View from the couch

Following a surgical menopause, and infective gastritis which led to a five-stone weight loss, I was left with a lot of chronic fatigue, visceral pain, and anxiety. The days were sometimes long and tricky to get through.

After lots of overly ambitious attempts at just getting on with it – hampered by Covid and a lack of NHS services to fit – I decided that maybe acupuncture might help me come at things from a more calm and balanced perspective, rather than the headless chicken approach I was taking.

I also hoped that it would relieve some of the visceral sensations that dominated my life.

A previous experience of moxibustion to turn my baby, as well as wanting a wellness- rather than illness-centred approach, meant I was ready to take a new route to better physical and mental health.

I arrived at my first session – at pace, very talkative and feeling ever so slightly apprehensive! I was allowed to just… be.

A wonderfully holistic consultation and an explanation of the principles of acupuncture followed and I started with lots of moxa as well as some needles. The feelings of vulnerability disappeared. I felt calmer.

In the beginning I struggled to even notice the presence of heat or the stab of a needle, almost wondering why I was there. But even so, I felt different afterwards.

At first I was focused on searching for the big changes in terms of my fatigue levels and pain, but as time has gone on things feel more nuanced than that, and my mind and body seem to be gathering themselves again.

The effects are wide-ranging – from increased stamina to better coping mechanisms and a quietening of visceral and stomach symptoms. I have felt better able to maintain my posture and increase my exercise level, to gain strength and develop a greater sense of relaxation.

Lying on the couch, and the hours, days and months afterwards, have revealed multifaceted and layered effects that seem to be changing life for the better.

My whole body awareness has improved and the subtleties of sensation and mood are making a comeback.

As things move on I can now feel the glow of the moxa and the impact of a needle on my skin, the flow of qi and things seem to hold for longer.

I find myself requesting deep channel work and also discovering that Chinese massage is of benefit too.

If you have a patient who's willing to tell us their acupuncture story, we'd love to hear from you or them via editor@acupuncture.org.uk