BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog

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Clinics Closed – Open Online

Hello, I wanted to update you my practice during the COVID-19 outbreak.

As acupuncturists our priority is to consider the health and wellbeing of our patients, and to make sure we do all we can to prevent the spread of this pandemic. Clinics will therefore be closed until things return to normal.

However, if you have a pressing concern please do contact me. Phone/video consulations are available with advice given in the form of acupressure, diet and exercise.

Thank you for your understanding. Stay safe, stay connected and stay postive 🙂

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Five Ways to Mind Your Mental Health
Seated woman meditating as the sun sets.

1 in four of us will experience a mental health issue each year. There are many ways to improve our mental health, including getting professional help, talking about it, and taking time for self-care. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Talk About It – It could be to your friend, a family member, your GP or a professional counsellor. Talking is the first step, helping you to acknowledge what’s going on.
  • Eat Well – Eating good food gives us the brain power we need to deal with whatever is going on. Eat too little and you’ll be physical and mentally exhausted. Eat the wrong foods (too much sugar, caffeine, alcohol) and you’ll have even more ups and downs.
  • Sleep – Lack of sleep makes us irritable, emotional and can lead to depression. Of course, sleep issues often accompany mental health issues. But if you’re able to, try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. If not, try meditation such as yoga nidra (You Tube has videos).
  • Exercise – Regular exercise improves mood, helps us to sleep and wards off chronic illness. A brilliant tool for stress management, just choose activities which you enjoy and aim for at least 3 sessions a week. Yoga, walking and biking are good options.
  • Acupuncture – Regular treatments can be a great way to address mental health and the other symptoms that arise, such as sleep problems and tension headaches. A course of treatment is recommended initially, moving to regular maintenance treatments to keep on top of life’s stresses and strains. Concessions available – please enquire.

Need advice? Want to book a treatment?
Contact Sunny on 07582 684 756 or hello@sunnyjaspal.com

Woman's hand resting on hip with acupuncture needle in LI4 Hegu. 14 Nov 2019

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Headache or migraine?
Woman's hand resting on hip with acupuncture needle in LI4 Hegu.

People often seek acupuncture treatment for headache and migraine. It might be the main issue for their visit, but sometimes it’s one of a multitude of symptoms.

This is one condition that generally responds quickly to acupuncture treatment. A diagnosis is made based upon location of the headache, the nature of the pain plus tongue and pulse diagnostics.

Research has shown that a course of acupuncture is a useful treatment for sufferers of episodic and chronic tension-type headaches. Acupuncture has also been shown to be also beneficial for migraine.

Most commonly acupuncture points on the head and limbs are used. An effective point and one which can be massaged at home is LI4 Hegu (pictured above). This lies between the thumb and first finger on the top of the hand, at the highest point of the bulge when the thumb and finger are squeezed together.

As with any condition treated by traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture, lifestyle and dietary advice are important. This is individualised, as is your treatment.

Want to find out more? Contact Sunny today

Woman with hay fever sneezing 25 Jun 2019

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Acupuncture and Hay Fever

Woman with hay fever sneezing in a field of rape.The symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, can sometimes be difficult to manage. Perhaps you are someone who doesn’t like to take medicine if there is an alternative approach. Or maybe you find that conventional medicine doesn’t help. I was in the latter group, but by using acupuncture my hay fever symptoms have gone from severe to occasional and very mild.

The research on acupuncture for allergic rhinitis is mixed, with some studies showing that acupuncture may be a safe and effective treatment for allergic rhinitis with benefits over conventional medicine, however other studies state that further trials are needed to access effectiveness. More recently trials have found that acupuncture used alongside routine care for allergic rhinitis has shown benefits.

Studies have also shown how acupuncture may work by regulating mediators of the allergic reaction, stimulating nerves to reduce pain and reducing inflammation.

A typical treatment for hay fever involves using acupuncture points on the arms and legs, plus the face and head. Acupuncture needles are very fine, and even finer needles are used on sensitive areas such as the face.

Acupuncture needles are very fineA course of 6 treatments is recommended to treat the symptoms. To treat the root cause of hay fever, a further course of 6 treatments is recommended in the autumn or winter to avoid the recurrence of symptoms the following year.

Questions about treatment? Want to find out more?
07582684756 hello@sunnyjaspal.com
Book Online

Discover acupuncture for anxiety. 16 May 2019

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Acupuncture and Anxiety

Anxiety is a common condition that acupuncturists see in their clinics. It may be situational, related to health issues, but sometimes there may be no obvious reason.

It is thought that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system and causes the release of neurochemicals. This causes biochemical changes which influence the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, promoting physical and emotional well-being.

Both men and women will benefit from acupuncture treatment. For those who find it difficult to talk about their emotions, acupuncture offers an alternative way to tackle the problem. Children, teens, adults and parents can all seek treatment. Acupuncture will aim to treat the symptom as well as the root problem.

For women, anxiety may be experienced at particular times within the menstrual cycle, during menopause, when trying to conceive, throughout pregnancy and motherhood too.

For more information on this topic please visit https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/anxiety.html

Book online or contact Sunny to find out more – hello@sunnyjaspal.com 07582 684 756.

Acupuncture helps fertility 18 Oct 2017

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Acupuncture, Miscarriage & Fertility
Kate’s Story

Kate came to acupuncture treatment following a miscarriage at 6 weeks. Kate wanted help with fertility. She felt that there was something wrong with her, having miscarried. In fact, miscarriage rates from week 5 to week 20 range from 11–22%, the higher proportion taking place within the first trimester.

Causes

Many women like Kate are unaware of these statistics, and often blame themselves following a miscarriage. This is made worse as most women will never find out the cause, as it is still not fully understood. A large proportion of miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities. In addition, anatomical issues with the womb or cervix, hormonal issues such as polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS), age, certain long-term medical conditions, infections, medications and food poising can all contribute. Other risk factors, which can be controlled and can help with prevention, are obesity, smoking, drug misuse, more than 200mg of caffeine daily and alcohol. However it is important to remember that the cause of miscarriage it is very unlikely to be something you have done.

Periods following a miscarriage

Following a miscarriage you may find that your period is longer and heavier than usual. Every woman is different, and while for some it may only take 4-6 weeks for periods to return to normal, for some women it can take months. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture looks at signs and symptoms of menstruation to diagnose imbalances and can help to regulate the menstrual cycle. Your acupuncturist can rebalance your body through an acupuncture point prescription, as well as home care and diet advice from a TCM perspective. Once the body has had time to heal, fertility comes back into the spotlight. During this time your acupuncturist will teach you how to chart your menstrual cycle, so that you can track ovulation and increase your chances of becoming pregnant. The information from charting will not only help you to feel more in touch with your body, it will help your acupuncturist to diagnose and track your progress.

Close-up of woman's hands holding a pregnancy test.

Trying again
How long should you wait after a miscarriage to conceive?

Whilst it is generally advised to wait until you next period before trying again, TCM advice suggests waiting at least 3 months in order to rebalance and strengthen the body. At this time we can begin to work closely with your cycle to create the optimal conditions for pregnancy to occur. Fertility acupuncture treatment happens throughout your monthly cycle, with each treatment being different from the last to keep up with the changing phases of your cycle. In the follicular phase, the first half of your cycle, the focus is on building the body’s energy and a healthy endometrial lining. In the luteal phase of your cycle, or the part after ovulation, the emphasis is on creating an optimal environment for the embryo to implant into the uterine lining.

Pregnancy and emotions

Kate came for regular weekly treatments and became pregnant after 3 months of treatment. Whilst Kate was happy to be pregnant, she also felt very anxious after her first experience. Because acupuncture is safe during pregnancy we have been able to treat Kate’s anxiety so that she feels she is coping much better.


Have you been affected by miscarriage? Would you like more information about miscarriage, acupuncture and fertility? Contact Sunny to find out more:

Tel: 07582 684 756
Email: hello@sunnyjaspal.com
Book online


Clinics in: St Neots, Cambridgeshire . Letchworth, Hertfordshire

Massage Therapy with Sunny 15 May 2017

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Treating Shoulder Pain with Acupuncture

Dawn visited me with shoulder pain and neck pain. A visual assessment and palpation of the problem area revealed that the muscles of her neck and left shoulder blade were very tense and tight. A combination of cupping, massage and acupuncture were used to loosen the muscles. By the 4th treatment Dawn’s shoulder and neck had visibility improved and she was feeling pain free.

Watch this video to find out how acupuncture can help with pain and read the research on acupuncture for chronic pain and neck pain. Are you suffering from neck pain or shoulder pain? Contact Sunny.

T: 07582 684 756 Email: hello@sunnyjaspal.com

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Sleep Peacefully with Acupuncture

Woman lying on side sleeping peacefully.Sunday is for Sleep

Acupuncture Awareness Week 2017

Many people report their sleep improves within just a few sessions of acupuncture. Tina came for treatment after years of problems with her sleep which started during menopause. She was unable to fall asleep quickly, and would often wake up and be unable to fall back to sleep. In addition Tina was suffering with hot flushes. After undertaking a course of acupuncture treatment over 3 months, Tina was finally able to sleep peacefully, improving her energy levels, mood, clarity of thought and reducing her hot flushes.

Are you suffering with insomnia? Try acupuncture with 50% off for Acupuncture Awareness Week!*

Appointments available in Letchworth, Hertfordshire & West Norwood, South London 

*Treatments must be booked by 13/03/2017

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Improve Your Fertility with Acupuncture

Friday is for FertilityClose-up of woman's hands holding a pregnancy test.Acupuncture Awareness Week 2017

Fiona came for acupuncture treatment for fertility. Both her and her partner’s medical fertility tests came back as normal. As an acupuncturist with a nutritional qualification, I asked Fiona to complete a diet diary to find out where improvements could be made. Fiona changed her diet as per the recommendations and had weekly acupuncture treatments for 7 weeks. By her 7th session Fiona was pregnant and feeling happy and healthy.

Watch this video for more successful acupuncture fertility stories.

Are you trying to conceive? Perhaps you want to increase your chances of successful IVF treatment?* Try acupuncture with 50% off for Acupuncture Awareness Week!*

Appointments available in Letchworth, Hertfordshire and St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

*Treatments must be booked by 13/03/2017

BY: Sunny Jaspal

Acupuncture / Blog / Conditions

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Treating Tension Headaches with Acupuncture

Thursday is for Tension HeadachesWoman with headache holding temples, sitting in front of laptop.Acupuncture Awareness Week 2017

Anna chose acupuncture for tension headaches and chest pain due to anxiety which were occurring almost every day due to a stressful work situation. In addition, she was feeling frustrated and unable to think clearly. The chest pain improved after just 1 treatment. By her 4th treatment, the headaches were already reducing, and by the 8th they had gone completely. Anna felt she was able to cope better with her mood and felt clearer in her thoughts.

Acupuncture is effective for treating chronic tension headaches. Try acupuncture with 50% off for Acupuncture Awareness Week!*

Appointments available in St Neots and Letchworth Garden City.

*Treatments must be booked by 13/03/2017