Acupuncture is an ancient system of healing developed over thousands of years as part of the traditional medicine of China, Japan, and other Eastern countries. The earliest records of acupuncture date back over 3,000 years and today there are over 3 million practitioners worldwide.

Traditional acupuncture is based on on the principle that our health depends on the balanced functioning of the body s energy, known as Qi. When we are in perfect health all the energy runs harmoniously throughout our body. When an illness arises the flow of energy becomes disturbed and this can manifest in a diverse array of symptoms. Using very fine needles acupuncture aims to correct the flow of energy and by doing this the symptoms will be resolved.

Blocked Qi (energy) may relate to areas on the body that are tender to touch, particularly cold or warm, or a different colour. These clues help practitioners decide which points need to be treated in order to bring the body back into balance.

Acupuncture isn t just about using needles, and some patients prefer not to have needles. Other techniques may also be used such as acupressure, cupping or moxibustion.