Balance Acupuncture

What a beautiful poem by María Sabina Magdalena García a Mexican poet and spiritual healer.

“Cure yourself, with the light of the sun and the rays of the moon.
With the sound of the river and the waterfall.
With the swaying of the sea and the fluttering of birds.
Heal yourself, with the mint and mint leaves,
with neem and eucalyptus.
Sweeten yourself with lavender,
rosemary, and chamomile.
Hug yourself with the cocoa bean and a touch of cinnamon.
Put love in tea instead of sugar and take it looking at the stars.
Heal yourself, with the kisses that the wind gives you
and the hugs of the rain.
Get strong with bare feet on the ground and
with everything that is born from it.
Get smarter every day by listening to your intuition,
looking at the world with the eye of your forehead.
Jump, dance, sing, so that you live happier.
Heal yourself, with beautiful love,
and always remember… you are the medicine”

Just a few of the conditions recently treated

This is going to be a lovely evening. Lisa Lochhead - Artistry and Soul is such a nurturing, welcoming and insightful woman. Please come along to this very special event😊

One of my favourite places to while away time if I’m waiting for a train at Euston in London, is to pop over the road to the Wellcome Collection. They have fascinating free exhibitions on looking at all aspects of being human.
Lots of medical artifacts including ancient bits and pieces on acupuncture.
I’m glad to say the needles I use have come a long way from the ones pictured! All needles now are single-use, sterile and disposable.

Anyone that knows me, knows I have a bit of an addiction to buying books and always have at least a couple on the go!
This is one of my latest - a beautiful book all about Yang Sheng, the traditional Chinese tradition of simple techniques to help enhance your health 😊

April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome awareness month. This condition is estimated to affect between 10-20% of people in the UK.

The impact of IBS on people’s lives can be enormous with it limiting their lives in a number of ways including disrupting their daily activities such as work and limiting their ability to travel far for fear of not being near a toilet. This can lead to emotional distress and anxiety which can further exacerbate the symptoms. All of this can culminate in social isolation.

If you are interested in exploring further how acupuncture may be able to help you please get in touch either through my website, phone or message me
balance-acupuncture.co.uk
tel: 07784 924436

“I tried one dose of acupuncture for my awful hay fever – and I’ve already noticed a difference” A potential alternative to antihistamines?

Fantastic turnout for this event - well done to everyone involved in this event. I have had direct experience of close family members being diagnosed with prostate cancer and know how early detection makes such a huge difference to outcomes. Along with the life saving surgery, radiotherapy and medication , acupuncture also has a role and can also be used to help with the hot flushes associated with prostate cancer treatment.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2928879/

If you are suffering or know anyone suffering the after effects of treatment , please consider a course of acupuncture
to help alleviate the symptoms. For more information please don’t hesitate to contact me.

After a month off volunteering with a team of 6 acupuncturists and 6 interpreters from the World Medicine charity at an acupuncture camp in India- I’m now back in my own clinic Jenny Hampton Massage in St John’s Street and welcoming old and new patients again.

We treated over 700 patients there for a variety of problems including trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, digestive issues, menopausal and menstrual problems, and mental health issues.

By far the most common treatments were musculoskeletal,as most of the people there earn their living from farming so treated many, many knees and backs. Very similar conditions to this country although I treated one farmer who had hurt his shoulder fighting off a lion who was attacking his cow!

If you are interested in trying acupuncture and seeing how it may help you please contact me:
email: [email protected]
website: balance-acupuncture.co.uk
Tel/ Text : 07784 924436

Acupuncture Clinic in Whitchurch - Balance Acupuncture Welcome to Balance Acupuncture in Whitchurch. I am Teresa dawkes, a qualified acupuncturist, with a BSc in Acupuncture.

The 3rd and final week completed of the World Medicine project. The team of 6 acupuncturists , 6 translators and local nursing and admin staff from Jay Ambe Hospital treated over 700 patients, many having up to 6 treatments free of charge. Exhausting but such rewarding few weeks.

I have had the privilege of meeting a wide variety of patients and the satisfaction of seeing many of them becoming pain free or a signicant reduction in their pain over the course of their treatments.

Many of the patients are local farmers who face problems not seen in the UK. One man in particular, had hurt his shoulder fighting a lion who was attacking his cow!

The head man of the community, Bapu, presented the team with beautiful handmade shawls.

I’m off now for some R&R in the south of India for a week and will be back in clinic from 6th February.

My second week at Jay Ambe Hospital Chaparda finished - totally exhausted, very busy days -170 patients seen on Friday by 6 acupuncturists and translators. I’ve been based in the male clinic this year and have treated lots and lots of knee and back pain as well as some men’s health issues such as prostate problems.

Have loved every minute of it - well nearly! It’s been a real privilege to be able to help some of the poorest people in the area who are so reliant on their health to be able to continue working on their farms. One more week to go 😊

My second visit to Chaparda in Gujarat, with the amazing team from World Medicine. Lovely welcome from the hospital staff and first day in clinic done - lots of patients seen and treated. Looking forward to what tomorrow brings 😊

Beverley is a fabulous woman and has spent many years working as an acupuncturist at Mount Vernon Hospital. She has conducted many research trials there into the use of acupuncture to help with the side effects of the treatments for patients with cancer. It is wonderful to see this integrative approach used and I have seen patients myself, who are suffering from the after effects of cancer treatments - physically, emotionally and spiritually. Acupuncture is another form of ancient medicine which can help with recovery ❤️‍🩹

At Freda Carr Hospital in Uganda helping improve the X-ray facilities but still managing to treat my co - volunteers with some acupuncture treatments to help Dr Angle with knee pain and my friend Jane with a relaxing ear acupuncture protocol😊

Putting my other radiographer hat back on and I’m off to Uganda for 2 weeks from 8th- 25th September. This is a visit to help out with the X-ray service at Ngora Freda Carr C.O.U Hospital. It was supposed to have happened in 2020 but we all know what happened then!

My long time best friend and fellow radiographer Jane Cheveau are both being sponsored by the wonderful people Rotary Doctors Bank UK. Visiting these remote hospitals makes me realize ,despite all the problems the NHS faces, we are still extremely lucky to have access to Western Medicine here.

You can of course still book in for acupuncture appointments whilst I’m away at:
balance-acupuncture.co.uk

Great weekend in York at the Heart and Mind conference organised by the Northern College of Acupuncture. Fantastic, inspiring lectures reminding us of how connected our emotional health is to our physical health and how both have to be addressed when dealing with huge traumas such as a cancer diagnosis. Especially close to my heart was hearing of the fantastic acupuncture services set up at Mount Vernon hospital by and by Robin Sunley Acupuncture at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. I would love to see this fantastic medicine offered through the NHS in the future 🤞

Really pleased with my new premises and the warm welcome given to me by Jenny. It’s a lovely, calm and peaceful place - perfect for acupuncture treatments. I’m looking forward to welcoming old and new patients to this tranquil environment

Lovely afternoon with Jenny spent painting my new clinic room Jenny Hampton Massage. Who knew painting skirting boards could be so good for the soul?
I’m moving in this weekend and should be open for business again from 27th June. Looking forward to welcoming patients old and new into my new space😊

So looking forward to moving into my new room at Jenny Hampton Massage in the next couple of weeks 😊

The transformation continues! Staining the woodwork today, new treatment room getting closer 😍

Mindful 2 hour Japanese tea tasting yesterday. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon, so calming - couldn’t believe how relaxed I felt afterwards. They actively encourage and welcome you to come alone and totally immerse yourself in the whole experience. Would thoroughly recommend if you are in Manchester anytime.

Trying to practice what I preach and getting that Qi moving! ! Yoga classes 3-4 times a week Hill Valley Hotel, Golf & Spa. Fabulous teachers and wonderful view from the yoga studio this morning 😊

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years and has numerous benefits. It can help with pain relief, mental health, sleep quality, digestion, and more. The technique involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, stimulating the nervous system and promoting healing. Sounds scary but most people actually find it extremely relaxing and often fall asleep whilst having treatment - known as an Acu-nap.

Acupuncture is a natural and non-invasive treatment option that can be used in conjunction with other treatments. It's definitely worth considering if you're looking for a way to manage pain or improve your overall health and well-being. Give it a try and see how it can benefit you!

Ear acupuncture can be incredibly powerful. It can be used to treat many problems as it is a microsystem of the body and resembles an inverted foetus.

It involves the placing of very,very small needles into specific points on the ear depending on where you want to treat on the body. Although it sounds alarming, most people find it extremely relaxing. The treatment takes about 30 minutes, once the needles are inserted you are left to rest whilst the needles do their magic! I would usually recommend between 4 -8 treatments for the best results.

One of the most common uses of ear acupuncture is to treat addiction such as smoking, alcohol, drugs or food and is widely used in prisons and drug rehab units to support the symptoms of withdrawal.

The other common use is to treat drug induced menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes in patients with prostate and breast cancer.

Recent research at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Middles*x shows that ear acupuncture can be a good way to control hot flushes and night sweats. It is becoming more and more widely accepted treatment within the NHS to help with the side effects of some cancer treatments.
https://www.ljmc.org/sort_publications/eatims/de_Valois_NADA_TA_HFNS.pdf

If you would like to try a course of ear acupuncture to help with any of the problems above please contact me or book a NADA treatment on my website.

Lovely write up by my old college on my recent volunteering in India with World Medicine😊

Stress in small doses is a normal part of life but it becomes a problem when it starts to dominate our lives and becomes chronic. Stress occurs when things are out of your control, during times of change and uncertainty such as exam stress, bereavement, relationship breakdowns or simply taking on too much, which I am certainly guilty of!

Symptoms of stress include
• inability to think,
• anger,
• worry, anxiety,
• tiredness,
• changeable bowel habits,
• teeth grinding,
• sugar cravings,
• increased consumption of alcohol and caffeine.

All these factors affect our nervous system causing our sympathetic nervous system to ramp up with the release of cortisol and adrenaline which are there to help us fight or runaway when in physical danger. The problem in modern society that the stresses we are under are not usually physical but emotional so the effect of the hormones is to stimulate the heart, raise blood pressure but decrease stimulation to other organs such as the digestive system. This is a normal response but problems occur when the stress becomes chronic and these hormones are continually released.

Long term stress can lead to:
• Chronic pain and muscle tightness
• Adrenal fatigue
• Sleep problems
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Cardiovascular disease – High blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes
• Panic attacks
• Hormonal problems- e.g.irregular periods, thyroid disorders, infertility
• Lowered s*x drive
• Obesity

There are many factors that play into our stress levels and dealing with these is sometimes easier said than done but you can start to make small changes such as improving your diet and avoiding caffeine which will help to make you feel better. Exercise is also an important tool to decrease stress, it does not have to be anything strenuous, a walk in the countryside
can help our well being. Small factors of self care all start to build up gradually to reduce our stress levels.
Qi Gong is also a wonderful practise to help with stress reduction. It is a gentle form of meditative exercise which can be used by almost everyone. There are many instructional videos on YouTube but I especially like this teacher

https://youtu.be/E-b6YvvaiL0

Acupuncture can play an important role in stress reduction as the insertion of the small, thin needles into specific points on the body can help to:

• Balance hormones
• Stimulate the production of serotonin and endorphins ( happy hormones)
• Activate the parasympathetic nervous system to relax you
• Reduce inflammation and pain
• Release muscle tension

Please feel free to contact me, Teresa, for more information on how acupuncture could help you, all my details are on my website.
Balance-acupuncture.co.uk

Lovely write up of my recent trip to India. Thanks for all the interest and support from friends, family and patients which enabled me to take part in this fantastic venture!

Whitchurch acupuncturist hails charity trip to India and hopes to head back soon A WHITCHURCH acupuncturist has hailed a charity trip to India and hopes to head back, having returned from a three week charity trip where she…

Just one last photo from my recent trip to India. This was my favourite patient from the many I treated. She attends the local school for the blind and arrived at the clinic absolutely terrified of having any needles put in. After a lot of gentle persuasion and a very soft approach she allowed me to do some gentle acupressure and I could see her visibly relax and at the end of the treatment said how much she had liked it. On subsequent visits she actually started to laugh and even sang for us - tears in eyes for everyone around!
Once again the whole visit was an amazing experience but my time spent with this young lady was very special.
NB She was very happy for me to share her photo and story

I am now back home after an amazing 3 weeks in India treating patients Jay Ambe Hospital in Gujarat. We treated over 600 patients, most returning for multiple treatments, between 5 acupuncturists -the workload was heavy to say the least! But the camaraderie between the local staff, translators, admin staff and fellow acupuncturists was humbling. We were all there to help treat some of the poorest people in the area with some travelling up to 100km for treatment. Most patients were either farmers or worked in the diamond polishing industry ( which raises a whole set of questions again). Consequently I treated a lot of knee, shoulder and back problems!
It was a brilliant experience and my thanks to World Medicine for giving me such a wonderful opportunity.

These are the hands of a lady I am treating for pain and stiffness. She works making bricks from 3am until 9pm every day. It is truly humbling to meet these patients and realise what a hard life they lead. I’m hoping that the acupuncture she is receiving will help relieve some of her pain.