Acupuncture: Charles Bourne

Expertise: Registered Acupuncturist

We asked Charles to describe his journey in his own words:

My interest in working in the complementary medicine field first arose whilst studying spiritual healing for my theology degree. At about this time I also took Reiki 1. Reiki is a form of energetic healing developed in Japan in the 19th century. Although Reiki 1 is not much more than an introduction to this healing art it was sufficient to make me realise that the healing environment was one in which, if possible, I would like to work. Seeing the help I was able to give my friends and family was a further encouragement to pursue this direction.

In the background was my rowing career. I had rowed to a reasonably high level, representing Great Britain at Junior level and going on to train with the Under-23 squad, although failing to gain selection for the final team. During my last two years of rowing I increasingly suffered from fatigue and developed what is called overtraining syndrome. This occurs when the work-recovery cycle breaks down. The body stops responding to the training and goes into a downwards spiral. To me this felt like someone had switched off my energy supply. My body was still fit and strong but the driving force had gone.

As an athlete I was accustomed to living a healthy lifestyle but the fatigue from the rowing led me to look at health in a different way. My body had become depleted at quite a deep energetic level but at the time I did not have the concepts to understand this. Looking back I can see that my Spleen (in a Chinese medical sense) had become depleted from the combination of a lot of study and excessive physical work and the Wood Element had become overactive, the excessive activity forcing all my energy to the exterior of the body leaving me unable to replenish my inner resources.

Chinese medicine provides a framework within which these body-mind interactions can be understood. It complements and balances western concepts of the human person which are traditionally dualistic. For me acupuncture’s beauty lies in it’s amazing breadth: it is extremely practical and can be used to effectively treat everyday ailments such as colds and injuries: at the same time it can also be very subtle, reaching deep into a person’s being to help them to move forward in life.

Therapy Information

What is Acupuncture?

• Modern acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles into specific points just below the skin
• These acupuncture points are located on meridiens or energy channels first detected by the ancient Chinese over 2000 years ago
• Acupuncture is based on the assumption that Qi courses through the body just as streams and rivers ebb and flow across the surface of the earth. The acupuncture points are located in small depressions in the skin called "men" or "gates" where the channels come closest to the surface.

How does it work?

• Acupuncture points relate to particular body and organ functions
• The points are stimulated to correct imbalances
• 'Stuck or stagnant' qi (energy) can be moved
• In both cases healing can be brought about and pain relieved

Diagnosis

Practitioners assess health by feeling the pulse at each wrist and by observing the color and form of the face, tongue, and body. This information in addition to the patient’s personal history - present and past complaints, physical environment, family health history, and emotional life help the practitioner to decide what and how to treat the patient.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to harmonize all of the systems of the body and mind. Weak organs are tonified, congested channels are unblocked and the body is restored to balance.

Treatment may incorporate acupuncture, herbal remedies, diet, exercise, and massage. Duration of treatment depends on the nature of the complaint, its severity, and how long it has been present.

What happens in an acupuncture session?

The practitioner uses tiny sterile stainless steel acupuncture needles, which are inserted into the points of the body corresponding to the systems of the body that need harmonizing. Acupuncture invigorates proper function of the muscles, nerves, organs.

How It Feels

Insertion of the needles goes unnoticed by some, and to others feels like a small pinch followed by a sensation of tingling, numbness, ache, traveling warmth, or heaviness. Needles remain in place for twenty to forty minutes. Most people experience a sense of relaxation and balance as a result of the session, and a relief from symptoms or increase in energy following the sessions which will last for some days and improve as the course of treatment continues.

Is it painful?

Not usually - in many cases the patient does not even feel the needles go in. The main sensation is a brief numbness, perhaps some tingling, followed by a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.

Additional Information

What can Acupuncture treat?

Some of the many conditions for which acupuncture is considered appropriate are listed by the World Health Organization of the United Nations:

• Colds/flu; Bronchitis; Asthma
• High blood pressure; ulcers; colitis; indigestion; diarrhea; constipation;diabetes
• Arthritis; back pain; stiff neck; headache; stroke; sprains
• Earaches; poor eyesight; dizziness; sinus infection; sore throat; hay fever
• Impotence; infertility; pre-menstural syndrome (PMS); pelvic inflamitory disease (PID); irregular period or cramps; morning sickness
• Anxiety; depression; stress; insomnia; eczema; acne; herpes

Call 020 8749 3792to book your session with a practitioner of Acupuncture in W12 London:

Acupuncture, West London - Charles Bourne
Acupuncture, West London - Nick Dalton-Brewer