Acupuncture in Wokingham, Berkshire

1. About

Acupuncture is the ancient healing art of inserting very find needles into specific points along pathways on the body to activate the Qi (vital energy). The flow of Qi can be disrupted by many ways, i.e. emotions, poor diet, overwork, trauma, stress, etc. Acupuncture acts to restore the natural flow of Qi bringing a holistic balance back to the body.

2. History of acupuncture

Acupuncture probably originated from massage (acupressure) where they would massage a point on the body and find it helped another part of the body that was in discomfort. The Chinese then added their unique understanding and awareness of Nature to these points to give us the acupuncture we know of today. The technology used to make acupuncture needles or rather pins, has evolved over the centuries from bamboo stripes, to thick needles to ultra fine pins we use today. In the west, these ultra-fine pins are just used once and then put into a special container and then incinerated for health and safety reasons.

3. How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture is a great regulator and helps the body to help itself. It regulates normal bodily functions, whether its the immune system, nervous system or the reproductive system. As acupuncture is holistic, it can regulate a lot of systems in one go, as everything is connected together, allowing a natural and quick recovery from symptoms without the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. The video below explains how acupuncture works in the relieve of pain.

4. Is acupuncture safe?

A large-scale study conducted published in 2001 found acupuncture to be very safe after reviewing over 34,000 treatments. It is also safe to use on pregnant women to help maintain a healthy pregnancy and can be used during labour to help ensure a smooth birth and relieve pain. Doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, nurses, etc can legally perform 'acupuncture' after a weekend course. It's not possible to learn over 2,000 years of medicine in one weekend. It's like learning western medicine in a day!

5. What can acupuncture treat?

It is recommended in the treatment of multiple health problems by the World Health Organisation (WHO). What makes this system so uniquely suited to modern life is that physical, emotional and mental aspects of humanity are seen as interdependent and reflect what many people perceive as the connection between the different aspects of their lives.

Acupuncture is holistic and aims to bring a state of balance back to the mind, body and emotions. There are twelve principle channels that span the human body. They look like the lines on the underground map and the acupuncture points themselves are like the underground stations that sit on the channel. Each one has an associated health property. Stimulating them with very fine needles gives the body a gentle push back to the path of good health.

6. How does acupuncture feel?

People are often reluctant to have acupuncture for a fear of needles. This fear of needles generally comes from having blood tests or vaccinations. However, the needles used in acupuncture are more like pins. You can fit 20 of these pins into a syringe, they are that thin. Some people will feel acupuncture more than others. This is often due to a lack of energy. The weaker the person is, the more sensitive they are and the more they will feel it. The sensations a person feels when having acupuncture are not anything like you normally feel in your day-to-day life and can be:

A dull throbbing ache
A pulling sensation like two train carriages being coupled together
An electrical sensation
A tingling sensation
Sharpness (which is the needle breaking the skin)

7. What will I feel after having acupuncture?

The most noticeable affect people feel when they have acupuncture is how calm and relaxed they feel afterwards. These are the most noticeable effects of acupuncture, although that's not all it does, these are just the obvious benefits. Stress and anxiety play an important role in fertility so most people notice how relaxed they feel afterwards once the anxiety and stress has faded away.

Some patients say they feel a big light headed after getting off the couch, which is normal. Some even sleep on the couch during acupuncture, which can give the person a great catnap and restore their energy levels and health. I find that the more the person relaxes on the couch, the better the acupuncture works.

After having acupuncture, it is safe to drive or go back to work. Most people like to have acupuncture after work as they often feel too relaxed to want to go back to work again. Some people might need a few more minutes to gather themselves if they fell asleep or feel light headed afterwards.

8. What is dry needling?

Dry needling is not acupuncture. Just putting a needle in where it hurts is not acupuncture. Make sure that you receive proper acupuncture. GP's, osteopaths, chiropractors and physiotherapists have only done weekend courses and have very limited skills.

9. Our acupuncturist

Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto BM (Beijing), BSc (Hons) TCM, MBAcC, MRCHM

Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto has been practicing acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for over 22 years. He is passionate about empowering people with the ancient knowledge of Chinese medicine through knowledge, lifestyle and diet. This knowledge can be used again and again in people's lives and those of their family.

Dr (TCM) D'Alberto graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine from Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in China. This full time, five year degree program included six months internship at two of the largest hospitals in Beijing, China.

Dr (TCM) D'Alberto practices acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping from his own acupuncture clinic in Wokingham. He is a member of the British Acupuncture Council and practices traditional Chinese acupuncture and not 5 Element style, which is a modern, western invention.

Schedule Appointment