Your Questions answered

Acupuncture is a comprehensive medical framework that dates back thousands of years and encompasses its own diagnostic methods.

A positive model of healing, acupuncture sees pain and illness as a sign that the body is out of balance. This aim of acupuncture is to restore that balance and bring the body back to equilibrium. Physical, mental and emotional aspects of a person are interdependent and a typical treatment will take the whole person into consideration. This meants that two people with the same diagnosis received from their GP are likely to receive different acupuncture treatments.

Specfic acupuncture points are chosen in relation to your symptoms and medical diagnosis. Fine, sterile needles are inserted into the acupuncture point to stimulate a positive and natural chemical response.

Acupuncture is different for everyone. The needles are really fine, unlike those you might see your doctor use. Many report that they don’t feel the needle insertion. Whilst others say that they feel some sensation around the needle site, like a feeling of warmth or tingling.

Acupuncture can be used for a wide range of symptoms and conditions; most commonly acupuncturists treat fertility, pain and emotional disorders such as stress and anxiety. In reality acupuncture can treat much more than that, often achieving results where western medicine is not able to make a diagnosis.

The body is seen as an intricate whole with organs interlinking and communicating with each other.  Symptoms that may not have been a priority may also improve, such as sleep or energy.

Each treatment is individualised for each patient.

During your first visit a note of your medical history will be taken as well as details of your current health and the reason you sought acupuncture.

Your pulse will be taken, but do be patient, a Chinese medicine pulse is different to the one you will be used to the doctor taking, it provides insight as to how your vital organs are functioning. 

Don’t be surprised if you are asked to show your tongue as it is used to gather further information.

A Treatment plan will be discussed with you, and you will be made comfortable on the treatment couch, ultra fine needles will be inserted at specific areas.

Lifestyle and/or dietary advice may be given as part of your overall plan.

You will be invited to make a further follow up appointment, if needed.

It is very difficult to say how many treatments you will require before we can consider discharging you.

Some patients will only require one or two treatments, whilst other may require a complete course.

Generally 3 things are considered:

The reason you are seeking acupuncture.
How long you have been experiencing symptoms?
Your healing capability?

Some conditions may respond quicker than others; for example an acute low grade back pain may respond quicker to treatment than chronic spondylosis, whilst both respond extremely well to acupuncture, age and ability to heal cannot be excluded when considering response rates.

Treatments are delivered with the intention of helping you recover as quickly as possible.

You will want to feel comfortable during your treatment, clients often arrive wearing gym clothes, shorts or leggings.

An acupuncturist will work around clothing but may need to access specific anatomical areas such as lower limbs, the back or stomach. 

I recommend booking a complementary discovery call, this is where you and I get to chat all about you, whilst in the comfort of your own home.