York OAPs Margaret and Jacky have been having acupuncture for a combination of 40 years – but what's the point? Here's their story

JACKY KELLER is 76 and has been having acupuncture every week for the past 25 years.

Her sister-in-law Margaret Cocks, aged 70, is another devotee – and attends a needling session once a fortnight.

Together, they have more than 40 years of experience at the sharp end of this alternative therapy. Acupuncture hails from ancient China and uses fine needles inserted into the body to treat an array of health conditions from headaches and migraines to IBS, stress, and insomnia, back pain, musculo-skeletal conditions and arthritis, and many more.

Both women attend the Northern College of Acupuncture (NCA), based in Micklegate, York, which this year is marking its 30th anniversary.

The college trains around 30 students each year – who all operate under the supervision of qualified tutors, so patients like Jacky and Margaret are in safe hands. Treatments are priced at a reduced rate because it is a training facility.

Acupuncture is much more established today than back in 1988 when the college first opened.

Jacky recalls it being an unusual thing to do when she booked in for her first session in 1993. "It was strange," says Jacky, who used to be a nurse. "The funniest thing was when they put the needles in, rubbed some moxa on the end of them, then used a gas lighter to set the ends on fire." There weren't any flames, she adds: "It just smouldered and sent heat down the needles. It felt absolutely fantastic."

What wasn't quite so fantastic, she adds, was the smell that lingered afterwards from the moxa, a compound of dried mugwort used in Chinese medicine. "I went shopping afterwards and I could see people looking at me as if to say: 'wonder what she's been on!"

Jacky first heard about acupuncture through a radio interview with Hugh MacPherson, who founded the clinic and became the UK’s first ever Professor of Acupuncture Research when appointed by the University of York last year.

"I'd nursed my mum for seven years and took early retirement because my health wasn't very good," says Jacky who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her 30s and also has psoriasis. "I heard Hugh MacPherson talking on Radio York about acupuncture and thought I'd give that a go."

The clinic was on Acomb Road at that time and Jacky admits she was hooked from the first session. "I felt so low, physically and emotionally, and I felt so uplifted afterwards.

"It helps with my joints and my general health. I go weekly now. It treats your whole body and I feel so much better for having it – and everybody is so lovely."

At first, she remembers her rheumatology consultant at the hospital being sceptical of her needling sessions.

"He was a bit sniffy about it, but now they realise the benefits."

Jacky takes medication for her conditions and says the acupuncture plays an important part in pain relief for joint pain from the rheumatoid arthritis. She says: "I wouldn't be without it – I would not be able to get round as well as I do. I can't imagine my life without it now."

Following brain surgery, Margaret began attending the clinic in 2002 after seeing how acupuncture had helped Jacky.

"I had lost balance, coordination and speech and was quite poorly for a long time, so Jacky suggested I went along. At first, it was to get my coordination and balance back." Margaret had further operations and ended up with nerve pain, for which the acupuncture helps.

"I go once every two weeks and it helps with everything." Sometimes she has some massage or cupping (where special cups are placed on the skin to create suction to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being) as well as acupuncture.

"They can normally tell by the massage where the needles need to go," says Margaret.

Both assert that the treatment is painless. Margaret says: "It's such a pleasant experience – and they are so genuinely kind to you and you are really well and truly looked after."

Richard Blackwell, NCA principal, says: "The patients at our acupuncture clinic are treated by a team of students under the supervision of one of our clinical supervisors. This works well and means that patients receive the highest standards of diagnosis, treatment and care. This is also reflected in the competitive prices of the sessions, which are much more affordable than a private practitioner."

And both women say they like the fact they are helping students by their regular attendance. “We both really like being able to help the students during their training, and seeing so many of them become fully qualified practitioners is as important to us as the treatment we are receiving,” says Jacky.

The college acupuncture clinic is open Monday to Saturday, with all members of the public welcome to book an appointment.

Normal charges are £30 for an initial consultation and £20 for a follow up – with six treatments being the norm.

Find out more at nca.ac.uk or telephone: 01904 343305

Discounted treatment offer

The college is looking for people to join its 2018/19 research projects – and in return receive treatments at even more reduced rates.

It requires patients who are suffering from the following common conditions:

stress

anxiety

fatigue

low energy

muscle/joint/back pain.

Patients participating will receive a reduced price of £70 for six treatments (normally £135).

To find out more, telephone 01904 343305.