We are a small professional clinic situated in Tain, in the Highlands of Scotland, providing alternative treatments using a combination of acupuncture and herbal remedies.
Your Practitioner
Your practitioner is Dr Alasdair B. Mearns, who has been licensed to practice since 1999. He is a graduate of the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, Reading, and has also gained herbal qualifications with the Shulan College, Manchester, and has completed advanced training in FSN techniques in Nanjing, China.
Alasdair also holds a research based degree of Doctor of Science in Alternative Medicine (Kolkata, 2016). He is a Fellow Member and Scottish Regional organiser for the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture U.K, ATCM UK,. He has also held the positions of Vice-president and General Secretary for ATCM.
In addition to medicine, Alasdair has a Ph.D. in Highland history (Guelph 1989) and was a senior lecturer in Gaelic and history at Scotland’s National Gaelic College Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye. He has participated in the Martial Arts since the 1970s and he is the Kokusai Butokukai’s representative in Scotland.
What treatments are offered?
At Alternatives your problem will be assessed and you will receive either a modern style of acupuncture called FSN, traditional Chinese acupuncture, or a combination of both. Chinese herbal formulae or nutritional supplements may also be suggested, as well as dietary and lifestyle advice.
FSN, a modern approach with fast results:
The Alternatives Clinic offers a new modern acupuncture technique introduced recently from China known as FSN. It has been used for pain relief and the results have been astounding! Usually a single treatment will suffice for a significant reduction in pain in most cases. Long term chronic issues will of course require a few treatments, but pain relief will be fast. FSN is now being used for conditions beyond issues of pain.
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture:
Traditional acupuncture is a treatment which has proven itself over centuries. Chinese herbal formulae are sometimes used along with acupuncture and dietary and lifestyle advice are always important.
If you are unsure of whether your condition may be treated, please call and ask!
Publications
Mearns, A. B. (2021) The Treatment of Dropped Foot in a 67 Year-old Patient. Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Volume 28, Issue 1.
Fu, Wu, Mearns, Wu (2020) Under the Skin: A manual of Fu’s Subcutaneous Needling (FSN) Acupuncture. People’s Publishing House, Beijing, China.
Mearns, A. B.(2020) A Comparison of Case
Studies in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: TCM Acupuncture versus FSN Acupuncture, Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. Volume 27 (1) 16-17.
Mearns, A. (2019) Twenty Years of Chinese
Medicine in the Scottish Highlands. The Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. Volume 26, (2), 16-18.
Mearns, A. (2018) An FSN Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease – A Case Study. The Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, 25(1), 47-49.
Mearns, A. (2016). The Treatment of a Possible Adverse Reaction to Gardasil Vaccination: A Case Study. The Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, 23(2) 48-49.
Mearns, A. (2014). The Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with Acupuncture: 5 Case Studies. The Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, 21(2), 46-49.
Mearns, A. (2013). The Treatment of Postherpetic Pain with Acupuncure – Two Case Studies in the Clinical Application of Waveform. The Journal of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, 20(2), 42-44.