Celebs go acupuncture crazy

Everywhere you turn there are stories about celebrities getting acupuncture. Supermodel Elle Macpherson recently said in an interview "I have acupuncture regularly".

Elle is not the only celebrity that seems to have become star-struck with this traditional form of healthcare. Gwyneth Paltrow, a longtime advocate of the benefits of acupuncture, once said that having acupuncture had guided her to a "new level" in life. Dr Maoshing Ni, an acupuncturist in Santa Monica, lists Jim Carrey and Helen Hunt as two of his many famous clients.

Acupuncture is becoming more and more respected by conventional medicine, so much so that there were acupuncturists on-site for the athletes at both the Summer and Winter Olympics (source: Press Zoom).

Gwyneth extols virtues of Chinese medicine

Gwyneth Paltrow has been praising the health benefits of Chinese medicine. The Daily Express may have been surprised by "cupping" but it is a commonly used procedure that can be hugely effective in relieving muscular pain, particularly on the back and shoulders.

"Cupping" involves attaching small glass cups to the skin by means of vacuum pressure. The cups are normally left in place for a few minutes and cause no pain, although they can leave slightly red, circular patches on the skin which will fade after a day or two.