Health
Cold Comfort Print E-mail

Want to fend off the gloom of winter and the subsequent myriad infections the chillier weather brings? Louise Bailey looks at the benefits of acupuncture.

More and more people are using acupuncture as a preventative medicine. During the winter months most of us slow down and feel generally less alert. The cold, damp weather and shorter daylight hours mean we spend more time indoors cooped up and in close proximity to each other, allowing infections to easily spread.

For some people this may mean time lost from work or children having to spend time away from school. These situations in themselves can be stressful – and stress lowers our resistance to infections.

We should never underestimate the misery and disruption to people’s lives that infections such as flu, bronchitis and pneumonia can bring. In fact, the flu pandemics of the 20th century killed millions of adults in countries all over the world.

Classic flu symptoms include chills, fever, headache, muscular aches, loss of appetite and fatigue and these are often followed by a cough, chest pain, sore throat and runny nose. Respiratory symptoms tend to persist and many sufferers become weak and may even feel depressed.

In elderly people and those with heart and lung disease, secondary bacterial infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia, which can be at best extremely debilitating and at worst fatal, may result. It is usual to feel tired, lacking in energy and motivation and low in oneself and it is not uncommon for these patients to take several weeks to fully recover.

Acupuncture has the ability to promote healthy functioning of the body, so it is often used as an effective form of preventative medicine. This is why people – and this can include the whole family – who receive acupuncture treatment are less likely to succumb to the winter nasties such as flu, colds, bronchitis and pneumonia. Indeed, everyone will find it easier to stay healthy, feel good and have enough energy to deal with life’s challenges.

Eastern cultures have used acupuncture to restore, promote and maintain good health for 2,500 years. It has stood the test of time because it goes straight to the cause of the problem – whether it is chronic or acute. The symptoms are not treated in isolation.

Assessment and diagnosis

At the initial consultation, the acupuncture practitioner makes an in-depth assessment that forms the core of their diagnostic process. Details are noted regarding medical history, diet, digestion, sleep, emotional state, general state of current health and current symptoms and problems.

Information is gathered about how a person’s energy is flowing in their body, by feeling their pulses on both wrists and noting the quality, rhythm and strength. The tongue is examined to check the colour, structure and coating. These details are then combined to determine the likely cause of the problem and to plan and select the most effective treatment.

The acupuncturist’s aim is always to improve the healthy functioning of the person’s body, mind and spirit and enhance their own powers of recovery, rather than endeavouring to ‘fight’ illness. It is important to remember that when the cause of a problem is addressed it is much less likely to return.

Acupuncture treatment involves the use of needles that are solid but much finer than those used for injections: they are about as thick as two strands of hair. When the needles are inserted people often describe a tingling or ‘dull ache’ sensation that lasts a couple of seconds. Sometimes, the needles are inserted for several minutes, at other times for just a few seconds. As well as needles, moxa can also be used. This aromatic Chinese herb is burnt over acupuncture points to encourage the body’s energy to flow more smoothly and has a warming and nurturing effect, designed to eliminate cold and damp.

There are approximately 500 acupuncture points on the body. About 350 are used with 100 of them used more frequently. Certain points affect certain parts of the body, but these may not necessarily be close to where the problem is. Headaches, for example, may be treated using acupuncture points on the hands or the feet.

Initially, many people have treatment at weekly intervals, but the number of treatments depends on the individual, as we are all different. Most people notice an improvement after five or six treatments, but sometimes the effects are more dramatic and only one or two are needed. With others, the effects are subtle and they may need to have treatment over several months.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective therapy for people of all ages. It is suitable for children, the elderly and pregnant women and can also be used alongside conventional medicine without affecting its efficacy. Many people have acupuncture to help with a specific condition which might include anxiety states, arthritis, muscular skeletal problems, depression, facial paralysis, high blood pressure, indeterminate aches and pains, infertility, menstrual problems, migraines and skin conditions.

The benefits of acupuncture frequently include more than just relief from the particular condition being treated. Patients find that it can also lead to increased levels of energy and better appetite and sleep, as well as an enhanced sense of overall wellbeing. They begin to function in a more balanced state and are less likely to become ill and this is why more and more people are using acupuncture as a preventative medicine, particularly as winter takes a hold.

Helping yourself

There are ways you can help yourself to stay infection-free, boost the positive effects of your acupuncture treatment and support your immune system:
  • Help reduce stress by having regular, appropriate exercise, fresh air and sunlight.
  • Eat a good mixed diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
  • Avoid sugary foods, as they suppress your immune function and rot your teeth. They are best used as an occasional treat.
  • Drink plenty of water to help cleanse your system and prevent dehydration.
  • Drink moderate amounts of alcohol. One glass of red wine a day has been shown to have a positive overall effect, but if you drink more the law of diminishing returns applies.
  • Get adequate rest and sleep.

Flu jabs

It is highly recommended that older people and anyone suffering from respiratory or circulatory disease are vaccinated to help avoid getting flu. It should be remembered, though, that any immunity provided by anti-flu vaccines is short-lived and very specific to that year’s prevalent viruses and must be repeated each year just before the onset of the ‘flu season’.

Finding a practitioner

Anyone considering acupuncture treatment should choose a practitioner registered with the British Acupuncture Council, the UK’s leading regulatory body for the practice of acupuncture. All members of the BAC observe a code of safe practice that lays down stringent standards of hygiene and requires all needles to be sterile and disposable. Call 020 8735 0400 or visit www.acupuncture.org.uk
 
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