Acupuncture in Cardiff & Barry

Acupuncture has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over 3,000 years. It is based on the idea that illnesses and pain may be caused by an imbalance in the body's energy or 'qi'.

This energy consists of two complementary opposites: yin (calm energy) and yang (vigorous energy). To harmonise the body's qi, fine needles are inserted into acupuncture points found on 'meridians'.

These channels emanate from the body's organs such as the bladder, heart and liver to name a few. By placing needles in these different meridians, the corresponding organ can be either stimulated or suppressed, thus rebalancing the patient's qi.

Recent research and clinical evidence has shown that acupuncture can stimulate the brain and spinal cord to produce natural painkillers, such as endorphins and enkephalins; melatonin, which promotes sleep; and serotonin, which is the body's happiness hormone. By stimulating the release of these hormones, we are able to reduce pain and inflammation.

Acupuncture can also be used to relax muscles by placing needles in 'trigger points'. Muscles can become tight following injury or due to repeated activities and/or bad posture. This causes myofascial trigger points ('knots') to form in the muscles. By placing acupuncture needles into these trigger points, we can help the muscles to relax and lengthen, thus reducing pain and assisting with rehabilitation.

Professional acupuncture treatment is available at David Bolwell's physiotherapy clinics in Cardiff and Barry.

Not all physiotherapists are qualified in acupuncture. The team here at David Bolwell Physiotherapy Services hold the relevant accreditations — David himself is a member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) and Joanne Pearce, another experienced physio who works at our clinics, is a member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS). See our Meet the Team page for more info about our acupuncture therapists and their professional qualifications.

We use acupuncture as part of an integrated approach, combining it with manual techniques and exercises to promote healing in cases of injury or long-term musculoskeletal conditions such as chronic back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headaches and arthritic conditions.

Contact us to arrange your first acupuncture session>