Tag: NHS

Acupuncture Blackheath

Proven treatment for physical and emotional health

Welcome

My name is Oksana Kozak. The aim of this site is to give you the relevant information you need to make an informed decision about acupuncture.

I am a member of the British Acupuncture Council and have worked extensively within the NHS and in private clinics.

Acupuncture can help you in many ways and for many different conditions. We are all unique, so if you have questions after reading this website please feel free to ask.

Evidence

Due to the large body of scientific evidence, the World Health Organization and many doctors now endorse acupuncture.

If you suffer from any of these conditions there is clinical evidence that acupuncture can help you:

* Backache * Stress * Headache * Irregular or painful periods * Depression * Insomnia * asthma * Infertility * Migraine * Arthritis * High blood pressure

Source – World Health Organization

Acupuncture Blackheath

Benefits

There are also added benefits. Acupuncture has been shown to stimulate endorphins and serotonin in your brain. These chemicals are responsible for a feeling of wellbeing and happiness.

I am a fully qualified TCM practitioner and a member of the British Acupuncture Council, with five years training experience both in the UK and China. I have extensive experience working with the NHS and at private clinics in the UK.

I originally trained in western medicine, completing five years at medical school in Ukraine. However during my studies I became frustrated with idea that I might know lots of information about how the body works and yet still not be able to bring a fully rounded (physical and emotional) therapeutic effect to my future patients.

I searched around and after talking to my friend’s mother, who was a teacher at the local university I found that acupuncture could be what I was looking for. I was luck enough to be introduced to an ophthalmologist, Dr Sun-Chen-Lee, who was among the few acupuncture practitioners in my town. After a few years of apprenticeship in his busy practice, I moved to London and did my acupuncture degree at the University of Westminster, followed by a post graduate degree in Chinese Herbal Medicine. Acupuncture Blackheath

Okasana is an liscenced acupuncturist and member of the british acupuncture council praticing in south east london. Acupuncture Blackheath Acupuncture South London

Chronic back pain is a condition that affects millions of people in the UK every year and is known to be a key cause of sickness absence from work. Unfortunately for the sufferer, many cases of chronic back pain cannot be resolved because clinicians are often at a loss as to the root cause of the on-going tension or stiffness in this area. This, in turn, can lead to patients feeling frustrated with their condition, and often causes them to investigate alternative therapies and treatments in the hope of relieving their symptoms.

There’s no denying that acupuncture has been widely accepted by the Westernised world as a popular complementary therapy. The practice, which originated from ancient Chinese rituals, seeks to stimulate the body to produce chemicals with natural healing properties so that it can begin to manage pain more effectively. Many back pain sufferers swear by acupuncture; they believe the treatment greatly improves their symptoms and will usually report that they leave their treatment feeling relaxed and more at ease. Surprisingly, however, there is relatively little scientific evidence to prove the therapy can in fact help combat back pain, aside from one crucial beacon of hope offered by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

(NICE) is a governing body that strives to collate findings from recent research, assess the results of important studies, and incorporate crucial developments into best practice guidelines for clinicians in England and Wales. In 2009, the organisation published a paper that encouraged the use of acupuncture as a treatment for chronic lower back pain. The guideline, titled -The early management of persistent non-specific low back pain’, spoke of one systematic review that demonstrated acupuncture can indeed present short-term pain relief. Other credible randomised controlled trials indicated that acupuncture significantly improved the patient’s back function and quality of life by reducing pain after just a three month period. This pleased many physiotherapists who were convinced of its benefits in helping those with back pain.

In addition, a UK National Health Service (NHS)- based costs per QALY analysis indicated that clinicians can be 90% certain that acupuncture is cost-effective compared with usual care methods (including medicine and physical therapy) at 24 months. This is a statistic that many acupuncturists believe should be investigated further by both the NHS and the private health sector, especially as this entire industry is keen to cut treatment costs at a time of crippling austerity for the healthcare system.

In conclusion, the simple answer to the question proposed in this article is yes, acupuncture can help patients manage back pain, but the full extent of the efficacy of this therapy is still largely unknown. The studies mentioned above do help to convince sceptical clinicians of the benefits of acupuncture, but it seems that until there is solid medical research to support its effectiveness, clinicians are best to consider the practice as part of a broader treatment plan.

Acupuncture is widely used as an alternative method for healing many different types of illnesses, from colds and flu to respiratory disorders. The ancient Chinese medical practice involves putting pressure on specific points in the body to release tension and unblock negative ‘qi’ (or ‘vital energy’). The traditional approach involves using needles, however massage can also be used to the same effect in some cases. The technique developed in response to the notion that an individual’s ‘vital energy’ could become misaligned during illness and that by unblocking negative energy, balance and so health could be restored. There has been extensive research on the effects of acupuncture, with many positive reports showing improved symptoms for a variety of illnesses and conditions. It is believed that acupuncture can be beneficial for a wide variety of health problems, and the base of evidence is steadily growing with new research.

The cost of acupuncture can mean that many people are hesitant to try it as a means to treat illness. Some services are available through the NHS, however private treatment is favoured by those seeking immediate treatment. Private services can cost up to 60 for an initial consultation with subsequent treatments costing upwards of 40 an hour. Bigroom acupuncture in Bristol opened to provide individuals seeking treatment with a cost-effective alternative. Their service is different to others in that clients are treated simultaneously in a large open-plan space, meaning that the staff can work with more than one person at a time and keep costs down. Screens are used between treatment couches to maintain privacy for clients, and feedback for the service has been positive.

For first-time clients, an initial appointment is made to discuss treatment needs. A detailed medical history is taken from each client, who will then be given a chance to discuss their major complaint as well as any other concerns. The initial consultation lasts approximately one hour, with follow-up appointments at around 40 minutes. All Bigroom practitioners are registered with the British Acupuncture Council, with several of the practitioners in Bristol also owning private practices. Clients can request a male or female practitioner, who can administer each session for the duration of treatment.

An open-plan approach to treatment may seem daunting to people trying acupuncture for the first time. However, customers have been very satisfied with the service given by Bigroom. “[bigroom] have been really supportive and kind through a very challenging period of ill health,” said one client. “I feel their acupuncture has been an essential part of my getting well. I’m so grateful to have been able to have treatments with them. I’d really recommend them to anyone with health issues they want to improve.”