Deanna Thomas - Acupuncture, Fertility & Wellbeing

18/08/2026

What if you could go from feeling like THIS 🦖… to feeling a little more like THIS? 😌

Okay… acupuncture probably won’t turn you into Rex from Toy Story. 😂

But if you’re walking around feeling tense, sore, stressed, stiff or generally like your body is one minor inconvenience away from a Jurassic Park moment, it might be time to give it some attention.

Acupuncture isn’t just about sticking needles where it hurts.

We look at you as a whole person, what’s hurting, how you’re sleeping, your stress levels, your energy, what makes things better or worse, and how your symptoms are affecting everyday life.

Then your treatment is tailored around what your body needs.

For some people, the first thing they notice is less tension.

For others, it’s moving more comfortably, sleeping better or simply feeling deeply relaxed after treatment.

And yes… the acupuncture nap is VERY real. 😂💜

No promises of miracles.

Just personalised treatment, a proper hour to yourself, and a plan designed to help you feel and function better.

📍 Deanna Thomas – Acupuncture & Wellbeing, Acklam, Middlesbrough

If you’ve been curious about acupuncture but haven’t quite taken the plunge yet, send me a message or book an initial consultation and let’s see whether it could be right for you.

Side effects may include becoming suspiciously fond of tiny needles and wondering why you didn’t try it sooner. 😂

17/08/2026

YOUR FACE IS MAPPED TO YOUR ORGANS - Face Mapping Explained

Traditional Chinese Medicine face-reading, and modern Western dermatology.
Face mapping is a skin analysis method that splits the face into zones. It links breakouts or dry spots in specific areas to inner health, organ function, or external causes
Educational content only
Sourav Yoga

*Note: ote: This is a conceptual guide based on traditional beliefs and common dermatological observations. Consult a healthcare professional for specific concerns concerns and diagnosis.

16/08/2026

🚨 Paternal Cannabis and Miscarriage Risk: What Couples Need to Know🚨

Did you know that a father's cannabis use can significantly impact pregnancy outcomes? A recent study has revealed some critical insights:

1️⃣ **Doubled Risk**: Men who use cannabis once a week or more have double the risk of miscarriage compared to non-users.

2️⃣ **Paternal Responsibility**: This risk remains even if the female partner does not use cannabis, highlighting that preconception health is a shared responsibility.

3️⃣ **Key Vulnerabilities**:
- The risk of early pregnancy loss (around 8 weeks) is 2.5 times higher for fathers who use cannabis.
- For men aged 35 or older, the risk skyrockets to over 4 times higher!

It's vital for couples to be aware of these findings as they plan for their families.

Let's prioritise health together! 💚
Reference
Harlow, A. F., Wesselink, A. K., Hatch, E. E., Rothman, K. J., & Wise, L. A. (2021). Male Preconception Ma*****na Use and Spontaneous Abortion: A Prospective Cohort Study. Epidemiology, 32(2), 239–247.

16/08/2026

What if feeling “out of balance” isn’t something you simply have to push through?

In Chinese medicine, we often talk about Qi, pronounced “chee.”

Qi is traditionally understood as the vital energy that moves through the body. Rather than looking at one symptom in isolation, acupuncture considers the wider picture, sleep, stress, digestion, pain, hormones, energy and how you’re feeling in yourself.

When life gets busy, stressful or physically demanding, it can sometimes feel as though everything becomes a little out of sync.

You might notice:

• tension that keeps returning
• poor or disrupted sleep
• headaches or persistent aches and pains
• digestive changes
• feeling wired, overwhelmed or unable to properly switch off
• hormonal or menstrual changes
• simply not feeling quite like yourself

This is where acupuncture offers a different way of looking at things.

Treatment is individual to you. We take time to understand what’s been happening, what may be contributing, and what your body needs support with, combining the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine with safe, professional, evidence-informed care.

For some people, acupuncture is about pain relief.

For others, it’s about fertility, women’s health, stress or sleep.

And sometimes, it’s simply about creating the space for the body and nervous system to settle.

You don’t need to understand Qi or Chinese medicine before coming for acupuncture. That’s my job.

Your first appointment is a chance for us to talk through what’s going on, answer your questions and decide whether acupuncture feels like the right approach for you.

📍 Deanna Thomas - Acupuncture, Fertility & Wellbeing

If you’ve been wondering whether acupuncture could support you, you’re very welcome to send me a message or book an initial consultation. 💜

14/08/2026

If you’re relying on pain relief like Tramadol but still living with ongoing pain, it may be worth looking at what else could support you.

Acupuncture can be used alongside your usual medical care to help with pain management, muscle tension and supporting the nervous system, with the aim of helping you feel more comfortable and function better day to day.

It isn’t about telling you to stop your medication. Any changes to Tramadol should always be discussed with your GP or prescriber.

If you’re looking for additional support with persistent pain, we’re happy to have a conversation about whether acupuncture may be suitable for you. 💜

Tramadol: Side Effects & Management

Tramadol is an opioid pain-relieving medicine used for moderate to severe pain when other treatments are not enough. It acts on the brain and spinal cord to reduce pain, but it can also cause drowsiness, dependence, breathing problems, seizures, and drug interactions in some people.

🟣 Common Side Effects

➟ Nausea or vomiting

➟ Dizziness or light-headedness

➟ Sleepiness or tiredness

➟ Constipation

➟ Headache

➟ Dry mouth

➟ Sweating

➟ These effects may be more noticeable when treatment is first started or the dose is increased.

🟣 Drowsiness & Dizziness

➟ Tramadol can slow brain activity and reduce alertness

➟ Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how the medicine affects you

➟ Rise slowly from sitting or lying positions if dizziness occurs

➟ Alcohol can worsen drowsiness and breathing problems and should be avoided.

🟣 Nausea & Vomiting

➟ Taking tramadol with food may help reduce nausea in some people

➟ Small, frequent meals and adequate fluids may also help

➟ Persistent vomiting can cause dehydration and requires medical review

➟ Anti-nausea medicine may be prescribed if symptoms are troublesome

🟣 Constipation

➟ Opioids commonly slow bowel movement

➟ Drink adequate fluids unless you have a fluid restriction

➟ Include fibre-rich foods and regular physical activity when appropriate

➟ A laxative may be needed, especially during regular or prolonged opioid treatment

🟣 Serious Breathing Problems

➟ Tramadol can cause slow or dangerously shallow breathing, especially when first started or after a dose increase.

➟ Risk is higher with excessive doses, lung disease, older age, or when combined with alcohol or other sedating medicines

➟ Extreme sleepiness, difficulty waking, slow breathing, or bluish lips require emergency medical help

🟣 Seizures

➟ Tramadol can lower the seizure threshold

➟ Risk increases with higher doses, a history of seizures, or certain interacting medicines

➟ Some antidepressants and other medicines can further increase seizure risk

➟ Any seizure after taking tramadol requires urgent medical assessment.

🟣 Serotonin Syndrome

➟ Tramadol also affects serotonin in the nervous system

➟ Combining it with certain antidepressants or other serotonin-raising medicines can rarely cause serotonin syndrome

➟ Warning signs include agitation, confusion, sweating, fever, rapid heartbeat, tremor, muscle twitching or stiffness, and diarrhea

➟ Severe cases can cause seizures, irregular heartbeat, or loss of consciousness and require emergency treatment.

🟣 Dependence & Withdrawal

➟ Regular use can lead to physical dependence, and some people may develop opioid use disorder

➟ Do not increase the dose or take tramadol more frequently than prescribed

➟ After prolonged use, stopping suddenly may cause anxiety, sweating, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, tremor, or flu-like symptoms

➟ The dose may need to be reduced gradually under medical supervision.

🟣 Important Drug Interactions

➟ Avoid combining tramadol with alcohol

➟ Sedatives, sleeping medicines, benzodiazepines, or other opioids can increase dangerous sedation and respiratory depression

➟ Some antidepressants can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome or seizures

➟ Always tell your healthcare professional about all medicines and supplements you take before starting tramadol.

🟣 How to Reduce Side Effects

➟ Take tramadol only at the prescribed dose and frequency

➟ Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary period

➟ Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs

➟ Do not share tramadol with another person

➟ Store it securely away from children and others

➟ Do not stop long-term treatment suddenly without medical guidance

🟣 When to Seek Urgent Medical Help

➟ Slow, shallow, or difficult breathing

➟ Extreme drowsiness or inability to wake normally

➟ Seizure

➟ Severe confusion, agitation, fever, or muscle rigidity

➟ Fainting or loss of consciousness

➟ Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat

➟ Suspected overdose or taking tramadol with excessive alcohol or other sedating medicines

Medical disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Tramadol is a prescription opioid and should be taken only as directed by a qualified healthcare professional.

14/08/2026

14/08/2026

🚨 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨

Following tonight’s severe alert on everyone’s phones, I thought I should issue one of my own… 😂

⚠️ WARNING: HIGH RISK OF ACUPUNCTURE CONTENT ⚠️

There is currently a VERY high risk of your Facebook feed containing:

📍 Acupuncture
📍 Tiny needles
📍 Cupping marks
📍 Tongues 👅
📍 Random Chinese Medicine facts
📍 Fertility & women’s health chat
📍 Anthony appearing with his massage couch
📍 Me getting ridiculously excited about something I learned on another course 🤓
📍 And approximately 647 reminders that acupuncture isn’t just for pain 😂

Residents, followers and innocent Facebook scrollers are advised that this situation is unlikely to improve.

You followed an acupuncture clinic.

You knew what you were getting yourself into. 😂

Normal Facebook content will resume shortly…

…actually, no it won’t. 😏😂

Stay safe everyone l; and on a serious note, with the wildfire warning in place, definitely no disposable BBQs, firepits or anything that could spark a fire tonight. ❤️

14/08/2026

You have been curious about cupping for two years. You still have not booked it, because nobody has told you what actually happens in that room.

12/08/2026

Can acupuncture actually help with high blood pressure? ❤️

If you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, you may already be taking medication, monitoring your blood pressure and making changes to your lifestyle.

But you might also be wondering…

“Is there anything else I can do to support my body?”

This is where acupuncture may have a role alongside your existing medical care.

And there is some interesting research behind it.

The British Acupuncture Council’s Hypertension Fact Sheet reports that acupuncture may be as effective as medication in reducing high blood pressure in some studies, and that acupuncture combined with medication may be more effective than medication alone.

One meta-analysis looked at 30 randomised controlled trials involving 2,107 patients and found that acupuncture combined with medication was better than medication alone, or sham acupuncture combined with medication, at reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

The research isn’t perfect, and we still need better-quality evidence about the longer-term effects, but it’s certainly an interesting area of acupuncture research.

And this is where our approach in clinic becomes important.

If you come to us specifically for acupuncture support with high blood pressure, where appropriate we can check and record your blood pressure too.

That means we’re not simply asking:

“Do you feel any different?”

We can establish a baseline and look at what’s happening with your readings over the course of your treatment.

Because one blood pressure reading doesn’t tell us very much.

We’re interested in the pattern.

We’re also looking beyond the numbers.

How are you sleeping?

How much stress are you carrying?

Do you struggle to switch off?

Are pain or other symptoms affecting your wellbeing?

How does your body respond when you’re under pressure?

High blood pressure isn’t simply caused by stress, but sleep, stress, pain, lifestyle and the way our nervous system responds to everyday demands can all form part of the wider health picture.

And sometimes the most important thing we can do isn’t acupuncture at all.

It’s recognise when a blood pressure reading needs appropriate medical follow-up.

That’s part of responsible complementary healthcare too.

Acupuncture should never replace prescribed blood-pressure medication or GP-led care, and we would never advise you to stop or alter medication because your readings improve.

Instead, we’re interested in whether acupuncture could provide an additional layer of support alongside the care you’re already receiving.

Because we’re not just treating a number on a blood pressure monitor.

We’re looking at the whole person behind those numbers. 💜

If you’re already being treated for high blood pressure and you’re curious about whether acupuncture could be a suitable addition to your current care, send me the word “BP” and I’ll explain how we approach it in clinic.

📍 Deanna Thomas - Acupuncture, Fertility & Wellbeing

Evidence source: British Acupuncture Council Hypertension Fact Sheet, including Chen et al. (2018), Zhao et al. (2019), Tan et al. (2019), Yang et al. (2018), Leem et al. (2016) and Xiong et al. (2014).