Acupuncture Stories and Testimonials from some of Sarah's Patients

Hong Tao Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Marlow Bucks, Pinner Harrow, St. Albans Herts. Sarah Clark BScTCM, MBAcC, MRCHM.
Chelsea Bridge SW8
020 7622 2252
Marlow, Bucks. SL7
01628 319 364
Pinner, Harrow HA5
020 8133 2996

Traditional Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Practice
Consultant Acupuncturist & TCM Practitioner: Sarah Clark BSc(Hons)TCM MBAcC MRCHM AFN

 


PATIENT FEEDBACK AND TESTIMONIALS


Back Problems

I have suffered from a debilitating prolapsed disc for the last 5 years and my life has been very limited. Since 2007 I have tried everything from physiotherapy sessions, visiting a well renowned osteopath twice every week and even a 'guru' in Northern India! I was left despondent as the relief I recieved was only very temporary. In 2008 I was advised by specialist surgeons that the only solution for me would be back surgery. I felt like I had tried all the alternatives but just a few months ago my partner signed me up for acupuncture with Sarah Clark. I am delighted to say that my life has changed after only 5 sessions. I am now pain free and my body does not feel 'locked' anymore. I have forgotten what it was like to wake up in the morning in pain. Now I am able to move freely, sit at an office desk all day and pick up my toddlers without pain.

I am forever grateful to Sarah and highly recommend visiting her clinic.

- Francisco D.


Having been used to acupuncture on a regular maintenance basis, a change in lifestyle (weekly commute) and then bereavements, all compounded by acute back strain required greater attention than ever before. By chance I found Sarah’s clinic and without her skill and bespoke approach to my particular needs my recovery would not have been as swift. The combination of techniques really worked and I would never have imagined cupping would have eased the back strain so effectively. Certainly the best acupuncturist I have had treatment from.

- Rob B.


Out of the blue, I woke up one morning with excruciating lower & middle back pain; my back had effectively seized u" . I had to roll myself out of bed and couldn't straighten up for a good half hour. While pain killers relieved the pain somewhat, it was almost impossible to find a comfortable position in which to lie or stand. When over a fortnight, the terrible early morning pain which subsided (but not disappeared) as the day wore on became a pattern, it was clear that specific treatment was required. A visit to the osteopath had no effect and I didn't want to live on painkillers forever! I was wary of trying acupuncture or other less common "alternative" therapies but fortunately, having recently been introduced to Sarah Clark in social circumstances, I decided to see if she could help. Sarah is a knowledgeable and pragmatic practitioner who puts you at ease from the start. Following a thorough examination and questionnaire about my medical history etc, she recommended a few sessions of Acupuncture & Moxibustion. She felt that my symptoms might indicate the onset of Osteoarthritis (not uncommon amongst women of my age) and while permanent cure was unlikely to be achieved, Sarah was confident that the pain could be alleviated and controlled.
She was right. After the first session, the pain reduced substantially and 3 more sessions later (over a period of about 6 weeks), I was pain free. Not only that but I came away from each session, completely calm and energised.
Unlike many practitioners, Sarah did not try to "lock me in" to having regular sessions ad infinitum. She did suggest that I was likely to experience a recurrence or further pain with the onset of cold, damp weather so further "maintenance" sessions might be advisable. As it is, I haven't felt so much as a twinge since but if I did, I would go straight back to see her. I can, and do, recommend Sarah's services without hesitation.

- Penny S.


I have an L4/5 herniated disc and have regular back pain for 5 years resulting from tight hamstrings and a weak back. I went to see Sarah as after doing too much exercise my legs and back tightened to the point that the physical discomfort walking was unpleasant.

I found Sarah to be professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. I had my first ever acupuncture in my lumbar spine as well as my legs, followed by cupping. The relief from the muscle relaxation was almost instant and I found it much easier to walk and move about afterwards. This lasted over a week and since my initial visit I have been back several times. Would highly recommend Sarah for treatment of back issues.

- Alex K.


I have sufffered with back and neck pain for several years and before coming to see Sarah had seen osteopaths many times and occasionally had a few needles used on accupucture points by osteopaths. After yet another week of bad back pain I booked an appointment with Sarah. After assessing me I had a series of sessions of acupuncture, sometimes with electro acupuncture and cupping. Sarah was confident that the gentle nature of acupuncture would help my back and I found the sessions deeply relaxing. After 4 or 5 sessions with Sarah, a deep pain in my right shoulder blade that I had had for many months had eased and my back felt great. I have been back a couple of times since when I was run down and had a bad cold. Sarah's herbs and tonics helped me through and the acupuncture quickly sorted out my tense muscles from all that coughing.

I have no hesitation in recommending Sarah, she is very professional, knowledgable and will put you at ease.

- Emily G.


Arthritic Pain

I first came to see Sarah after my daughter recommended her. I have never had acupuncture before, but had seen the positive results my mother experienced when many years ago she attended an acupuncture clinic. My daughter went to see Sarah and was keen for me to attend as I have pain due to arthritis. The most painful areas for me are my knees, feet and hands. I also have a dark mottled area around my ankle.

I found Sarah to be calm, gentle and totally professional. After a few sessions I found the pain in my joints significantly improved. The mottling around my ankle was also pinker and far less dark.

I have been going to see Sarah since last July and now tend to go every few weeks to ‘top up’ where I feel necessary. I have found the whole experience a very positive one and would happily recommend her.

- Gill T


Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

After having my second child I was having a lot of problems with my sleep and also Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Whilst I had managed to sleep train my baby I was having a lot of trouble; waking a lot and waking early and being unable to return to sleep as well as the added impact of suffering with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A friend had recommended acupuncture and after speaking to my GP I contacted Sarah.

From the initial phone call I felt reassured and when I had my first session I immediately felt more relaxed. That week my sleep began to improve and over the course of treatments it improved significantly as did the symptoms of the Carpal Tunnel. I was able to stop treatment on Sarah’s recommendation but have returned since when again my sleep was suffering and would certainly do so again. I would definitely recommend Sarah’s treatment and found the whole experience relaxing, rewarding and most importantly delivered results.

- Carolyn H.


Menopausal Syndrome and Digestive Disorders

After having 2 operations and going through the menopause a year ago, my body seemed to be in meltdown. After having lots of tests with the NHS I was told nothing was wrong. I couldn't enjoy life anymore, constant pain and indigestion made everyday situations impossible. Luckily my doctor is open minded and said why not give alternative medicine a try. I found Sarah on a search engine and from my first visit i realised that someone finally believed that something was wrong with me, Sarah listens to you and gives you hope. At first I needed accupuncture and herbs weekly along with a new diet, which Sarah suggested. Gradually I was taken off the herbs and then the visits became less. I now have accupuncture about every 8 weeks as a top up. My life has improved immensely thanks to Sarah.

- Karen G.


Leg and Foot Pain

I was recommended to see Sarah by James Bird at the Tres Clinic. Having had an operation on my foot that caused me to developed chronic pain in my lower limbs. He felt that it would be very beneficial for the pain relief to see Sarah. I had never had acupuncture or other Chinese Medicine treatments before, so I was slightly nervy about the process. The first thing I will say is that Sarah has a wonderful manner and air about her that makes you feel relaxed and confident in her hands. I would have one hour sessions twice a week for the first couple of months, in which I also had electro-acupuncture. I found the sessions to be calming and reduced the pain. Having been on so many pills and medication for pain, I was relieved that something had worked. Whenever I had any worries during the week, Sarah would put my mind at rest and fill me with confidence that it was all going to calm down and get better. My frequency reduced and I slowly started seeing Sarah less and less. All in all I was a patient of Sarah’s for almost 6 months. I have not been back in months, but I know that I would go back if there were other issues that arose that needed help with.

I am very pleased to say that I am 100% fully recovered and I am back into all the sports and normal shoes that I was not able to do for over a year.

- Lucy F.


Fertility, Conception & Pregnancy

Firstly I want to say that Sarah was such a great support for me before and during my pregnancy. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone! I have a history of 3 miscarriages and have PCOS. I have a little boy and had Acupuncture to support me with him. I had tried the Zhai clinic but with no success and I had become a bit obsessed with getting pregnant. I came to see Sarah in 2010. I wanted to get body fit for a baby after my labour as it was long. It had taken a few years to get pregnant with my son so I was expecting a long journey! We sat and talked through my history and Sarah started to treat me. I was so relaxed I fell asleep! This was quite a regular thing! Sarah helped me on a diet to help build me up. I was pregnant within a few months. We were delighted although a little shocked as my son was not a year. I saw Sarah up to 14 weeks then sailed through my pregnancy. I delivered Gracie in what felt about 10 minutes. We arrived at 4.50 am and she was out at 5.10. She is perfect and weighed almost 9 pounds. If we do decide to have another baby I will go to Sarah again.

When I have some time I will go for a treatment from Sarah to get my overall health better. I think when you have challenges getting pregnant you need a support who makes you feel special but you can trust and who knows their stuff. For me that was Sarah.

- Sharon P.


I started seeing Sarah around a year and a half ago to work alongside my IVF treatment. I had never had any acupuncture before and have a phobia of needles so was quite apprehensive but I found Sarah to be really lovely and approachable! I'm pleased to say that I'm finally pregnant and have just had my 12wk scan! I couldn't be happier!! IVF was the most difficult and emotional thing I have ever had to go through but I would always feel so relaxed during and after my sessions with Sarah and I believe they had a huge influence in my success with the fertility treatment. I would sincerely recommend to anyone about the embark on IVF to book up an appointment with Sarah and I'm sure you will never look back!"

- Francesca O.


My experience with Sarah and Hong Tao Clinic was a very positive one. Having tried for seven months to conceive without success and determined not to go down the medical route, I found Sarah through an internet search for alternative fertility therapy. This was my first experience of acupuncture and after two treatments with Sarah I fell pregnant. Unfortunately the pregnancy wasn't viable and I miscarried, but I continued to work with Sarah and I am very pleased to say that 18 months after my first treatment, my husband are very proud parents of a beautiful and healthy four week old baby girl. Sarah is extremely professional and experienced with a very calm and friendly nature. For anyone taking some time to fall pregnant, I would highly recommend contacting Sarah sooner rather than later.

- Karen M.


I first visited Sarah about a year ago, after unsuccessfully trying to conceive for 18months. I wanted to try and regulate my cycles in order to take more control of my fertility, at this point I was ovulating every 50 days. After seeing Sarah for only two weekly sessions, I had a positive pregnancy test result. I continued to see Sarah weekly throughout my first trimester (having suffered a previous miscarriage), and found the sessions relaxing and they also helped provide relief from my awful morning sickness. I revisited Sarah at the very end of my pregnancy, as I started to fear I may go overdue. Also believing in Sarah's capabilities I hoped the treatment, may not only induce labour, but, make it more efficient when it finally happened. After two sessions of acupuncture in my final week of pregnancy, my son was born one day after the second treatment. My labour was certainly efficient, lasting 6 hours from start to finish, meaning we had the water birthed we had hoped for and were in and out of hospital within the day.

It could be argued all these events may have occurred without Sarah's treatment, but I strongly feel she helped me massively along my journey to now having my beautiful boy. I found her manner professional and approachable, and looked forward to each session as a relaxing hour in the middle of a hectic week.

- Hannah W.


My husband and I had been trying to conceive for over a year with little success when a friend suggested trying acupuncture. I was fairly confident that I was ovulating normally and had a regular monthly cycle so didn't honestly think it would help but I didn't see that it would do any harm to give it a try. I started seeing Sarah in November and was immediately impressed with her manner, her professionalism and her knowledge. She talked to me about the importance of balancing my system and nourishing my body and blood properly. I was eating healthily and didn't drink or smoke but realised that I probably wasn't eating quite enough and in particular that I was eating a lot of cold foods when actually what my body needed was warmth. I started having a hot drink before every meal and choosing soups and jacket potatoes over salads and sushi at lunchtime. Sarah saw that my system was responding well to this and to the acupuncture and gave me a lot of confidence and encouragement in a very calm, collected way. She helped me to see that getting (and staying) pregnant was a very real possibility for us and not just a fantasy. The acupuncture itself is a much more pleasant experience than I had expected. It really gives you time to reflect and relax which is beneficial in itself I think and not something that I always find the time for in daily life. Two months after the first session I fell pregnant. I am now 17 weeks into the pregnancy and we are expecting our first baby in October. We really couldn't be happier and I am so very grateful to Sarah. My husband jokes that she gets more of the credit than he does! I would recommend acupuncture, and in particular Sarah Clark at the Hongtao Clinic, to anyone and I am sure I will continue with it throughout my pregnancy and beyond.

- Laura B.


I first visited Sarah after she was recommended by a friend. I had been through a horrific situation where I had lost a baby in my 18th week of pregnancy. I visited Sarah a few months after. I had never tried Accupunture before but have to say my treatment not only nourished my body but also helped me manage the situation (as much as I could) mentally. I remember walking out after treatment and for the first time thinking I could get through this awful time. I coincidently fell pregnant again soon after which was totally unexpected, but seeing Sarah gave me more faith in this Pregnancy and the prospects of a happier outcome, which it has healthy little girl due tomorrow!!!

I found my experience with Sarah extremely therapeutic and more so honest. Sarah was extremely understanding and listened so much less clinical than hospitals and doctors surgeries. I would highly recommend seeing Sarah and would definitely go back in the future. Thank you!!!

- Sarita J.


I saw Sarah as I was having difficulty conceiving. My periods had become irregular and after a year of trying to conceive I decided to try acupuncture. Sarah identified areas which she could treat and issues that she could help with. I had weekly sessions and within a short period of time my cycles became regular and shortly after I fell pregnant. Sarah then supported me through my pregnancy until I was about halfway through. I went on to have a healthy baby and am very grateful to Sarah for her help.

- M.B.


I originally came to see Sarah as I was having problems conceiving and had been told by many that Acupuncture can be hugely beneficial, especially when used alongside IVF treatment. I was a little sceptical at first and not entirely convinced I liked the idea of the needles.

Sarah was very professional and listened to all my concerns. She was very supportive and gave me good advice, that encompassed my emotional well being, as well as my health issues. I felt the benefits from very early sessions and it really helped to rebalance my emotions when I was going through the IVF treatment.

I am now nearly 8 months pregnant and have had a very healthy pregnancy. Thank you for all your support. I would definitely recommend Sarah if you are going through IVF, her treatment was great comfort to me.

- Joanna S.


The above testimonials are only a guide as to what acupuncture and TCM with the Hong Tao Clinic, can help. To provide complete patient healthcare, a thorough, individual assessment is given at the first consultation prior to treatment.

Please book an appointment with us and we look forward to helping you.

 

 




020 7622 2252
Chelsea Bridge SW8

020 8133 2996
Pinner, Harrow HA5

    01628 319 364  
Marlow, Bucks. SL7


Member of the British Acupuncture Council        Member of the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine        Member of the Acupuncture Fertility Network        NHS Trusts Association Complementary Health Practitioner


Our clients travel to our clinics from across Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and London. We are easily accessible by car (parking on-site or nearby), tube and rail from Abbots Langley, Amersham, Apsley, Aylesbury, Battersea, Beaconsfield, Berkhamsted, Bisham, Borehamwood, Bourne End, Bovingdon, Bricket Wood, Bucks, Bushey, Chalfont, Chelsea, Chesham, Cheshunt, Chipperfield, Chorleywood, Clapham, Cookham Dean, Croxley Green, Denham, Eastcote, Edgware, Elstree, Flackwell Heath, Garston, Gerrards Cross, Hatch End, Harefield, Harpenden, Harrow, Harrow on the Hill, Harrow Weald, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Henley, Hertford, Herts, High Wycombe, Hillingdon, Hitchin, Ickenham, Kensington, Kenton, Kings Langley, Knightsbridge, Leavesden, London Colney, Loudwater, Luton, Maidenhead, Maple Cross, Marlow, Marlow Bottom, Middx, Mill End, Moor Park, Nascot Wood, North Harrow, North London, Northolt, Northwest London, Northwood, Northwood Hills, Oxhey, Pinkneys Green, Pinner, Radlett, Rayner's Lane, Reading, Redbourn, Rickmansworth, Ruislip, Ruislip Manor, Sarratt, Sloane Square, Slough, South Harrow, South Kensington, South Oxhey, South Ruislip, Stanmore, St. Albans, Stanmore, Stevenage, Sudbury, Temple, Tring, Uxbridge, Victoria, Watford, Wealdstone, Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, West Harrow, West London, Windsor. Contact us today for more information about Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at our clinics in Pinner, Harrow, Middlesex, Marlow in Buckinghamshire and Chelsea Bridge, Battersea, London.

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