Acupuncture involves inserting very fine, sterile and single-use needles into specific points on the body. In Chinese Medicine, points are selected according to your individual pattern of health and symptoms, so treatment can look quite different from person to person.

Research suggests acupuncture can influence the nervous system and processes involved in pain, inflammation and stress.

People come to acupuncture for many reasons, including pain and musculoskeletal problems, headaches and migraine, stress, sleep difficulties, menstrual and hormonal symptoms, fertility and IVF support, and support through pregnancy, postpartum and menopause.

Acupuncture is also used within the NHS for certain conditions. The NHS currently lists long-term pain, migraine-type headaches and severe hiccups among the conditions for which acupuncture may be offered. NICE recommends acupuncture in specific circumstances for chronic primary pain, and for the prevention of chronic tension-type headache and migraine.

Acupuncture needles are extremely fine, so most people don't find treatment painful. I often tell patients the most common sound in my clinic is not ‘ouch’ but gentle snoring. 

You may feel a mild pinch or prick as a needle is inserted, followed by sensations such as warmth, tingling, heaviness or a dull ache around some points. On some points, I may seek slightly more sensation (known as de qi) for best results, but I'll always check that you're comfortable and adjust the treatment if needed. You are in full control of your treatment.

Acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed by a properly trained practitioner using sterile, single-use needles.

Before treatment, I’ll take a full health history and consider any medical conditions, medication or other factors that may affect your treatment. I’ll explain what I’m doing and make sure you’re comfortable throughout.

Acupuncture is generally well tolerated, although some people may experience minor effects such as temporary soreness, mild bruising, minor bleeding or light-headedness. Serious complications are very rare when acupuncture is carried out appropriately.

One of the most common side effects of acupuncture is feeling floaty, slightly sleepy or relaxed after treatment. Often patients tell me they feel a little more like themselves.

There is a growing body of research into acupuncture, with evidence supporting its use for a number of conditions, particularly some types of pain, headache and migraine, and nausea. Evidence varies depending on the condition, and acupuncture isn't appropriate for every health problem.

I take an evidence-informed approach to treatment, combining the traditional Chinese Medicine framework with current research and my clinical training.

There isn't a set number of acupuncture treatments because it depends on what you're coming for, how long you've been experiencing it and how you respond to treatment. However, a bit like visiting the gym, we rarely expect dramatic results from a single session (although in my experience, this can happen). Acupuncture is a cumulative medicine and results often build over time.

We'll review how you're doing as we go rather than committing you to a fixed course. Some people benefit from a short series of treatments, while others choose occasional acupuncture for ongoing support.

Acupuncture can be used alongside conventional fertility care, including IVF, as part of an individual's wider approach to wellbeing.

I offer acupuncture for fertility and IVF support and tailor treatment to where you are in your journey, whether you're planning a future pregnancy, in the process of trying to conceive naturally, preparing for treatment, going through ICSI, IVF or egg retrieval, or looking for support around the physical and emotional demands of fertility treatment.

I am currently the only member of the Acupuncture Fertility Network in Suffolk and Norfolk, serving wider East Anglia. The AFN is a professional group for acupuncturists specialising in fertility care and members must have completed integrated postgraduate-level training in gynaecology and fertility.

Acupuncture is commonly used during pregnancy alongside standard maternity care, particularly to support nausea (morning sickness), back pain, pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), pregnancy insomnia, to ease stress and anxiety, and in preparation for labour. 

We’ll discuss your prior gynaecological or obstetric history, your pregnancy so far and birth preferences when planning treatment and discuss any relevant medical considerations with you. Treatment is adapted according to your stage of pregnancy, health and individual circumstances. Sometimes this means treatments will be given while sitting or side-lying for maximum comfort.

I offer moxibustion for breech presentation between 33 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, a traditional and non-invasive treatment to promote cephalic version (turning the baby head down) cited by the Cochrane review.

Some people use acupuncture as part of their approach to managing symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause, including sleep difficulties, stress and hot flushes.

Treatment is individualised rather than based on a single ‘menopause’ protocol. I'll look at your symptoms in the context of your wider health and can work alongside any medical care you're already receiving.

Acupuncture may be used alongside conventional healthcare to support people experiencing menstrual and pelvic health symptoms.

At Restore, treatment is tailored to the individual rather than looking at PMOS (formerly known as PCOS), endometriosis or period pain as a single pattern. I'll consider your symptoms, menstrual cycle, wider health and any existing diagnosis or medical treatment.

I hold postgraduate training in cosmetic acupuncture, but I don't offer it as a standalone treatment. I take a whole-person approach and feel facial acupuncture works best when it's considered alongside the rest of your health.

If it's appropriate for you, I'm very happy to include some facial acupuncture as part of a regular treatment, once we've had a chance to understand your individual needs and underlying patterns.

Chinese Medicine is a complete system of healthcare that has evolved over thousands of years. It takes a whole-person approach, looking at how different aspects of your health and lifestyle connect rather than treating symptoms in isolation.

One of its central concepts is Qi (pronounced ‘chee’), traditionally understood as the vital energy that flows through the body. Acupuncture and other Chinese Medicine practices aim to support balance and healthy functioning within the body.

At Restore, I combine this traditional framework with modern anatomy, physiology and current research.

Dry needling is generally used within Western musculoskeletal practice, with needles inserted into specific muscles or trigger points. Acupuncturists may also use dry needling techniques as part of their practice, but Acupuncture is a broader system of healthcare rooted in traditional East Asian medicines, where treatment is based on an individual assessment and may consider patterns across the whole body.

My training is a three-year, degree-level Licentiate in Acupuncture, covering Traditional Chinese Medicine alongside Western anatomy, physiology and pathology, integrative practice, clinical skills, ethics and safety. This is substantially different from a short acupuncture or dry-needling course undertaken as additional training alongside another profession.

As a member of the British Acupuncture Council, I also work within established professional standards for acupuncture practice and I’m accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.