Rivendell Acupuncture
& Reflexology
Musculoskeletal Pain
Musculoskeletal pain is common and can be caused by problems with your joints, bones or muscles. It can have a major impact on quality of life and the ability to do normal activity. It can also negatively impact on sleep and mood. If your back or neck pain is associated with worrying symptoms such as weight loss, loss of strength in limbs, numbness or loss of control of your bowel or bladder you need to seek medical advice urgently.
Low Back Pain
This is an extremely common condition and can have a major impact on mobility and ability to engage with normal activity. Strong painkillers have been shown to have a detrimental effect on overall health and do not control symptoms well. Gentle exercise, weight loss and physiotherapy can be beneficial in helping you control your pain.
Acupuncture also has strong study evidence showing that it reduce symptoms of chronic low back pain and improves quality of life. It also has been shown to be safe when carried out by a competent practitioner.
Neck Pain
This can be caused by arthritis, disc or spine problems, strain or trauma and is a common condition. It usually will improve with simple painkillers, good posture (low, firm pillow), heat or cold packs and neck flexibility exercises.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve neck pain, especially if combined with other treatments, but unfortunately the pain may recur if the cause is chronic arthritis or spinal problems.
Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common condition that can cause pain, restriction of movement and poor quality of life. Surgical replacement remains the best method of improving mobility and symptoms but for those people who are awaiting surgery or who can’t have surgery weight loss, gentle exercise, muscle strengthening exercises and painkillers are the main treatments.
Acupuncture, and in particular electroacupuncture, has been shown to be effective in controlling symptoms of pain and improving quality of life. This is particularly important at a time when the evidence of harm from strong painkillers for chronic pain is growing alarmingly strong.
Lateral Elbow Pain (Tennis Elbow)
This pain comes from problems in the ligaments, muscles and tendons around the elbow joint, usually after a period of repetitive use. Rest, simple painkillers and physiotherapy are all useful treatments in improving the pain.
Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in improving the pain in studies and electroacupuncture has been also been shown to be beneficial when the problem has become chronic.
Headache
Headache symptoms are common and can usually be treated with rest, relaxation, drinking plenty of fluids and simple analgesia. Any worrying headache symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
Tension Headache
This is the most common type of headache and they usually feel like a constant ache or band around the head. They can last from 30 minutes to several hours but sometimes longer. The cause is not known but reducing stress, drinking plenty of fluids, eating regularly can help.
Migraine
This type of headache is less common but is more severe and can be associated with nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and visual disturbances. They can be very debilitating and may require medication from your doctor to prevent and treat episodes.
​
NICE guidelines (evidence-based recommendations for healthcare) have supported the use of acupuncture to prevent (sometimes referred to as "prophylaxis") or reduce the frequency of both Tension headaches and Migraine as the studies have shown significant benefit for people suffering from these types of headache.
Chronic Sinusitis
Acute sinusitis is common and usually settles itself but some people develop chronic symptoms of episodes of tenderness around their forehead, eyes or cheeks, a blocked nose with reduced sense of smell and post-nasal drip. Simple painkillers, salt water nasal rinses and steroid nasal sprays can be used as well as seeking advice from the pharmacist or your doctor, especially if these symptoms are associated with a temperature.
Acupuncture can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the whole body and can be used successfully by itself or alongside simple measures to improve symptoms and quality of life in this debilitating condition.
Hayfever
Hayfever or Allergic Rhinitis is where your nose gets irritated by allergens such as pollen, animal dander or house dust mites and it can cause sneezing, a runny or blocked nose and/or itchy and watery eyes. You may have a family history of allergies, eczema or asthma.
Simple treatments include antihistamines and different nasal sprays and you can seek advice from your pharmacist or doctor if symptoms are not controlled by these simple measures.
Acupuncture has been shown in studies to prophylactically reduce or prevent hayfever symptoms occurring, when three treatments have been given before the pollen season commences. Acupuncture has been shown in studies to be a safe and effective treatment with improvement in quality of life and reduction in symptoms. In general at least six treatments are needed weekly to achieve maximum benefit.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common condition that affects the gut. It causes symptoms of stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation and can have a negative impact on quality of life. Other more serious problems should be ruled out, especially if symptoms include weight loss, blood in the stool or tummy swelling. Lifestyle changes in diet, exercise and stress reduction may help.
Acupuncture has been shown to clinically help some people with IBS. Symptoms such as tummy pain, bloating and abnormal bowel habit were seen to improve with the use of acupuncture in the studies.
Women's Health
Feeling fit and well is important and there are several conditions that specifically cause troublesome symptoms for women, such as hot flushes associated with the menopause, overactive bladder symptoms and period pain. Acupuncture treatment has been shown to be beneficial in these conditions as it works with the body restoring well-being, balance and promotes physical and psychological health.
Hot Flushes Associated with Menopause
The menopause occurs when the female hormones fall and periods stop. Usually this happens between the ages of 45-55 but occasionally it can occur earlier due to surgery, medication or genetic reasons. Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can have a major impact on your daily life, including relationships, social life, family life and work. It is a very individual experience with some women experiencing severe symptoms even before their periods stop (perimenopause) and others experiencing no symptoms. Hot flushes can come on suddenly as hot or cold sensations over the chest, neck and face and may be associated with dizziness. Other unpleasant symptoms are difficulty sleeping due to the night sweats and that can lead to extra tiredness and irritability during the day. It is important to see your doctor and discuss the best management for your symptoms.
Studies have shown that acupuncture is a safe and effective way of improving menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, with up to 80% of the women in one study reporting that the treatment was helping them with their hot flushes, sweats, sleep disturbance and emotional health. Treatment would usually be weekly for 5-6 weeks with the option of top-up sessions as needed afterwards.
Overactive Bladder Symptoms
Overactive bladder symptoms are common with 12% of adults experiencing significant symptoms. These can be very troublesome, with a frequent urgent need to pee, meaning you need to find a toilet immediately and there even could be a leakage of urine if the urge is too strong. This can have a major impact on your life restricting your social life, family life and even work. Other symptoms include the need to pee very frequently at night and this disruption of sleep can leave you tired and irritable during the day. It is important to see your doctor and discuss the best management for your symptoms.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve symptoms of overactive bladder and is a safe, well-tolerated treatment for people who cannot take medication or who have not benefited from medication. Treatment would usually be weekly for 6-9 weeks with the option of top-up sessions as needed afterwards.
Period Pain
This can also be called dysmenorrhoea and is the pain associated with your menstrual bleeding. This usually lasts for 3-4 days and can be controlled with heat, massage and simple painkillers. If your symptoms are more severe than this or have changed significantly you should consult your doctor.
Acupuncture can be used to restore the natural balance and has been shown in studies to reduce period pain intensity and its associated symptoms and to be a safe and effective treatment for primary dysmenorrhoea. A course of 6-9 treatments is usually needed to provide a significant improvement in symptoms.
Insomnia
Insomnia affects people in different ways. Some may find it hard to get to sleep while others may wake during the night and lie awake struggling to get back to sleep. This can mean that you are tired and irritable during the day and find it hard to concentrate. It is thought that one third of people are affected by insomnia at some point in their lives.
It can be caused by stress or anxiety; use of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine or recreational drugs; and environmental factors such as noise, an uncomfortable mattress or the bedroom being too hot or cold.
You can do simple things to help yourself such as relaxing before bed, ensuring your bedroom is dark and quiet, taking regular exercise and avoiding stimulants such as alcohol, tea or coffee six hours before bed. If these simple changes do not work and the insomnia is impacting on your daily life you could speak to your doctor for individualised advice.
Acupuncture has been shown to be safe in the treatment of insomnia and in studies has been shown to be as effective in treating insomnia as medication but with much fewer side effects. It has been shown to improve sleep quality and total sleep duration making it a beneficial option when other methods have been unsuccessful.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome which varies from person to person but typically symptoms include pain all over the body, muscle stiffness, fatigue, headaches, IBS and difficulty concentrating. Unfortunately there is no current cure and treatments focus on controlling symptoms.
Acupuncture, when tailored to treating for central regulation rather than treating painful areas, has been shown to reduce symptoms of pain and stiffness and improve general quality of life and wellbeing.