Kerry Lambert Acupuncture
“ I’ve been seeing Kerry for a variety of ailments and am astonished at how
effective the treatments are and long lasting the benefits.”
~ Gerald, cancer patient ~
About Kerry
B.Ed (Hons), BSc (Hons) Chinese Medicine, MBAA, MA.
I offer traditional acupuncture in Torbay and the Newton Abbot area qualifying with a BSc (Hons) degree and licence to practice (LicAc) from the internationally renowned College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, training with some of the world’s leading acupuncture experts including John and Angela Hicks and Peter Mole.
I practice an integrated style of acupuncture encompassing both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element Acupuncture enabling me to focus on every level of my patient (mind, body and spirit).
I returned to live in Devon during the lockdown last year and prior to that I was practising at a London cancer centre where I treated and supported sufferers and their families. I will always find this a rewarding aspect of my work and welcome anyone who has been affected by this disease.
Acupuncture can very effectively ease ailments of both a physical and psychological nature (see Receiving Acupuncture) and I have been treating a whole range of conditions from acne to vertigo in my private practice for a number of years.
I am a member of The British Acupuncture Association which is an independent association of professional, clinical acupuncturists with a degree level qualification in Traditional Acupuncture. Members adhere to strict guidelines and code of ethics including the Council’s Code of Safe Practice and Professional Conduct. I carry full Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance and am fully licensed with the Association to carry out the practice of acupuncture (BAA membership number 2453).
If you would like to ask me any questions, please contact me.
I look forward to meeting you soon.
Kerry
About Acupuncture
“Chinese medicine considers important certain aspects of the human body and personality
not significant to Western Medicine”
~ Ted Kaptchuk ~
Chinese Medicine is a healthcare system based on ancient principles which go back nearly two thousand years. It has a very positive model of good health and function and explains pain and illness as signs that the body is out of balance.
From an Eastern perspective, illness occurs when the body’s Qi or energy does not flow freely. There can be many reasons for this: emotional and physical stress, poor nutrition, infection or injury. This blocked energy can cause pain, swelling and changes in the structure and functioning of the mind and body. Acupuncture treatment restores the body’s equilibrium and resumes the normal flow of energy, thereby eliminating the root cause of the symptoms.
I trained at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading, the UK’s leading acupuncture training establishment. The degree course combined the two approaches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (practised in China today) and the older system of Five Elements which focusses on a person’s emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Five Elements views the natural world and the human body in terms of the elements Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. All the Elements are said to be interconnected where an individual’s physical state and behaviours is a reflection of this relationship. The job of the acupuncturist is to identify which element is the most out of balance and by selecting specific points on the body, transfer energy from one element to another, thus restoring balance.
Today biomedical research is finding lab-based evidence supporting acupuncture’s effectiveness (and safeness) while Quantum Physics is ‘discovering’ many of the foundational principals of energy/activity.
The British Acupuncture Council (www.acupuncture.org.uk) lists a number of evidence-based clinical research in their ‘Factsheets’. These are produced to provide accurate and unbiased general information for a variety of conditions ranging from acne to vertigo.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture needling is the main method of treatment because of its effectiveness and healing properties. It involves the insertion of fine, single use sterile needles to bring the body back into balance and encourage the body’s own healing mechanisms. This in turn calms the central nervous system, regulating hormones and releasing endorphins.
The body has an internal network of meridians or ‘roadways’ through which qi or energy passes. It is at specific locations or points along these roadways where qi can be accessed with a needle and manipulated.
Kerry may use other Chinese Medicine techniques dependent on her client’s needs:
Cupping
Cupping involves the creation of a partial vacuum in a smooth glass cup which is then placed on the skin to alleviate deep aches and pains and remove toxins by increasing blood flow to the area. The sensation of the suction drawing the tissue into the cup feels like a deep tissue massage.
Guasha
Guasha literally means scraping and involves the use of a smooth tool which is gently rubbed over the skin, stimulating blood flow and regenerating cell renewal, in a similar way to cupping. This therapy is especially recommended for muscle tightness and stimulating the immune system.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion (or moxa) involves the use of a Chinese herb (Artemisia vulgaris, or mugweed) to warm and nourish. The herb is slowly burned over certain acupuncture points or along energy channels to warm the area, support acupuncture treatment and strengthen the body.
Acupressure
Acupressure uses finger and hand pressure to specific points on the body instead of the insertion of an acupuncture needle. This approach can be used for those nervous about needles or in particularly sensitive areas. Clients can also be shown how to use this technique at home.
Receiving Treatment
WHAT CAN ACUPUNCTURE TREAT?
Acupuncture can treat a wide range of conditions including those not easily explained by western medicine. It is also used for general well-being and health maintenance. Go to acupuncture.org.uk to see a list of the conditions commonly treated with acupuncture.
In the UK, the body responsible for assessing drugs and treatments, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) acknowledges the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of back pain, facial pain, nausea and headaches. And in April of this year NICE published a new guideline for chronic pain urging the need to cut down prescriptions of painkillers and recommended acupuncture as an alternative (alongside exercise and psychological therapies).
In addition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists the following conditions as having a strong basis in clinical research for acupuncture treatment:
- Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
- Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
- Biliary colic
- Depression
- Dysmenorrhoea
- Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
- Hypertension
- Hypotension
- Induction of labour
- Knee pain
- Leukopenia
- Low back pain
- Malposition of fetus
- Correction of morning sickness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Neck pain
- Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
- Periarthritis of shoulder
- Post-operative pain
- Renal colic
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Sprain
- Stroke
- Tennis elbow
The British Medical Acupuncture Society states that modern research shows acupuncture ‘can affect most of the body’s systems – the nervous system, muscle tone, hormone outputs, circulation, antibody production and allergic responses, as the respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems.’
The following links will help you to find more information about acupuncture or to view the information sources directly:
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
World Health Organisation (WHO)
The British Medical Acupuncture Society
WILL IT HURT?
Acupuncture is not an unpleasant experience. The needles used are much finer than those used in injections and are about as coarse as hair or fine wire. The sensation felt is often described as a tingling or pulling sensation.
WHAT AM I LIKELY TO FEEL AFTERWARDS
As well as an improvement in the condition for which treatment was sought, it is often the case that people experience a general sense of well-being. Often there is a release of energy enabling a person to take up new activities or resume previous interests with renewed enthusiasm.
HOW MANY SESSIONS WILL I NEED
It is difficult to say. Everyone is different and each treatment is specific to that individual, so the time it takes for recovery varies from person to person. As a rule, the longer you have had a complaint, the longer it is likely to take to put right. It is hoped you would feel the benefit within six treatments, and most people start with weekly sessions for 4 to 6 weeks, and then come less frequently as their condition improves. Some choose to continue monthly to keep physically and emotionally balanced.
Chinese Medicine also emphasises the importance of living healthily and consultations will include discussions around lifestyle and diet which are suspected of perpetuating the problem.
HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR A SESSION?
It is best to eat a light meal or snack before your appointment so that your body has energy to work with. Sometimes a person who has not eaten will fell lightheaded or weak when receiving an acupuncture treatment. In this case, inform your practitioner immediately and they will take the appropriate actions. It is best to war loose clothing so that the arms and legs below the elbows and knees, as the abdomen are accessible. Do not engage in strenuous activity, drink alcohol, smoke excessively, or eat very heavy meals before or after your treatment. This will allow the body to adjust to the effects of the acupuncture.
WHAT HAPPENS AT MY FIRST SESSION?
During the first acupuncture session a full case history will be taken. This will involve asking a range of questions not only about your main complaint but about your current and past health and lifestyle. A treatment plan will then be designed to positively impact your health including sleep, appetite and general sense of well-being along with addressing your immediate complaint.
IS ACUPUNCTURE SAFE?
Acupuncture has a very safe track record. The needles are very fine, single-use sterile needles and are disposed of immediately in medical containers. As a member of the British Acupuncture Association, Kerry adheres to the highest standards of care and professional conduct and is bound by the Council’s code of ethics. Members are also required to undergo ongoing professional development and remain up to date in their field.
CAN ACUPUNCTURE BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH WESTERN MEDICINE?
Acupuncture can be used safely alongside western medicine and can also be used to alleviate the side effects of western medical treatment.
At your first appointment please bring details of any medicines you take, including prescribed ones, those bought over the counter and any food supplements.
AM I COVERED BY INSURANCE?
Many health insurance companies cover acupuncture or refund a substantial part of the cost of your treatment (provided carried out by a member of the British Acupuncture Association). Please check directly with your provider.
Location & Fees
Newton Abbot Chiropractic Centre, 25-26 Devon Square, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2HH
Initial consultation 90 minutes: £60
Follow up sessions 45 minutes: £50
It is difficult to assess at the outset how many treatments will be required but generally the longer a condition has prevailed, the longer it takes to rectify. How often you will need a session will be determined after the first or second treatment, although this is subject to change according to the rate of improvement.
Appointments may be rescheduled once booked but please give adequate notice to rebook your appointment. Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice may be charged the full consultation fee, unless the appointment can be filled at short notice by a client on the waiting list.
