Ben Carrigan | Acupuncturist
BSc (Hons), Lic. Ac., AFN, FEA, MBAcC
Conditions I See Frequently in Clinic
Migraines, Headaches and Facial Pain
Migraines, recurring headaches and persistent facial pain can have a significant impact on everyday life, affecting everything from work and sleep to relationships and general wellbeing.
I have a particular clinical interest in migraines, tension-type headaches, trigeminal neuralgia and other forms of nerve-related facial pain, including persistent pain following dental treatment. An important part of my approach is exploring the relationship between headaches and digestive health.
The gut and brain communicate through a complex network of neurological, hormonal and immune pathways, often referred to as the gut–brain axis. Research has identified associations between migraine and gastrointestinal conditions, although the nature of these relationships is still being investigated.
My assessment therefore considers not only the nature and frequency of your headaches, but also your digestion, stress levels, hormonal health, musculoskeletal issues and other potentially relevant factors.
Two patients with the same migraine diagnosis may have very different symptoms and underlying pathology. Understanding these differences, alongside your medical history and wider health, helps inform your treatment.
Women’s Health and Fertility
Menstrual Health and Hormonal Conditions
I work with women experiencing irregular or painful periods, menstrual migraines, premenstrual symptoms and other menstrual health concerns. My assessment considers your menstrual cycle alongside your digestion, sleep, stress levels and other aspects of your health that may be relevant to your symptoms.
Where hormonal conditions have been diagnosed, I take account of your investigations and existing medical treatment while using Chinese medicine to understand how the condition presents in your particular circumstances.
The aim is to support menstrual health and help you manage associated symptoms.
Fertility and IVF
For women and couples trying to conceive, I offer acupuncture as part of a broader approach to fertility care. This includes support while trying to conceive naturally and during assisted reproduction, including IVF.
Fertility treatment can involve physical, hormonal and emotional demands. My approach considers your medical investigations, menstrual cycle, fertility treatment schedule and wider health, rather than focusing on conception alone.
Acupuncture can be incorporated alongside the care provided by your fertility clinic, with treatment planned around your circumstances and the different stages of your fertility journey.
Pregnancy and Preparation for Birth
I also offer acupuncture support throughout pregnancy, taking account of the different physical and emotional demands of each trimester.
This may include support with pregnancy-related discomfort, nausea, sleep difficulties and general wellbeing, where acupuncture is appropriate.
As your due date approaches, treatment may also focus on preparation for birth. I offer birth preparation acupuncture, moxibustion for breech pregnancy, and can discuss acupuncture in relation to labour induction when clinically appropriate, alongside the care provided by your maternity team.
Perimenopause and Menopause
The hormonal changes associated with perimenopause and menopause can affect sleep, mood, menstrual cycles, temperature regulation and overall wellbeing. For some women, these changes are relatively straightforward. For others, several symptoms may develop together and have a considerable impact on everyday life.
My approach considers these experiences alongside your medical history, current symptoms and any treatments you may already be receiving, including HRT. By looking at the wider picture, I aim to develop an approach that reflects the particular combination of symptoms you’re experiencing.
Pain and Ongoing Symptoms
Acute Pain
Acute pain generally develops suddenly, often following an injury, strain or episode of inflammation.
My approach begins by considering the circumstances in which your pain developed, its location and severity, and whether further medical investigation may be necessary.
Where appropriate, acupuncture can form part of your recovery and pain management.
Chronic and Persistent Pain
Chronic pain is generally defined as pain that persists or recurs for more than three months. It may continue after an initial injury has healed or occur alongside an ongoing health condition. Persistent pain can also affect sleep, mood, movement and general wellbeing, sometimes creating a cycle in which several aspects of your health influence one another. This is where considering the whole person becomes particularly important.
Western medical knowledge helps me understand the possible physiological mechanisms of your pain, including the role of the nervous system, inflammation and musculoskeletal structures.
Classical Chinese medicine provides an additional framework for considering how your pain relates to other aspects of your health and how those relationships may inform treatment.
By bringing these perspectives together, I aim to understand not only where you’re experiencing pain, but how it affects you and what may be contributing to your ongoing symptoms.
Stress, Anxiety and Wellbeing
Stress and emotional wellbeing can have a significant influence on how we feel physically. Sleep difficulties, muscular tension, digestive symptoms, headaches and fatigue can sometimes occur alongside anxiety or periods of prolonged stress. My approach considers both your physical symptoms and emotional wellbeing, recognising that these experiences may be interconnected.
From a Western medical perspective, prolonged stress can affect the autonomic nervous system, sleep, digestion and other physiological processes.
Classical Chinese medicine offers another framework for considering how these changes may present together in an individual. Rather than looking at stress or anxiety as isolated problems, I consider your sleep, digestion, energy levels, medical history and the wider circumstances that may be affecting your health.
Acupuncture may be incorporated into a broader approach to managing symptoms, supporting relaxation and improving your overall sense of wellbeing.
Complex Health Conditions
Not every health problem has a straightforward explanation. Some people experience several overlapping symptoms, live with multiple diagnoses or continue to feel unwell despite investigations and treatment.
I regularly work with patients whose health picture is more complicated, including those experiencing persistent digestive problems, fatigue, chronic pain and other ongoing symptoms. For some patients, the difficulty is not necessarily a lack of medical care. They may have undergone extensive investigations, received several diagnoses or seen different specialists, yet still feel that nobody has considered how their symptoms fit together.
Modern medicine is particularly effective at investigating specific conditions and identifying problems within individual physiological systems. However, when symptoms span several systems or don’t fit neatly into an established diagnosis, patients can sometimes feel that they’ve fallen through the cracks.
Classical Chinese medicine provides a complementary framework for considering the relationships between symptoms, rather than approaching each one solely as a separate problem. This doesn’t mean assuming that every symptom has a single underlying cause. It means taking the time to understand how different aspects of your health may influence one another and how your particular combination of symptoms can inform treatment.
My consultations allow time to explore your medical history, investigations, current treatments and the relationships between your symptoms. By combining Western medical knowledge with classical Chinese medicine, I aim to build a more complete picture of your health and consider where acupuncture may have an appropriate role alongside your existing medical care.
Not Sure Where You Fit?
You don’t need to have a diagnosis or know which category your symptoms belong to before getting in touch. Perhaps you’re experiencing symptoms that don’t seem connected, have been given several diagnoses or simply aren’t sure whether acupuncture is appropriate for your particular circumstances.
Whatever brings you here, we can begin by discussing what you’re experiencing, what you’ve already tried and what you hope to achieve. I’ll consider your medical history and current symptoms, explain how I would approach your situation and discuss whether acupuncture may have a role in your care.
Not sure? Get in touch →
Am I the Right Fit?
How Can I Help?
Every patient is different, and not every health problem fits neatly into a single category. My approach to acupuncture considers your symptoms, medical history and the wider factors that may be affecting your health and wellbeing.
Whether you’re living with a long-standing condition, experiencing something new or looking for a different approach, we’ll begin by understanding what’s happening and what you hope to achieve.
Understanding Your Health from Different Perspectives
Modern medicine provides essential tools for diagnosing and treating health conditions. Its strength often lies in identifying specific symptoms, recognising patterns of disease and investigating individual physiological systems in detail. However, when symptoms are considered separately, the relationships between different aspects of a person’s health can sometimes be overlooked.
The Body as an Interconnected Whole
Classical Chinese medicine has a particularly elegant way of describing the relationships between different bodily systems. In its traditional model, the body is compared to an organised society, with the Heart described as the Emperor and other organs assigned their own roles and responsibilities.
These descriptions are not intended as literal anatomical explanations. They form part of a clinical framework in which each functional system has its own responsibilities while also depending upon and influencing the others.
When one system becomes disturbed, its effects may be felt elsewhere. This helps explain why a Chinese medicine consultation considers symptoms that might initially seem unrelated, such as headaches, digestion, sleep and emotional wellbeing.
My approach brings Western medical knowledge and classical Chinese medicine together, considering both your diagnosis and the wider relationships between your symptoms. The aim is to understand not only the condition you have, but how it affects you as an individual.
Am I the Right Fit?
How Can I Help?
Every patient is different, and not every health problem fits neatly into a single category. My approach to acupuncture considers your symptoms, medical history and the wider factors that may be affecting your health and wellbeing.
Whether you’re living with a long-standing condition, experiencing something new or looking for a different approach, we’ll begin by understanding what’s happening and what you hope to achieve.
Conditions I See Frequently in Clinic
Migraines, Headaches and Facial Pain
Migraines, recurring headaches and persistent facial pain can have a significant impact on everyday life, affecting everything from work and sleep to relationships and general wellbeing.
I have a particular clinical interest in migraines, tension-type headaches, trigeminal neuralgia and other forms of nerve-related facial pain, including persistent pain following dental treatment. An important part of my approach is exploring the relationship between headaches and digestive health.
The gut and brain communicate through a complex network of neurological, hormonal and immune pathways, often referred to as the gut–brain axis. Research has identified associations between migraine and gastrointestinal conditions, although the nature of these relationships is still being investigated.
My assessment therefore considers not only the nature and frequency of your headaches, but also your digestion, stress levels, hormonal health, musculoskeletal issues and other potentially relevant factors.
Two patients with the same migraine diagnosis may have very different symptoms and underlying pathology. Understanding these differences, alongside your medical history and wider health, helps inform your treatment.
Women’s Health and Fertility
Menstrual Health and Hormonal Conditions
I work with women experiencing irregular or painful periods, menstrual migraines, premenstrual symptoms and other menstrual health concerns. My assessment considers your menstrual cycle alongside your digestion, sleep, stress levels and other aspects of your health that may be relevant to your symptoms.
Where hormonal conditions have been diagnosed, I take account of your investigations and existing medical treatment while using Chinese medicine to understand how the condition presents in your particular circumstances.
The aim is to support menstrual health and help you manage associated symptoms.
Fertility and IVF
For women and couples trying to conceive, I offer acupuncture as part of a broader approach to fertility care. This includes support while trying to conceive naturally and during assisted reproduction, including IVF.
Fertility treatment can involve physical, hormonal and emotional demands. My approach considers your medical investigations, menstrual cycle, fertility treatment schedule and wider health, rather than focusing on conception alone.
Acupuncture can be incorporated alongside the care provided by your fertility clinic, with treatment planned around your circumstances and the different stages of your fertility journey.
Pregnancy and Preparation for Birth
I also offer acupuncture support throughout pregnancy, taking account of the different physical and emotional demands of each trimester.
This may include support with pregnancy-related discomfort, nausea, sleep difficulties and general wellbeing, where acupuncture is appropriate.
As your due date approaches, treatment may also focus on preparation for birth. I offer birth preparation acupuncture, moxibustion for breech pregnancy, and can discuss acupuncture in relation to labour induction when clinically appropriate, alongside the care provided by your maternity team.
Perimenopause and Menopause
The hormonal changes associated with perimenopause and menopause can affect sleep, mood, menstrual cycles, temperature regulation and overall wellbeing. For some women, these changes are relatively straightforward. For others, several symptoms may develop together and have a considerable impact on everyday life.
My approach considers these experiences alongside your medical history, current symptoms and any treatments you may already be receiving, including HRT. By looking at the wider picture, I aim to develop an approach that reflects the particular combination of symptoms you’re experiencing.
Pain and Ongoing Symptoms
Acute Pain
Acute pain generally develops suddenly, often following an injury, strain or episode of inflammation.
My approach begins by considering the circumstances in which your pain developed, its location and severity, and whether further medical investigation may be necessary.
Where appropriate, acupuncture can form part of your recovery and pain management.
Chronic and Persistent Pain
Chronic pain is generally defined as pain that persists or recurs for more than three months. It may continue after an initial injury has healed or occur alongside an ongoing health condition. Persistent pain can also affect sleep, mood, movement and general wellbeing, sometimes creating a cycle in which several aspects of your health influence one another. This is where considering the whole person becomes particularly important.
Western medical knowledge helps me understand the possible physiological mechanisms of your pain, including the role of the nervous system, inflammation and musculoskeletal structures.
Classical Chinese medicine provides an additional framework for considering how your pain relates to other aspects of your health and how those relationships may inform treatment.
By bringing these perspectives together, I aim to understand not only where you’re experiencing pain, but how it affects you and what may be contributing to your ongoing symptoms.
Stress, Anxiety and Wellbeing
Stress and emotional wellbeing can have a significant influence on how we feel physically. Sleep difficulties, muscular tension, digestive symptoms, headaches and fatigue can sometimes occur alongside anxiety or periods of prolonged stress. My approach considers both your physical symptoms and emotional wellbeing, recognising that these experiences may be interconnected.
From a Western medical perspective, prolonged stress can affect the autonomic nervous system, sleep, digestion and other physiological processes.
Classical Chinese medicine offers another framework for considering how these changes may present together in an individual. Rather than looking at stress or anxiety as isolated problems, I consider your sleep, digestion, energy levels, medical history and the wider circumstances that may be affecting your health.
Acupuncture may be incorporated into a broader approach to managing symptoms, supporting relaxation and improving your overall sense of wellbeing.
Complex Health Conditions
Not every health problem has a straightforward explanation. Some people experience several overlapping symptoms, live with multiple diagnoses or continue to feel unwell despite investigations and treatment.
I regularly work with patients whose health picture is more complicated, including those experiencing persistent digestive problems, fatigue, chronic pain and other ongoing symptoms. For some patients, the difficulty is not necessarily a lack of medical care. They may have undergone extensive investigations, received several diagnoses or seen different specialists, yet still feel that nobody has considered how their symptoms fit together.
Modern medicine is particularly effective at investigating specific conditions and identifying problems within individual physiological systems. However, when symptoms span several systems or don’t fit neatly into an established diagnosis, patients can sometimes feel that they’ve fallen through the cracks.
Classical Chinese medicine provides a complementary framework for considering the relationships between symptoms, rather than approaching each one solely as a separate problem. This doesn’t mean assuming that every symptom has a single underlying cause. It means taking the time to understand how different aspects of your health may influence one another and how your particular combination of symptoms can inform treatment.
My consultations allow time to explore your medical history, investigations, current treatments and the relationships between your symptoms. By combining Western medical knowledge with classical Chinese medicine, I aim to build a more complete picture of your health and consider where acupuncture may have an appropriate role alongside your existing medical care.
Not Sure Where You Fit?
You don’t need to have a diagnosis or know which category your symptoms belong to before getting in touch. Perhaps you’re experiencing symptoms that don’t seem connected, have been given several diagnoses or simply aren’t sure whether acupuncture is appropriate for your particular circumstances.
Whatever brings you here, we can begin by discussing what you’re experiencing, what you’ve already tried and what you hope to achieve. I’ll consider your medical history and current symptoms, explain how I would approach your situation and discuss whether acupuncture may have a role in your care.
Not sure? Get in touch →
Understanding Your Health from Different Perspectives
Modern medicine provides essential tools for diagnosing and treating health conditions. Its strength often lies in identifying specific symptoms, recognising patterns of disease and investigating individual physiological systems in detail. However, when symptoms are considered separately, the relationships between different aspects of a person’s health can sometimes be overlooked.
The Body as an Interconnected Whole
Classical Chinese medicine has a particularly elegant way of describing the relationships between different bodily systems. In its traditional model, the body is compared to an organised society, with the Heart described as the Emperor and other organs assigned their own roles and responsibilities.
These descriptions are not intended as literal anatomical explanations. They form part of a clinical framework in which each functional system has its own responsibilities while also depending upon and influencing the others.
When one system becomes disturbed, its effects may be felt elsewhere. This helps explain why a Chinese medicine consultation considers symptoms that might initially seem unrelated, such as headaches, digestion, sleep and emotional wellbeing.
My approach brings Western medical knowledge and classical Chinese medicine together, considering both your diagnosis and the wider relationships between your symptoms. The aim is to understand not only the condition you have, but how it affects you as an individual.