Builder, age 20: Guttate Psoriasis
Chris has been suffering from guttate psoriasis since he was 11 years old. Medical treatment consisted of UVA light therapy, medication to reduce cell growth and corticosteroid gels. His medical history revealed a poor diet, recreational drugs and stress management difficulties. His rash was all over his body but worse in certain areas. After the first session, the arms and legs improved but his back got worse. He improved his diet, stopped taking recreational drugs and also started to include calming techniques. At the third session, there were no signs of any rash on his arms and legs and only a small amount on his back. Chris was to continue his lifestyle changes and have further treatment during stressful times, when the psoriasis may flare-up.
Researcher, age 52: Insomnia
Nigel was prone to episodes of anxiety, depression and insomnia. The prospect of potentially been made redundant was causing him anxiety and sleep disturbance. This was then making it hard for him to function at his job. He wanted treatment to resolve his insomnia, with quick results. Due to the severity of his disturbed sleep and need to reestablish his sleep patterns quickly, we initiated twice weekly sessions for 3 weeks. I would see him in the evening and he would always have a good sleep the night of the acupuncture, then gradually this worsened. By the third week the treatment was sustaining better and he felt his anxiety levels were much lower. We followed this by 2 weekly sessions, after which he was back to his usual sleeping patterns.