Beyond pain and fertility, traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture can address a wide spectrum of health conditions — often where conventional medicine has offered limited relief.
Traditional Chinese medicine does not treat diseases in isolation. It treats the person who has the disease. This distinction is important: two patients with the same Western diagnosis — say, irritable bowel syndrome or anxiety — may have entirely different TCM patterns, and will receive different treatment. This individualised approach often produces results in conditions that have not responded to standardised conventional treatment.
Dr (TCM) D'Alberto has over 25 years of experience treating a full range of conditions using TCM acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at his Berkshire clinic.
Acupuncture reduces activity in the sympathetic nervous system — the body's fight-or-flight response — while promoting the release of serotonin and endorphins. Regular treatment lowers cortisol levels, calms an overactive nervous system and builds resilience to stress. For many patients, it provides a quality of relaxation that they have not been able to achieve through other means.
A growing body of clinical research supports acupuncture as a complementary treatment for mild to moderate depression. Studies have demonstrated outcomes comparable to counselling or antidepressant medication in some patient groups. TCM views depression through the lens of Liver Qi stagnation and Heart Spirit disturbance, and treatment aims to restore emotional flow and vitality.
Poor sleep quality and insomnia respond well to acupuncture treatment. TCM identifies several distinct patterns underlying sleep disturbance — including Heart and Kidney disharmony, Blood deficiency and Liver Qi stagnation — and treats each differently. Many patients report improvement in sleep onset, sleep duration and sleep quality within just a few sessions.
Irritable bowel syndrome — characterised by abdominal pain, bloating and altered bowel habit — responds well to TCM treatment. Acupuncture regulates gut motility, reduces visceral hypersensitivity and addresses the underlying constitutional patterns. Chinese herbal medicine is often prescribed alongside acupuncture for persistent or complex digestive presentations.
Acupuncture has one of its strongest evidence bases in the treatment of nausea — whether from morning sickness, chemotherapy, postoperative nausea or chronic gastric conditions. The point Pericardium 6 (Nei Guan) is one of the most researched acupuncture points in the world for its anti-nausea effects.
Hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, poor sleep, fatigue and reduced libido are all common presentations at our Berkshire clinic. Research published in BMJ Open demonstrated a significant reduction in menopausal symptoms following acupuncture treatment. TCM offers a natural, hormone-free approach to supporting the transition through perimenopause and menopause.
Dysmenorrhoea (painful periods), amenorrhoea (absent periods) and irregular cycles are all treated effectively with TCM acupuncture and herbal medicine. Treatment aims to regulate the menstrual cycle, reduce pain and address the underlying hormonal and constitutional patterns.
Acupuncture can reduce the pain and inflammation associated with endometriosis, improve menstrual regularity and support the uterine environment. It is most effective when used as a complement to conventional gynaecological management.
Acupuncture modulates the immune response that drives allergic reactions, reducing histamine release and calming mast cell activity. A preventative course of treatment before the hay fever season can significantly reduce symptom severity for the duration of the season.
Acupuncture supports Lung function in TCM terms — strengthening immune resilience, reducing bronchial reactivity and supporting recovery from recurrent respiratory infections. It is most effective as a complement to conventional inhaler therapy rather than a replacement.
TCM views chronic skin conditions — eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea — as external manifestations of internal patterns involving Heat, Damp or Blood deficiency. Chinese herbal medicine alongside acupuncture can be particularly effective for skin conditions that have not responded to topical treatments or long-term steroid use.
Complementary TCM support for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism — regulating energy, metabolism and associated symptoms.
Acupuncture can reduce the intensity of tinnitus and the frequency of vertigo episodes. Results are best in earlier-onset cases.
CFS/ME and post-viral fatigue. Acupuncture and herbal medicine address Qi, Blood and Kidney deficiency patterns underlying fatigue.
Acupuncture as a complementary therapy alongside conventional hypertension management. Reduces stress and supports cardiovascular function.