Asthma Treated with Acupuncture

We have been helping people with asthma for 30 years. We have had surprisingly good results at our clinic in Guildford.

The Asthma epidemic

Asthma is diagnosed more often these days. It has become a bit of an epidemic! Papers like the telegraph comment on the numbers of children prescribed inhalers. Steroid and Ventolin inhalers can be really effective. Unfortunately they come with side effects, as I know only too well. I used a whole Ventolin inhaler to keep alive during a severe allergic reaction (to tomato paste, chili and coconut milk of all things!). Then a consultant told me using a whole Ventolin had permanently damaged my heart! I was shocked, as I had no idea how dangerous these inhalers can be! The steroidal inhalers can also have side effects. So it isn’t surprising that parents can be worried about their child being on steroids for the rest of their lives.

Asthma treated with Acupuncture

Acupuncture, Chinese infant massage therapy (Tuina) and dietary advice can be a much better first port of call. Ventolin and steroids can then be used if necessary.

asthma treated with acupunctureThe NHS says Asthma is incurable, only manageable. We have had asthma clients who have not had any asthma since having acupuncture.

We treat with acupuncture, tuina massage for infants, and dietary advice. We have found dietary advice really helps alongside acupuncture. We have had 1-treatment ‘cures’. However, usually a course of treatment is needed.

My Own Asthma

As a case history, I have had asthma since I was 14. It was in summertime only, & related to hay fever. I found that diary and nuts were a major trigger, so avoiding those reduced my asthma by 80%. Over the years my asthma has become worse. It can now happen all year. It is triggered by more foods, such as soya, wheat, and all oils apart from olive and coconut oil. I have also recently had a severe, almost fatal reaction to tomato paste, chili and coconut milk. As a result I carry a Ventalin inhaler and epi-pen everywhere. I wonder whether increased traffic pollution has had a large effect on my asthma worsening. This has been documented widely. I find dietary restrictions essential. Three months ago I had a course of acupuncture with Vahida for my asthma. Since then my allergic reactions have reduced by at least 50%, and I have had virtually no asthma, and only used my inhaler before playing football every Sunday! I shall have another course of treatment with Vahida as summer approaches. This is my worst time of year. I shall update this article with the results!

So if you or a member of your family has asthma, surely its worth £25 to try acupuncture. Asthma treated with acupuncture is a great place to start!

David Gilbert

Back Pain & Acupuncture, amazing success!

Back Pain & Acupuncture

IBack pain acupuncturen my 30 years as an acupuncturist I have treated many many people with back pain & acupuncture. I have had astonishing success!

After I had been practicing for about 5 years, I was feeling uncertain as to how I had done, so I went back over all my patient notes. One fact stood out. For back pain I had had a 93% success rate! This was after a lot of clients. Some of the clients had had back pain for over 20 years. By success I mean the pain had gone totally or almost totally.

Two case histories stand out in my memory.

Case History 1

A local lawyer, who had had severe, constant pain for 30 years came to my clinic. In just 3 acupuncture treatments his pain was totally cured. One year later he sent his cleaner to see me. She also had back pain for over 20 years. I treated her with weekly acupuncture and her pain was gone in just six treatments. At the end of the last treatment, as she was leaving, she began shouting at me! What sort of an acupuncturist was I to take 6 treatments to cure her, when with her employer I only took 2 treatments!

Case History 2

back pain &acupunctureThe second was a young man who represented England in 3 sports. He had fallen off his bike 3 years previously and severely damaged his upper back. When he came to see me he was booked in to have back surgery. The surgeon had told him the surgery was extremely risky. It carried a 50% risk of total paralysis! Still he was about to go ahead with it. I treated him with acupuncture, not expecting to be able to help. The next week he returned, and in a despondent voice told me the treatment hadn’t got rid of his pain. I asked if there was any reduction of pain. He said yes, about 50%! Unlike him I was overjoyed, & I treated him again. When he returned the 3rd time the pain was 80% gone, and by the 5th treatment it was gone entirely. He came for one more treatment, and cancelled the surgery. I saw him again 1 year later for a Shiatsu treatment. He reported that his pain had never come back, and that he was back representing his country.

Acupuncture & The NHS

So if you ever read that acupuncture does not work for back pain, then please ignore it. The NHS NICE guidelines have recommended back pain & acupuncture for some years. Strangely they have just recently decided to not recommend it. I am astounded by this, as acupuncture is a cheap and effective treatment, in my 30 years of practice. In my opinion back pain &acupuncture should go together always in the NHS!

My Own  Back Pain

So if you have pack pain of any description, before taking drugs and having surgery, try acupuncture. I am speaking here as someone who has had back surgery. I tried acupuncture, and it had no effect on my back pain. This is not surprising as an MRI scan revealed that my lowest disk had totally ruptured. I would have died if I didn’t have the surgery. Fortunately for me my surgery was very successful, I am very grateful to the surgeon. 15 years later I’m in my 50’s & still play 5-a-side football!

Getting Treatment

At our clinic in Guildford we offer £25 acupuncture treatment. The low price does not mean you get less of a treatment. So if you are local to us, and are struggling with your health, why not give acupuncture a try?

David Gilbert

Treating Children with Acupuncture

Does Treating Children with Acupuncture Work?treating children with acupuncure guildford surrey

Treating Children with Acupuncture works incredibly well. In the Far East doctors use acupuncture to treat children in all hospitals. At our clinic in Guildford we have successfully helped children with all sorts of conditions. We find children often get better quicker than adults, and need less treatment.

What Conditions will it help?

Treating Children with Acupuncure guildford surreyVirtually all problems can be helped by acupuncture. Some conditions we treat are allergies, hay fever, asthma, digestion issues, IBS, pain, migraines. Growing pains and injuries that don’t get better quickly can also be helped.

Can Babies Have Acupuncture?

It is never too early to bring a child in to us. We have successfully treated newborn babies for issues like digestion issues, colic, sleep problems, and birth trauma.

When is Best to Bring My Child for treatment?treating children with acupuncure guildford surrey

The simple answer is as soon as possible. We find that many problems are easier to help the earlier you get help. This is especially true with children. If a problem doesn’t go as we grow up, it can be much harder to treat.

What if My Child Is Scared Of Needles?

treating children with acupuncure guildford surreyThe main fear parents will have is of their children being scared of needles. In reality children are often better with this than their parents. Also, acupuncture is virtually painless for most children. We always have a chat with them when they come to us. We explain that we will not force them to have needles. They can try one needle and see how it feels, & they can always ask to have the needles taken out. We will never force a child to have acupuncture.

Diet & Lifestyle

As well as treating, we give advice on diet, exercise and lifestyle. We find that dietary advice can often have a huge effect on your children’s health.

Bringing your child to ustreating children with acupuncure guildford surrey

It is very easy to bring your child to our Guildford clinic. We have plenty of on-site parking. Our clinic is spacious with a large waiting room. You obviously are welcome to sit with your child throughout their treatment. We will have plenty of time to answer any questions you have.

treating childrern with acupuncure guildford surreyGetting In Contact

So if your child is having any kind of health issue that is not responding to conventional treatment, why not contact us, & see if we can help.

7 years of £25 Acupuncture in Guildford Surrey

Acupuncture GuildofrdWe opened our £25/treatment clinic using acupuncture in Guildford, Surrey seven year ago.

We opened this clinic to help more people with acupuncture. We have always been aware that the normal rate of £50+ for this kind of treatment can be too much for some people. Especially as acupuncture usually needs a course of 4-6 weekly treatments.

We have helped many many people with a variety of conditions in the last 7 years. We have had really positive feedback re our clinic. People like the ease of access, the way we work, & our results.

We can charge just £25/treatment by sometimes having 2 couches per treatment room, with a screen separating them for privacy. All consultations are in a private room before being treated. We’ve had great feedback from all our clients about us treating them in this way.

It is now widely accepted that acupuncture works. The NHS has now say that acupuncture works for many conditions. The World Health Organisation also says it works for a wide range of conditions.

Both of us having qualified and & been treating people for more than 30 years So you are in safe hands, & are guaranteed the very best in acupuncture care.  We also like to work in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where you will quickly feel welcome and at ease.acupuncture in guildford surrey

We are very enthusiastic to make acupuncture available to everyone. So often we treat & help people who have tried everything else.

So why not get in touch, & see if we can help you…

We look forward to hearing from you.

Vahida Diaz & David Gilbert

Acupuncture Treatment for Stress

At our Clinic in Guildford we find acupuncture treatment for stress can really help. our treatment can help you very quickly.

About Stress

Acupuncture Treatment for Stress

All of us experience stress from time to time. Work, money problems, being chased by a lion, public speaking, can all cause pressure. Feeling stressed is a result of not coping with the pressure.

20% of visits to a GP are due to stress, anxiety and depression.

People react differently to stress, It can affect how your body works and how you feel or think.

Common signs of stress are sleeping and eating problems, muscle tension, headaches, dizziness. You can feel anxious, have panic attacks,  palpitations or find  it difficult to concentrate due to stress.

When  you are under stress your body produces stress hormones such as cortisol which are useful if you’re running away from a lion. If you are under stress for a long period of time your stress hormone levels fail to return to normal. This lowers your immune response and  leads to symptoms of stress.

Stress can cause serious illness. It is important to recognise the symptoms and find healthy ways to cope. Many people adopt unhealthy coping habits such as smoking or drinking. Learning to relax, regular exercise and meditation can help. Doctors often use drugs to control the symptoms of stress. Most of them have unwanted side effects.

Loneliness, Modern Life and Stress

Today we have less sense of community.  We work long hours, eat on our own & do many things on our own. We surf the internet for many hours & often don’t have a strong local friend and family network. Research shows this can hugely affect our health. It can even shorten our life a lot! For more on this see here.

Acupuncture Treatment for Stress

Acupuncture treatment for stressAcupuncture is very effective in reducing stress. We see lots of people with  problems linked with stress, for example, pain, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines.

It is believed that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system. It helps levels of feel-good hormones like serotonine and dopamine. This leads to a relaxation response.

In Chinese medicine it is believed that stress and negative emotions affect the smooth flow of Qi (energy) in the body. For example, anger affects the Liver energy and fear reduces Kidney energy. Acupuncture helps these energy blockages . The healing effects include slower heart rate, muscle relaxation, lower blood pressure etc.

We can also help you learn a relaxation technique that suits you .Eating better also reduces your stress levels,for example, avoiding caffeine, refined sugar and alcohol.

Many of our clients who use acupuncture for pain and other symptoms find that they start feeling more relaxed and sleep better.

Read here for more about what we can treat with acupuncture.

Affordable Acupuncture Guildford

Treatment of Pain with Acupuncture

We find the treatment of pain with acupuncture really helps. At our clinic in Guildford we treat all types of pain, recent or long term. We can also give you advice to help your symptoms. Small life style changes can really help. Diet and exercise are particularly important.

Doctors Say Treatment of Pain with Acupuncture works!

NHS doctors are beginning to use acupuncture along with other treatment, but the availability is very limited.

NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines recommend acupuncture for lower back pain.

Chronic pain affects around 8% of UK population and it cost NHS billions of pounds. It can lead to depression and about 1 in 4 people lose their job due to painful conditions.

Why try Acupuncture

More and more people are turning to acupuncture to treat their pain. A big plus of acupuncture treatment is fewer side effects. Acupuncture can really help when drugs don’t work & have side-effects. Side effects can be specially difficult for you when drugs are taken for a long time. Acupuncture has no side effects, and is very safe. And with us it is very affordable!

What Pain do We Treat?Treatment of Pain with Acupuncture Guildford Surrey

We frequently treat the following conditions:

Arthritis

Neck, back , knee , shoulder, elbow pain

Fybromyalgia

Trapped nerve

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Abdominal pain due to menstrual  or digestive problems

How Does Acupuncture Help Pain?

Chinese medicine says there a re energy pathways in our bodies. They call them meridians. They use acupuncture to unblock or bring new energy into the energy pathways.

This has not been measured by doctors, but the NHS are beginning to use acupuncture now because it works!

Some theories have been accepted as scientific explanations of acupuncture mechanisms such as Gate Theory of Pain and The Two Gate Control Theory.

Research has shown that acupuncture affects our biological systems. It can help body  release  hormones, disable  receptors & activate  anti-inflammatory chemicals. It is believed that this comes from acupuncture working on our nervous system. Acupuncture also promotes relaxation & reduces sensitivity to pain.

In a study published in “Archives of Internal Medicine” on 10th Sept 2012, researchers led by Andrew Vickers reported that acupuncture is effective in reducing chronic pain. This study reviewed 29 previous studies involving 17,922 people. It gave strong evidence that acupuncture benefits some types of chronic pain.

Acupuncture Treatment for Migraine

At our clinic in Guildford Surrey we use acupuncture treatment for Migraine and headaches with great success.

Acupuncture can be used for prevention of migraine & to help symptoms of acute attacks.

Doctors Say Acupuncture Treatment for Migraine works!

The World Health Organisation endorses acupuncture for migraine headaches.

NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence}  guidelines recommend acupuncture for migraine. The NICE guideline is the NHS guidance for their doctors.

About Migraine
Acupuncture treatment for Migraine guildford surrey

Migraines are a serious problem and can severely affect your quality of life.

Migraines affect mainly women. About 60% of migraines are linked to the menstrual cycle. The pain is severe & often one sided. It can have other symptoms like nausea, visual problems, sensitivity to light or sound . Some people experience an aura before an attack. This can be visual disturbances, pins and needles , speech problems, dizziness etc.

Migraines can last for a few hours or a few days.  They can happen several times a week week, or only occasionally.

What Causes Migraine?

They are often caused by: tension, dehydration, eye strain,  low blood sugar levels, sinusitis, head injury, spinal problems, hormonal changes, overuse of painkillers  etc

Some foods are known to be migraine triggers. Examples are: cheese, alcohol, caffeine, food additives, irregular meals.  Emotional triggers play an important role such as stress, anxiety, anger.

Physical triggers include: tiredness, dental problems. Combined triggers are more likely to cause an acute attack.

Migraines are believed to start with changes to blood vessels in the brain. Migraines can be made worse by: high blood pressure, hormonal changes, contraceptive pill, HRT, hormonal fluctuations before the period., smoking.

Medical Migraine treatments

Medical treatment is mainly based on over the counter and prescription drugs, to relieve the symptoms. Doctors usually prescribe painkillers , anti-sickness  drugs and beta-blockers. Most of them are associated with adverse effects.

Acupuncture Treatment for Migraine and Headache

When we first see you we will decide on a treatment plan. This sometimes involves lifestyle , dietary advice and trigger management.

Acupuncture treatment involves gently inserting about 10-20 needles. It is virtually painless.

Acupuncture treatment for migraine works best with a course of 6-10 weekly treatments.

A Client’s Story of Meniere’s Treatment with Acupuncture

Meniere's treatment with acupuncture guildford surrey

Meniere’s disease is  really difficult for all who suffer with it. Here is one client’s story.  Joanna, who Vahida treated with acupuncture, has kindly agreed to us posting it here.

“It is 13 years since I wrote an article in Spin magazine on acupuncture and Menieres. I have since then gone from strength to strength.

The doctors have dismissed me because they said there’s nothing more they can do for my Menieres Syndrome.I must keep taking the SERK (medication) 16mg three times a day.

I am down to 8mg once a day! I haven’t had a vertigo attack in ten years. My tinnitus is under control and I am certainly not as deaf.

Why? Because thanks to my acupuncturist I have learnt to mange my Menieres syndrome and of course I have been having acupuncture. Her favourite phrase is ‘listen to your body’. Our one hour sessions which initially I had every month and now every six months, have not only the needles but also a consultation. In that time I have learnt to recognise what triggers the symptoms ( tinnitus, deafness and vertigo), the best diet for my body, counteract with natural remedies- celery, parsley and asparagus as a diuretic, beetroot and red meat fro  iron.. I have learnt how to mange stress, a trigger for Menieres and tiredness, another trigger.

Over the years I have used my acupuncture for other ailments. My doctor is known to say:” I don’t think I have seen you for over a year”. Acupuncture can be a form of maintenance, especially through the winter months when there are lots of infections around. It boost up my immune system and can help me sleep. If I am having headaches, backache, pulled a muscle, got sinusitis, I go and have acupuncture. It always works for me.”   Joanna

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