of other tools up an acupuncturist's sleeve that don't involve needles including warming tools and non-insertive acupuncture techniques which can be done on the move.

Can I skip the acupuncture and just have herbs ?

Yes. Herbal medicine consultations are available without acupuncture.

Depending on your condition you may also be prescribed Chinese Herbal Medicine. The herbs come as a powder, pills or capsules or it may be recommended that you take raw herbs which require boiling. The powder is dissolved in hot water and taken as a tea. The taste varies depending on what you are taking them for and they range in taste from sweet tasting to quite bitter.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is wholistic, which basically means that EVERYTHING is connected and most likely when you come for treatment some dietry changes may be recommended depending on your condition and your individual constitution.

Our modern lifestyles are frequently the cause of imbalances in our system. Stress, lack of exersise, eating on the run and not enough time out and are so common as to seem normal. Restoring balance and getting in tune with the natural rhythms of your body and of the seasons is essential to wellbeing.

The balance of Yin and Yang is central in the theories of Chinese Medicine. Yin is moist, cool, nightime, rest and autumn and winter. Yang is dry, warm, daytime, activity and spring and summer. Winding down in the evenings for example and going to bed at an appropriate time nourishes yin, but commonly our busy lifestlyes keep us up late at night working too much or we simply don't wind-down in the evening and sit down to eat a balanced meal at an appropriate time.

Emotions can also be a cause of imbalance. Too much thinking and worrying for example can injure the Spleen Qi leading to digestive issues, weight gain, sleep disurbances and fatigue. Too much fear can injure the Kidney Qi and too much anger and frustration can aggravate the Liver Qi. Meditation and breathing exersises may be recommended aswell as tools and resources for healthy emotional expression.

Based on your individual pattern of imbalance, suggestions around exersise may be made. One person may be advised to do gentle exersise and stretching 3 times a week where another would be advised to do strong cardio exersise, it all depends on the particular imbalance and constitution of that individual.

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Preconception care for both mum and dad for four months before conception leads to a smoother pregnancy, better birth and healthier babies. Pre-conception care includes:

• Acupuncture to improve the health of both partners and promote good egg and sperm quality (see points under 'male and female fertility'). Chinese Herbs may also be prescribed.
• Natural Fertility Awareness information - learn to recognise your signs of fertility to either avoid or achieve conception
• Nutritional recommendations - including diet and supplement recommendations (this may involve referral to a Naturopath)
• Lifestyle recommendations - information to improve health and fertility

Preconception care not only provides improved general health for mum and dad, but has been shown to result in lower rates of pre-term labour, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia, miscarriages, perinatal death and malformations.

Acupuncture aims to:

• Balance the menstrual cycle
• promote efficient menstruation
• improve the quality of fertile mucus
• regulate ovulation
• enhance egg development
• promote the patency of the fallopian tubes
• support embryo implantation
• support early pregnancy
• improve sperm quality

Very few couples are actually infertile, in most cases our modern lifestyles have left us out of sync, disrupting the sensitive balance of hormones that keeps our reproductive system functioning effectively. Acupuncture can improve your chances of achieving a pregnancy whether you are just starting on your pre-conception journey or are already undergoing IVF.

Comprehensive care that involves not only acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for both partners, but also diet and lifestyle changes can restore the balance, boost reproductive function, and help you conceive and carry to term a healthy baby. This comprehensive care can assist in most conditions effecting fertility including:

• Unexplained infertility
• Endometriosis
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Blocked Fallopian Tubes
• Advanced Maternal Age
• Uterine Fibrosis
• Autoimmune infertility
• Anovulation/Amenorrhoea
• Recurrent Miscarriage

The male partner is responsible for half the genetic makeup and in the 4 months it takes for his sperm to mature, they are easily effected by diet and lifestyle factors. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine benefits male factors such as:

• Low sperm count
• Poor morphology
• Poor motility
• Erectile dysfunction

IVF preparation & support

Creating a nourished, fertile ground in which to plant the seed is going to give you the best chance of success if you are planning IVF or ICSI t reatment. There are now many studies that support the use of acupuncture in combination with IVF.

Acupuncture aims to:

• Increase blood flow to the uterus
• Aid in the developement of the uterine lining
• promote good quality eggs
• support implantation with treatment on the day of transfer
• reduce anxiety and stress, improve sleep and increase endorphins
• improve sperm count, motility and morphology

Acupuncture is a nourishing and natural treatment that balances body, mind and spirit through pregnancy and prepares your body for birth. It is used to treat common complaints including:

• Morning sickness
• Lower back pain
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Oedema (swelling)
• Heartburn
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Stress
• Haemorrhoids
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Leg cramps
• Fatigue & exhaustion
• Insomnia
• Itching in pregnancy
• Anaemia

it is also an effective adjunctive treatment to your medical care (with a midwife, GP or obstetrician) for other complications such as:

• Hypertension
• Intrauterine Growth Restriction
• Gestational Diabetes

Research has shown that regular Acupuncture treatment from 36 weeks helps to ripen the cervix and results in a significant reduction in length of labour and also of inductions, epidural use and emergency c-sections. It can also help with anxiety, insomnia and to alleviate some of the common conditions of pregnancy that can occur or intensify in the last few weeks such as swelling, pubic pain and heartburn.

Acupuncture can help if your baby is breech and I not only teach you how to do the moxabustion to encourage your baby to turn but I provide information packs to help you understand this complex issue with references to the latest research aswell as women's stories and answers to questions on c-sections, ECV and vaginal breech birth.

If you require medical induction (you are 42 weeks pregnant or have a medical reason for induction) then acupuncture can help to get you into labour naturally.

Acupuncture can also assist in early labour to regulate contractions, manage the sensations or if the baby is in a posterior position (home and hospital visits available).

Acupuncture can assist with:

• Breech presentation
• Cervical ripening
• Labour encouragement (medical reasons only)
• Early labour – regulating contractions, management of sensations, posterior baby
• Anxiety
• Swelling, pubic pain and other conditions of late pregnancy

I am a doula (providing non-medical birth support) and I provide home and hospital support during labour. I believe all women inherently have the resources they need to birth their baby naturally and most of the women I have supported have not needed my acupuncture skills, however if a little help is needed acupuncture and acupressure can assist with:

• Management of sensations (acupuncture increases endorphines, your body's natural pain-killers)
• Posterior baby/Back Labour
• Stalled labour (common on arrival at the hospital or birth centre)
• Slow progress (some people just take longer at things, so if you are doing OK and feel you can keep going, check to see if there is a valid medical reason for speeding things up before thinking about any intervention - including acupuncture)

Whether you already have kids or you are a new mum, the postnatal period is a delicate, sacred and sometimes overwhelming time as you adapt to life with your new baby. I offer gentle acupuncture treatment to aid in recovery and can provide tailor-made herbs to help treat any imbalances that might be effecting your enjoyment of this magical time. Some of these might include:

• Mastitis
• Milk supply issues (too much/too little)
• Fatigue
• Anaemia
• Anxiety
• Depression