New acupuncture and massage clinic in Athlone offers wide range of natural Chinese treatments

A new clinic in the heart of Athlone is now open for business, offering a wide range of natural Chinese therapies such as acupuncture, massage, ear candle, facial rejuvenation, cupping therapy and herbal remedies. The Chinese Acupuncture and Massage clinic has moved to its current location at 11 Church Street after previously trading from a premises on Sean Costello Street. The business is managed by Sophia Sun who said she has noticed that, in recent years, Irish people have become much more open to trying traditional Chinese therapies which have been practised for the last 3,000 years. “I started working here in 2007 and I find that people are a lot more open to it now than they were then,” she said. “Often one person from a family will come to us for a treatment and later they will come back and bring in other members of their family. People often come in because of that positive word of mouth.” The Athlone business offers a variety of services such as acupuncture, Chinese massage, herbal medicine, allergy tests, facial rejuvenation and ear candle treatments. Two staff members work at the Church Street premises, which contains three treatment rooms. People who are unsure about what the treatments involve, or which ones might work best for them, are encouraged to make an appointment for a free consultation. Acupuncture is one of the most ancient treatments of them all, having been practised in China for over 3,000 years. Sophia explained that it can be very beneficial for people suffering from ailments ranging from back pain and shoulder pain to headaches, insomnia, tinnitus, sinus, skin problems and infertility. Depending on the individual’s condition, courses of 6 to 10 acupuncture treatments can be required. When people are receiving such courses of acupuncture, one or two of the treatments are typically offered free of charge. “Acupuncture is becoming more and more popular because it’s a totally natural treatment so there are no side-effects,” said Sophia. She stated that Chinese massage is offered at the clinic in Athlone, and this type of massage can be used to help improve blood circulation and treat pain. Chinese herbal medicine, which Sophia said was “all natural, with no side effects,” is provided by the Athlone clinic. People who may have undiscovered allergies can call in or make an appointment to have an allergy test carried out at the local clinic. Finding answers to possible allergy problems is important to help restore one’s health and wellbeing Facial rejuvenation, which is brought about by a mixture of acupuncture with herbal oil massage, is offered. According to Sophia, this treatment can be very beneficial “for improving beauty, treatment of skin problems, and helping to reduce wrinkles and bags beneath the eyes.” Another alternative treatment which has become increasingly popular in recent years is ear candling. Ear candle treatments involve lighting one end of a hollow candle and placing the other end in the ear canal. Sophia said the treatment can be used to help remove wax, treat tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and combat itchy ear conditions or congested sinus problems. In the current economic climate value for money is more important that ever before, and she stated that the business offers very competitive rates, with massage treatments starting from €10. In addition, the location of the clinic in the centre of Athlone couldn’t be more convenient, with a number of car parking options available nearby. So if you might be interested in any of the above treatments, or are keen to find out more information, why not call in and talk to the staff in the premises at 11 Church Street?