News & Research

Origin Fertility Care

For the past two years I have been working with Origin Fertility Care providing acupuncture to their fertility patients. Origin is an independent fertility clinic, situated on the Belmont Road in Belfast, and offers help to couples with fertility problems.

I started to specialise in fertility and as more and more research was being published I realised I could operate more effectively if I worked alongside a clinic. I contacted Origin who were keen  to start a complementary health service. I was interviewed and began to work  as an external provider with all patients coming to my clinic in Synergy on Cregagh Road.

It is reassuring to my clients to know that I have received in-house training on Origin’s methods of treatment so fully understand the procedures they are undergoing. I have also met the staff at Origin so I know the people who my clients are being treated by.

I also have access to the clinic staff if a client has a query about any subject and I am unable to help. Origin is aware that  I am a well trained practitioner with further specialised training in fertility and pregnancy so can be reassured that their patients are in the best hands.

Get Well UK - NHS Trial

In 2007 the Health Minister Paul Goggins set aside £200,000 for a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of incorporating complementary therapies into the National Health Service. Getwelluk a company in England were chosen to run the study. Two GP centres were chosen - Holywood Arches in Belfast and Shantallow in Derry.

The complementary therapies used were acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic, reflexology, homeopathy and massage. The only patients who could be referred into the system were those suffering from musculo-skeletal conditions and anxiety, stress or depression.

The application process was intensive and I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of only two acupuncturists in Belfast to work with the NHS .

I worked with extremely complex and usually long standing conditions. The patients were delighted to be given another avenue of care. Many felt drugs were not having an effect on their condition or the side effects were unbearable.
The GPs were also pleased to have another option to offer patients. It was useful that the GPs were aware that only the cream of the crop were chosen to work on the study. They knew that their patients were receiving the best possible care.
 I enjoyed working in a multi- disciplinary team with both orthodox medicine and complementary medicine both with the same aim of helping someone feel better.

The results are still being gathered and the Health minister Michael McGimpsey has to make a decision as to whether the service continues and if it can extend to other areas of the U.K. A decision will be made by the end of June.

A BBC documentary has been filmed showing the study and some of the patient’s stories. It was aired on 5th May 2008.

Can acupuncture cure my migraine?

Migraine affects up to 15% of the UK population - around two thirds of sufferers are women.

To mark Migraine Awareness week, Jane Elliott, a health reporter at BBC News, talks about a lifetime with the condition and how acupuncture is offering a respite.
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Acupuncture, Drugs Both Help Migraine

Study: Acupuncture Just as Effective as Drugs at Preventing Migraines
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD on Wednesday, March 01, 2006

March 1, 2006 -- Acupuncture may be as good as prescription drugs in preventing migraines -- even if sham acupuncture is used, German researchers report.
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Acupuncture relieves pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis

Two studies show effect of Acupuncture on osteoarthritis of the knee.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Acupuncture provides pain relief and improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee and serves as an effective complement to standard care. This landmark study was funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), both components of the National Institutes of Health.
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Dr. Claudia Witt, deputy administrative director of the Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics at the Charite University Medical Center in Berlin, Germany.

Acupuncture can offer short-term pain relief and improved joint functioning for people with osteoarthritis of the knee, a new study finds.

To date, there is only limited scientific evidence that acupuncture actually works. But many osteoarthritis sufferers are turning to the ancient Chinese treatment as an alternative to pain medications, some of which have recently been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The findings appear in the July 9 issue of The Lancet.
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