Who is Alan Sheehy:

I have been a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for close to 30 years and during that brief time I have been constantly amazed and reminded through my clients as to the power of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture and the wonderful medical resource we have in it.

During my time I have treated many people with many differing ailments ailments, affecting every system of the person, from digestive, circulatory issues, muscle related, back problems, breathing problems, sexual problems, gynaecological issues, fertility (male and female) as well as emotional issues. People have often asked me what is TCM and Acupuncture "good for". The short answer is it good for treating people. It is a holistic form of medicine that treats the whole person. TCM has a history stretching back some 2000 years plus in China and consequently there isn't any ailment by and large that the Dr's during that time period have not come across and formulated specific treatments for.

In my clinic I offer the very best in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, not just Acupuncture but also Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine and even Medical Qi Gong. I try to take not just a traditional view but also a classical view of diagnosis and treatment of the person be they adult child or infant. The client/patient is at the centre of everything in the clinic. Therefore my clinic is patient centric meaning that the focus is on treating the patient who happens to have a medical issue rather than just focusing on the ailment and possibly losing very important information that may have lead to or prolong the condition.

I am also the Director of the White Lotus College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. www.whitelotus.ie

How does it work and what happens during a session:

In typical Traditional Chinese Medicine fashion the diagnosis begins the moment you present yourself for treatment. It is natural that anyone presenting for treatment will feel nervous or a little anxious the first time around. My initial job will be to help you relax and explain what we are going to do, particularly if you have not had treatment from a TCM or Acupuncture practitioner before.

I will take some details, name address etc. Then I will take your case history. Initially you will let me know about your presenting ailment and then I will ask relevant questions the answers to which only you will know, this will include how the ailment progressed, when it started, how it started and so on.

After thoroughly going through the information I will then take your pulse and look at your tongue. Both pulse and tongue diagnosis are considered to be the pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine and provide very detailed information. Then the diagnosis will be made and Acupuncture points are then selected based entirely on the diagnosis. A Traditional Chinese herbal prescription may also be recommended.

You will be asked to lie on the treatment couch and the needles will be inserted. These are very fine pre-sterilised single use disposable needles. You will feel a little pinch on insertion and a feeling of Qi, your own energy, running along the channel. This is not sore but can feel dull, heavy or even pulsating. For adults the needles remain in situ for a minimum of 20 minutes for children a lot less than that depending on the ailment. For infants the needles are not retained, usually only one or two points are used and the needle is just inserted for one second. Strangely receiving an Acupuncture treatment is very relaxing despite the fact that very fine needles are involved. Most people during the treatment session are hardly aware that there are needles in place

All Herbal prescriptions we use in our clinics are plant based only and sourced from reputable suppliers in Europe who are subject to inspections and laboratory testing.

What will those sessions be useful for:

Traditional Chinese Medicine has treated practically every ailment known to man. However, most of the types of ailments I see in my clinic are usually ones that have been there for a while and can range through all of the body's systems. I also see people with skin ailments, breathing problems, headaches, emotional problems, physical problems and issues specific to women, menstrual and fertility issues. I also treat pregnant women as well as babies.