Acupuncture is often seen as an “alternative medicine” and is a treatment that has its roots in ancient Chinese medicine.
Thin needles are inserted into specific locations in the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes.
And what better place to try it than Ginsen, Kensington’s Chinese wellness centre, which first opened in Swiss Cottage in 2006?
This clinic actually specializes in infertility treatment and has a high success rate.
They also treat skin conditions, provide support for people looking to lose weight, those with gut problems and offer simple relaxation therapies.
I wanted to know if acupuncture could cure my sciatica or identify an illness I didn’t know I had.
I also booked in for a deep tissue massage afterwards, which I thought might help too.
Dr Lily Lee, founder and president of Ginseng, said Chinese medicine comes from a tradition that dates back thousands of years.
A native of Yangzhou, China, she comes from a family of doctors spanning five generations, and “for those who can’t find a solution with Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine gives them a second chance,” she told me.
According to the clinic, Chinese medicine practitioners can assess the function of a patient’s heart and liver just by looking at their tongue, and identify problems just by looking at their ears.
The doctor who examined me spoke little English, and my Chinese even less, so we used a translation app to communicate.
The doctor said that I had “too much chi” in my liver, which could cause abdominal pain, leg pain, etc., but that acupuncture would relieve that.
I was taken to a room, stripped down to my underwear and made to lie on the bed.
I thought it would hurt, but it didn’t: I definitely felt pressure when the needles went into the top of my head, but I didn’t feel anything when they went into my ears, arms, hands, fingers, chest, stomach, or legs.
He then put the heater over me, placed a call button in the palm of his hand in case I got too hot or in pain, turned off the lights and walked away.
I had no idea what to expect so I just let myself go. I felt the needles tingling at the top of my head and wondered vaguely if it meant anything, but told myself to quiet my mind.
Thirty minutes later, someone came, removed the needle, and gave me some water, which I gratefully accepted.
I then lay on my back on the same bed and the masseuse came in. I have had many massages before but this was my first deep tissue massage.
With her strong hands, the therapist released the tension in my back that had developed from slouching at my desk.
She used her body as leverage, pulling me this way and that, until she reached the sciatic nerve in my leg, which felt just how I wanted it.
Oh, I’m dizzy, um, she found the spot where the pain in my ass traveled up my leg to my knee, and the pain shot everywhere like a red hot explosion.
A few days later, I was still limping, but I now had a renewed sense of health.
But since I had the double treatment, I no longer get tingling in my legs when I go to the cinema or theatre at night.
I was told I had restless legs syndrome, which left me feeling embarrassed and fidgety while everyone else sat still. That doesn’t happen anymore.
For those who know that feeling, it is magical bliss.
If it happens again I know exactly where I’ll go.
Ginsen is located at Kensington Church Street and Kings Road in Chelsea.
Acupuncture treatments are available from £65 and deep tissue treatments from £55.
