JANICE MILLER BSc(Hons) Herb.Med. PG Dip.Ac MBAF MAAC
Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine
In 1997 I was one of the first students to be awarded a degree in Medical Herbalism from Middlesex University, the same year I moved to North Yorkshire and set up in practice.
In 2004 I completed a four year post graduate degree in Acupuncture at York and opened my own clinic in Knaresborough.
I have also written a BSc course in Herbal Medicine for Lincoln University, sat on the board at Leeds University and been involved in NHS funded research with York University.
Having further studied Korean Hand Therapy and Medical Qigong I aim to incorporate over twenty years of experience into my practice.
I am a Member of the British Acupuncture Foundation and the Association of Acupuncture Clinicians which ensures that I am fully insured, abide by strict codes of safe practice and carry out Continuing Professional Development.
What is Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a complete system of healing the body and maintaining good health, practiced in China and Eastern countries for thousands of years. It is well known for the treatment of pain but can also treat a wide range of disorders and illnesses. Its focus is on improving the overall well being of the patient, rather than the isolated treatment of specific symptoms.
Traditional Chinese philosophy is based on the concept that our health and longevity is dependent on the body's motivating energy, called ‘Qi’, moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of channels beneath the skin and within the body that incorporates our organs and forms a continuous flow. When this flow has no interruptions we feel well, where there are areas of too much or too little Qi we have discomfort, pain and ill health. By the insertion of very fine needles superficially under the skin at specific points where the channels are near the surface deficient areas can receive more energy and excess or blocked points can be dispersed. This helps the body's natural healing response to be stimulated.
The benefits of Acupuncture frequently include more than just relief from a particular condition. Many people find that it can also lead to increased energy levels, better appetite and sleep together with an enhanced sense of overall wellbeing.
What can Acupuncture treat ?
The action that Acupuncture has on the body as explained above means that most types of illness, pain and imbalance generally can be treated. There has been much research on specific complaints such as joint pain, migraine ,depression and irritable bowel but because of the philosophy in traditional medicine there is an endless list of conditions that may benefit from Acupuncture.
What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal medicine is one of the oldest systems of medicine known to mankind. Even today much of the World’s population rely on the healing properties of plants for health and treating disease.
As a Western Medical Herbalist I treat each patient as a unique individual and tailor their treatment specifically to them. During the initial consultation I will take a detailed history of the presenting condition, past medical history and drug prescriptions, together with pulse and tongue diagnosis. From this information I will prescribe a personal combination of herbal tinctures and other relevant advice to obtain or regain optimal health.
The condition may be of a short or long term nature and a treatment plan will be discussed.
A Medical Herbalist is trained in similar diagnostic and clinical skills as orthodox doctors but treat in a holistic way by seeking and identifying the underlying causes of the problem, not just the symptoms of the disease.
The on-site herbal pharmacy is stocked with tinctures made from herbs grown organically or collected from the originating source. Medical plants work by acting on the systems in the body to improve function and restore a balanced state of health. When balance is restored our body's own healing powers are encouraged.
Medicinal herbs are balanced by nature and the therapeutic constituents within the plant work to enhance and protect their actions. This principle also explains the negligible incidence of side-effects from herbal medicine.
The best form of treatment is to put the body in the most favourable condition to stimulate healing. This philosophy is of benefit to maintain good health and treats conditions such as:
Arthritis, Digestive disorders, Respiratory conditions, Menstrual and Menopausal problems, Stress/Anxiety/Depression, Headache,Migraine, Insomnia, Cardiovascular disease... and many more.