Acupuncture is a treatment which
can relieve symptoms of some physical and psychological
conditions and may encourage the patient's body to heal
and repair itself, if it is able to do so. Acupuncture stimulates
the nerves in skin and muscle, and can produce a variety
of effects. We know that it increases the body's release
of natural painkillers - endorphin and serotonin - in the
pain pathways of both the spinal cord and the brain. This
modifies the way pain signals are received. We at The Foot
Clinic use acupuncture to treat muscloskeletal pain, in
combination with podiatric and physiotherapy interventions
in order that your problem can be tackled a quickly as possible.
Each patient's case will be assessed by the practitioner
and treatment will be tailored to the individual; so it
is impossible to give more than a general idea of what treatment
might involve. Typically, fine needles are inserted through
the skin and left in position briefly, sometimes with manual
or electrical stimulation. The number of needles varies
but may be only two or three.
Treatment might be once a week
to begin with, then at longer intervals as the condition
responds. A typical course of treatment lasts 5 to 8 sessions.
