Bespoke acupuncture & Chinese medicine High Peak · near Stockport & South Manchester

Not usually. Some people notice a brief moment of sensation as the needle settles, but acupuncture needles are hair-thin, far finer than an injection needle, and any discomfort fades almost immediately. Most people describe the feeling as calming and quietly energising, and if you prefer no needles at all, acupressure is a gentle alternative. Read more about acupuncture.

Your first visit is an Initial Consultation of 90 minutes or 2 hours, depending on how complex your case is. We begin with listening: your symptoms, history, sleep, digestion and emotional load. I then look at your tongue and ears, feel your pulse and palpate where the body holds tension, and treatment follows in the same visit, usually acupuncture with bodywork as needed. Needles stay in for around ten to forty minutes, and many people drift off. You leave with one or two simple things to do at home and a suggestion for how often to come. A short health form beforehand helps us make the most of the time. See what to expect.

Yes. Acupuncture is well-researched for anxiety, and most people feel a noticeable sense of calm during and after a session, an effect Tui Na (Chinese massage) and acupressure can deepen further. Regular treatment builds on that, helping the nervous system hold a steadier baseline between appointments rather than swinging between wired and exhausted.

Yes, this is one of the most common reasons women come to see me. A mind that will not stop, and sleep that will not come, usually mean a nervous system stuck in “on” mode. Acupuncture works directly on that, shifting you towards rest, and head massage or acupressure helps the ease last. It also helps if you wake at 3–4am with a racing mind, which points to an overactive nervous system rather than a sleep problem alone. Most people notice deeper, steadier sleep within the first few sessions. Read more about sleep and anxiety.

Yes to both. Acupuncture can reduce how often migraines come and how severe they are, and head massage or acupressure can ease pain in the moment. Migraines that flare around your period, ovulation or perimenopause often respond particularly well, because treatment addresses the hormonal pattern as well as the pain. Many clients see fewer, milder migraines within a few cycles of regular treatment.

Very often, yes. These are usually the gut reacting to a nervous system on high alert, and acupuncture calms the stress response behind it while visceral therapy eases tension held around the gut itself. Morning urgency is a very treatable pattern. Bloating, cramps and diarrhoea around your period can be IBS, a hormonal issue, or both at once, so a full consultation looks at your cycle and digestion together rather than as separate problems.

Yes to both. Acupuncture and bodywork, sometimes with herbs, support cycle regulation, blood flow, and a calmer nervous system, all of which help the body's natural fertility. Alongside IVF, sessions are often timed around egg collection and embryo transfer to support blood flow and ease stress. It works with your fertility clinic's care, never instead of it, and we plan around your treatment timeline together.

Yes. Perimenopause and menopause can affect many systems at once: hot flushes and night sweats, broken sleep, irritability, anxiety, low mood, brain fog, aching joints, palpitations, low energy and changing periods. Acupuncture and bodywork, sometimes with herbs, calm the nervous system swings behind many of these symptoms and improve circulation and sleep. It is safe to combine with HRT. Many women use both, and treatment is simply tailored around whatever you already take.

Yes. Acupuncture supports the underlying energy reserves that burnout depletes, rather than masking tiredness, and head massage or myofascial work can help lift brain fog during the session. Alongside treatment, we'll often look at sleep, digestion and nutrition together, since fatigue rarely has a single cause.

Yes. I see women and men, and I also treat sports injuries: strains, tendon pain and joints that stay stiff after running, hiking, climbing or cycling, using acupuncture, bodywork and cupping, and I can work alongside your physiotherapist. I also support recovery after illness, surgery or a long period of stress, when energy, sleep and digestion need rebuilding. My practice specialises in women’s health, and men come for pain, injuries, stress, sleep and digestion. After an operation, please check with your surgeon or GP before starting treatment.