Acupuncture
Acupuncture can treat a wide variety of conditions such as backache, migraine, stress, and anxiety. It is also helpful for a range of gynaecological and obstetric problems including working in partnership to improve IVF outcomes.
Acupressure massage, cupping and moxibustion may also be used during treatment and offered as an alternative to needles.
We also offer specialised facial acupuncture.
Herbal Medicine
Herbal Medicine is one of the oldest systems of medicine, in fact the World Health Organisation estimates 85% of the World’s population is still dependant on the healing properties of plants for health and treating disease.
Herbalists treats each person as a unique individual and prescribes herbal medicines to obtain or regain optimum health. The condition treated may be of a short or long term nature.
Medical Herbalists are trained in similar diagnostics and clinical skills to orthodox doctors but they treat in a holistic way by seeking and identifying the underlying cause of the problem, not just the symptoms of the disease.
Podiatry
What is a podiatrist?
A Biomechanical Podiatrist is a clinician that specialises in problems of the lower limb and feet that can affect your lower limb, back and gait.
A biomechanical podiatrist uses off the shelf Orthoses, made to measure Orthoses, pressure deflective insoles, heels raises and shoe modifications.
A new patient appointment lasts on average one hour and a follow up appointment 30 minutes.
How can it help me?
Problems that a biomechanical podiatrist can treat include:
Heel pain, including calcaneal spurs and plantarfasciitis
Burning/numbness of toes including plantar interdigital neuromas
Pain under the ball of the foot including sub metatarsal and intermetatarsal bursitis
Hallux valgus/Bunions
Clawed toes
Knee pain
Shin splints
Ankle pain and sprains
Hip pain
Lower back pain
Limb length discrepancies
A biomechanical podiatrist can also help improve your running style, improve your running times, and improve/alter your gait.
Massage Therapy
Massage has been used for centuries as a way of aiding relaxation, helping with sleep, as well as relieving anxiety and stress. It is usually a safe therapy for all age groups.
Relaxation Massage
This helps to promote deep relaxation and a sense of calm and relieves anxiety and stress.
Massage signals the brain to release ‘endorphins’ – the chemicals which give us the feelings of wellbeing and are also our natural painkillers. Endorphins reduce the amount of stress hormones (adrenalin and cortisol) that we make – high levels of which these hormones have been shown toslow healing and impair the immune system.
Lymphatic drainage techniques are particularly helpful for releasing tension.
Therapeutic/ Remedial Massage
This style of massage involves working with tissues on a variety of levels and is often used after injury or strain, but can also be used on a regular basis to “maintain” well being. Remedial massage may reduce stress induced muscle tensions.
During treatment we may work on specific ‘trigger points’ where an area of contracted muscle refers pain to a distant area.
This style of massage is an excellent way of helping to ease musculoskeletal problems.
Deep Tissue/ Sports Massage
These types of massage may benefit people participating in sports and regular exercise and those working in demanding physical jobs.
Treatments vary from back and shoulder work, to deep tissue and muscle work of the legs for runners or people playing sport regularly.
These massages may aid the bodies own natural lymph circulation which eliminates toxins and transports nutrients to the cells.
Back, Neck & Shoulder Treatments
Various levels of pain and sometimes loss of mobility can be caused by problems arising from the head, neck and shoulder areas.
Problems may be caused by stress, injury, posture and other lifestyle factors.
Many of our pains and strains are caused by routine activities such as desk and computer based work, repetitive strains from driving, or even awkward sleeping positions.
As a lot of tension is carried in the neck, shoulders and chest, this massage focuses on opening up the chest, relaxing the shoulders and relieving tensions in the back. This treatment combines a number of stretching and passive movements, guiding the joints gently.
Reflexology
Your feet are like a mirror of your body…they can paint a picture of your health over the last 6-12 months.
There are over 7000 nerve endings in your feet and by treating the reflexes they send nerve signals and stimulate the central nervous system in quite a precise way, which will re-balance your body systems and aid in improving and managing your physical and psychological health.
Up to 75% of illnesses are thought to be stress-related in some form. The aim of reflexology is to encourage your body to heal itself and relieve stress and tension in a totally non-intrusive way, just purely by generating a very deep relaxation within you, which will bring your whole body into total alignment.
Some of the key benefits of reflexology are improved blood circulation, respiratory function, endocrine (hormone) flow, immune activity, pain relief, digestive movement, fatigue, muscle tension, as well as reducing stress and anxiety. It helps detoxify your body by flushing toxins and waste out and thus facilitating better transportation of nutrients, basically it aids the body get to a state of homeostasis (stability), which is the key to life at the end of the day.
The result is a natural balance and you will feel an immense sense of tranquility, calmness and well-being if you make reflexology part of your life. A soothing foot bath prior to your treatment and a relaxing foot massage during and afterwards will enhance your wonderful experience.
Clinical Hypnotherapy
What is Hypnosis?
Simply put, it is an altered state of consciousness. We all go in and out of trance states on a daily basis, for example, day dreaming or driving your car from A to B without remembering exactly how you got there. Even though Hypnotherapy involves the induction of a trance like state, you are not asleep. On the contrary, you are fully in control, and although deeply relaxed, have an enhanced state of awareness. Under hypnosis, you experience a sense of deep relaxation, and your attention is focused on the suggestions made by the therapist. The therapist bypasses your conscious mind and speaks directly to your subconscious mind, making suggestions that will bring about the desired lifestyle changes, firmly planting the seeds of change in your subconscious mind.
What happens during a treatment?
Initially you will be invited to consult with a hypnotherapist so that a full assessment of your problem can be made. This allows you to plan and agree an effective programme of treatment.
If hypnosis is agreed as a way forward, you may then be invited to experience hypnosis by being guided towards a state of deep relaxation, which most people find very pleasant. A full treatment will be made to affect the desired positive changes.
Can I be hypnotised?
Yes, everyone has the ability to enter a hypnotic state, but you must want to be hypnotised. The hypnotherapist does not take over control of your mind and cannot make you do anything that you do not want to. Hypnosis is simply a way of communication with your subconscious mind in order to make changes that are good for you. If you do want to be hypnotised, then hypnosis can work very effectively for you.
What can be helped with Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a very powerful tool in contributing towards the successful treatment of a range of conditions including:
Stress, anxiety and panic attacks
Sleep problems
Chronic fatigue and chronic illness
Problems with confidence, self-esteem and assertiveness
Body image problems
Nausea
Weight loss
Stop smoking
Phobias
Pain control
Tinnitus
Physiotherapy
What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability.
Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.
They maintain health for people of all ages, helping patients to manage pain and prevent disease.
The profession helps to encourage development and facilitate recovery, enabling people to stay in work while helping them to remain independent for as long as possible.
What physiotherapists do
Physiotherapy is a science-based profession and takes a ‘whole person’ approach to health and wellbeing, which includes the patient’s general lifestyle. At the core is the patient’s involvement in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their treatment.
You can benefit from physiotherapy at any time in your life. Physiotherapy helps with back pain or sudden injury, managing long-term medical condition such as asthma, and in preparing for childbirth or a sporting event.
Why physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a degree-based healthcare profession. Physios use their knowledge and skills to improve a range of conditions associated with different systems of the body, such as:
Neurological (stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's)
Neuromusculoskeletal (back pain, whiplash associated disorder, sports injuries, arthritis)
Cardiovascular (chronic heart disease, rehabilitation after heart attack)
Respiratory (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis).
Physiotherapists work in a variety of specialisms in health and social care.
