Gillian Nicol Acupuncture

22/08/2026

Finally got some art up on the clinic walls. So happy with this beautiful ‘Puddle’ piece by Becca Poremba made with natural Northumberland pigments. I love the light, movement, colour and playfulness of the work. Hope my patients enjoy it too!

20/08/2026

This is great news for blood donors who want to have regular acupuncture: "Patients receiving acupuncture from appropriately qualified practitioners will no longer have to wait four months before donating blood, following a significant change to UK blood donation guidance welcomed by the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)."

Long-running campaign removes unnecessary barrier for blood donors, a victory for both patients and the blood donation service. Implementation dates for the new rules yet to be set by devolved governments.  Patients receiving acupuncture from appropriately qualified practitioners will no longer hav...

18/08/2026

I love how acupuncture lets people relax! As soon as the first needles are in, conversation tapers off, the room quietens, a peaceful calm settles.

There's the option of an eye mask for those that want it - gentle lavender or unscented option - to support fully switching off while the needles get to work!

Book online here: https://gillian-nicol-acupuncture.uk2.cliniko.com/bookings
Or message to find out about how acupuncture can support your health and wellbeing.

18/08/2026

How acupuncture actively supports fertility…

As a qualified AFN fertility acupuncture specialist I’m currently taking bookings for natural and assisted fertility patients.

16/08/2026

Great news for blood donors and the acupuncture profession.

17/07/2026

There's a growing research evidence base for the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating a wide range of health conditions.

The British Acupuncture Council has an excellent set of factsheets here: https://acupuncture.org.uk/about-acupuncture/acupuncture-research/evidence-a-z/ with many more conditions than I've featured. It also helps explain some of the issues with acupuncture research and the challenges for the sector in expanding and improving this evidence base.

Here are direct links to the conditions or research mentioned in visuals.
Anxiety: https://acupuncture.org.uk/fact-sheets/anxiety-and-acupuncture-factsheet/
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: https://acupuncture.org.uk/fact-sheets/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/
Infertility and IVF: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37436463/
Dysmenorrhea/period pain: http://acupuncture.org.uk/fact-sheets/dysmenorrhoea/

And here's the booking link for appointment or free discovery call with me: https://gillian-nicol-acupuncture.uk2.cliniko.com/bookings

08/07/2026

Acupuncture treatment from a British Acupuncture Council member (MBAcC), like myself, is generally considered very safe.

BAcC is the only professional membership body for acupuncturists that is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, meaning its members adhere to the highest standards of practice, are regulated by BAcC and qualified to degree level.

I have a first-class Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Acupuncture, having trained for 4 years at Northern College of Acupuncture in York. I have additional training in acupuncture for fertility and membership of Acupuncture Fertility Network.

For more good reasons to try acupuncture see my blog post: https://gilliannicolacupuncture.co.uk/2026/05/18/five-good-reasons-to-try-acupuncture/

06/07/2026

Acupuncture treatment can be incredibly relaxing!

Acupuncture has been shown to influence the autonomic nervous system and increase parasympathetic tone (Hamvas et al., 2023).

Many of my patients are so relaxed they have a snooze or ‘acu-nap’ while their needles are in. This helps ease symptoms of stress, reminding your body it doesn’t need to be on high-alert all the time and helping you feel refreshed and rebalanced.

For more good reasons to try acupuncture see my blog post: https://gilliannicolacupuncture.co.uk/2026/05/18/five-good-reasons-to-try-acupuncture/

03/07/2026

As well as the needles being tiny (reason #1), you can be reassured that acupuncture should not hurt.

You may feel the 'de qi' sensation - a slight ache or tingling - a sign the body is responding to the needle placement.

In fact use of acupuncture for treating pain conditions is increasingly well evidenced. A meta-analysis by Vickers et al (2018) showed that acupuncture is effective for treating chronic pain (musculo-skeletal, headache and osteoarthritis pain) with effects that last over time.

For more good reasons to try acupuncture see my blog post: https://gilliannicolacupuncture.co.uk/2026/05/18/five-good-reasons-to-try-acupuncture/

20/05/2026

BAcC members like myself are degree-qualified and adhere to the highest standards of practice giving you reassurance that our acupuncture is safe.

Find out more about this and other good reasons to try acupuncture in my latest blog post: https://gilliannicolacupuncture.co.uk/2026/05/18/five-good-reasons-to-try-acupuncture/