Hospice in the Weald is always looking for more ways to support patients to have the best quality of life and has now introduced acupuncture as part of its range of therapies to give patients an even greater choice.
Offering support including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and relaxation techniques, the Hospice’s specialist staff support patients to manage symptoms, improve mobility and make everyday tasks as comfortable as possible, so they can regain independence and get on with the things they enjoy.
Now patients at the Hospice, which provides care and support across west Kent and northern East Sussex, are being offered the opportunity to try acupuncture as part of a new service being developed by Lizzie Fordham, one of the Hospice’s lead physiotherapists.
Used to help alleviate symptoms such as breathlessness, nausea, dry mouth, constipation and pain, as well as helping with stress and anxiety, acupuncture derives from ancient Chinese medicine. However, it is Western Medical Acupuncture, the use of acupuncture following medical diagnosis, that Lizzie is trained to deliver.
This involves very fine needles being inserted at specific sites of the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes.
Lizzie explained: “Acupuncture involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles. The body then produces natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins within the brain and spinal cord that may change the way pain is perceived by the brain.”
She uses acupuncture to help patients with pain relief and symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, breathlessness, overactive bladder, hot flushes, anxiety and dry mouth.
“It really is brilliant,” said Lizzie. “Patients and their loved ones have been very receptive, and many are seeing the benefits.
“One lady I treated, who was suffering from debilitating breathlessness, felt a profound, deep sense of peace and relaxation, describing a calming feeling spreading through her arms and stomach during treatment.
“I also had a patient who was a little sceptical, but wanted to give it a go, as she’d been suffering constipation for months, and none of the usual remedies had been successful. She contacted me the day after she had acupuncture and said, ‘It worked, and I feel amazing!’”
Lizzie does emphasise that this is a particularly exceptional example, as she’d usually expect it to take up to six sessions of acupuncture to see symptoms really start to improve.
“Of course, acupuncture does not always work for everyone or every condition, and it’s important to say it’s something that we offer as part of a range of physiotherapy support,” she said. “For example, if someone is experiencing mobility issues because breathlessness, I would offer them practical breathing techniques, encourage meditation, devise a gentle exercise programme for them and I can now offer acupuncture as well.”
Lizzie explained that as there are some contraindications and precautions to having acupuncture, patients are given a full assessment and screening before starting any treatment. However, patients can continue to receive other current treatment whilst receiving acupuncture, including standard analgesia and chemotherapy.
Lizzie said: “It’s just fantastic to have another tool in our range of therapies to make a difference to patients’ lives.”
To find out more about Hospice in the Weald, visit www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk
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