Nicola and Ben Leeves had been trying for three years to have a baby without success. But after six months of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, Nicola conceived. Health reporter EMMA COUTTS-WOOD talks to Nicola and the TS Clinic in Bromley ...

TWO-WEEK old Max glows with health. For his parents, Nicola and Ben, his birth has come as a blessing and they have acupuncturist Terry Simou at the TS Clinic to thank.

"We are overjoyed we have given birth to Max and we are so grateful to Terry for all his help," Nicola beamed.

Nicola, 30, of Rochester Avenue, Bromley, explained that she originally went to the TS Clinic to be treated for digestive problems and ended up being treated for her infertility problem as well.

She said: "I have had constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome since I was 17 and when I talked to doctors about why I wasn't conceiving, they didn't think they were linked and suggested IVF treatment.

"But I was convinced my digestive problems were preventing me from getting pregnant because when I was ovulating each month, I was in a lot of pain."

She added: "So when my husband Ben told me about acupuncture, which he had had for knee injuries from football, I wanted to see if it could cure my digestive problems."

She explained that she first went to the TS clinic in Tweedy Road TS standing for Mr Simou's initials in April last year.

"I first had Chinese herbal medicine and then I had both acupuncture and herbal medicine. I started to feel better straightaway and my digestive problems soon went away.

"Then in January this year, I fell pregnant with Max and I was over the moon."

Mr Simou said infertility is one of many conditions acupuncture can treat.

"Acupuncture works by balancing the hormones in the body and thereby helping a person to relax.

"The way it works is that needles go into acupuncture points along meridian channels, which are like small veins in the body. Each meridian channel represents a different part of the body.

"Once I know what somebody's condition is, I know where to insert the needles for maximum effect. And how deep I turn the needle and how I turn it will have different effects in the body. "

Nicola explained she had six needles inserted into her body for 20 minutes once a week. She also took herbal medicine twice a day.

l For more information about the clinic, call 020 8313 1577.

Acupuncture factfile:

CHINESE medicine has been used as front line medicine by the majority of the world's population since before recorded history and it is still the most widely used medical sysytem in the world today.

In China, Chinese herbal medicine is not an alternative form of therapy but is used in state hospitals alongside modern medicine.

Acupuncture can also treat asthma, addictions, allergies, arthritis, back problems, circulatory problems, digestive disorders, diarrhoea, emotional problems, frozen shoulder, gynaecolgy, herpes, lack of energy, migraines, ME, multiple sclerosis, nervous problems, neck problems, obesity, sciatica, sports injuries, skin problems, tennis elbow, verrucae and whiplash injuries.

November 30, 2001 9:35

Emma Coutts-Wood