Insomnia is an all pervasive nuisance. With Acupuncture Awareness Week shortly upon us in the UK (25th February until 3rd March), singer and actress Toyah Willcox has been talking about the great success she has had with acupuncture for insomnia, pain and improving all round well being for over 30 years.
“I recommend acupuncture to people because it’s there, it’s been around for centuries [millennia actually], because it works. Even GPs acknowledge its works for things like nausea, migraines, headaches, it’s fantastic for back pain. And if you can have acupuncture instead of taking an aggressive form of medication then you need to know it’s there as a possibility. You want to know that the person you’re going to is highly trained, and they know about every aspect of your body, every aspect of your health, and that is why you go to the British Acupuncture Council, where only the best is registered.”
Consultant Dr Ian Smith, who is the director of sleep at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, says: “Around 30% of the UK adult population will have a degree of insomnia, whether it is difficulty actually falling asleep or staying that way.” Sleeping pills are often only effective for insomnia after 2-3 weeks and are addictive, which obviously means coming off them when they aren’t working is an extra drag. With acupuncture, you can also improve your ability to spring out of bed in the morning.
As well as insomnia treatment, I treat a lot of patients with other imbalances such as Gall stones, Crohn’s disease, high blood pressure, Hepatitis C, sports injuries, and emotional and mental health issues. Patients report profound changes to their symptoms and overall well being.
