Sara, aged 30. For the last 9 years I've suffered from chronic sinusitis most likely caused by a dust allergy. My symptoms included swelling and pain in and around the left nasal cavity and eye area, blocked nose and a generally dazed feeling that you get from a cold. Sometimes the pain is so severe that I would vomit. Since starting acupuncture with Kathleen, although still in the early stages, the frequency of attacks has reduced. Whilst I still get headaches in the morning they now clear by lunchtime and I need to take fewer pain killers. After a session I feel noticeably more relaxed and energised.

I was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder and told two years was the average time for improvement. The pain was unbearable, analgesics and physiotherapy were not dealing with the problem, and so after three months, I was encouraged to try acupuncture (why did I leave so long?) Kathleen was reassuring but made no false promises "it takes a long time but I can help with the pain" was how she put it. After just a couple of treatments, the pain became much more bearable. It is now three months since Kathleen began 'the needle treatment' and I am amazed at so much improvement. Do not be afraid try acupuncture see Kathleen she will be reassuring and honest. Mary from Warwick

My baby daughter had suffered breathing problems from birth. Her breathing was raspy and chesty. It got worse during and after a cold. My husband and I were really worried about it. I had taken her to the doctor on a number of occasions. The doctors said that she might be asthmatic but that they couldn't give a definite diagnosis until the age of two. They prescribed steroids and a ventolin inhaler. Both of these eased the symptoms temporarily. However I did not feel comfortable giving her such strong drugs at such a young age. One night Kira's breathing got so bad that she was gasping for breath. After that I took her to see Kathleen to see if acupuncture could help the situation. At that stage she was 10 months old.

On our first visit Kathleen spent time playing with her and making sure she was relaxed and happy. I then held her and distracted her while Kathleen popped two needles into her back. I had been apprehensive about how she would react to the needles and was really pleased that she didn't seem to notice at all! Two days after she'd had the acupuncture she coughed up lots of phlegm and her breathing noticeably improved. She has had acupuncture every three weeks for the past few months and her breathing has improved dramatically. I used to lie awake listening to her raspy breathing and worrying about it -now her breathing is so quiet that I have to go right up close to her to hear it. When she gets a cold her breathing gets worse again for a few days but then always improves again afterwards. Acupuncture made a dramatic difference in a very short time. I am so pleased that we came to see Kathleen and would absolutely recommend acupuncture with Kathleen to other parents of young children. Catherine Boyce