What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine which involves the insertion of very fine needles at key points (known as acupuncture points) into the body. Acupuncture is one of the most popular and well-established complementary therapies, with approximately three million people undergoing this kind of treatment each year.

Acupuncture is based on the Chinese belief that the human body is controlled by a life force known as Qi (pronounced 'chee'). Qi flows through the body in channels, known as meridians. When your Qi is disturbed, or unbalanced, it can make you sick. Acupuncture aims to restore the balance of Qi, and helps it to run smoothly through your body

Not everyone who practices acupuncture believes in the theory of Qi. Some people take a more scientific approach to acupuncture and instead focus on the way it helps the body to release its natural painkillers, known as 'endorphins'. It can also help stimulate nerve and muscle tissue. Science cannot explain everything about acupuncture, and further research is required before it can be fully understood.

Acupuncture is primarily used to ease symptoms of pain and discomfort. Studies suggest that there are a number of conditions which acupuncture can help to treat, including post-operative pain, migraines, and nausea. More high-quality research is needed into the effectiveness of acupuncture on other conditions.

Acupuncture is a very safe form of treatment, which has few side effects, or complications.

How is it performed?
Assessing your health

At your first acupuncture session, I will carry out an assessment of your general health and medical history. I will normally ask about your symptoms, and will also enquire about the type of treatment you have received up until now. They may also ask you questions about your lifestyle, such as your sleeping and eating habits. Please make sure to bring a list of all medications, supplements, herbs or previous medical tests.

After assessing your health and symptoms I will look at your tongue as the color and coating of your tongue can be a good indication of what is happening inside your body. You may also have your pulse measured in both wrists. I will be looking to measure the quality, rhythm, and strength of your pulse.

Inserting the needles

There are over 500 acupuncture points on the body. Acupuncture points are places on your body which are thought to affect the way that your organs and tissues function. During an acupuncture session, normally 10-12 acupuncture points are used. The points your acupuncturist uses may differ from session to session, as your treatment progresses.

During an acupuncture session, you will normally be asked to sit, or lie down. You may also be asked to remove some parts of your clothing, so that I can access the relevant acupuncture points on your body.

Once I have identified which points are going to be used, a number of ultra-fine needles are placed into the points. They are normally inserted between half a centimeter, to several centimeters into your skin. These needles are single-use, pre-sterilized needles, which are disposed of immediately after use.

Is it painful?

When the needles are inserted, you may feel a tingling sensation, or a dull ache. You should not experience any significant pain. If you do experience pain, let me know right away, as I may have to read just the position, or depth, of the needle.

The needles used are very different to those used in injections, or blood tests. They are much finer and solid (rather than hollow), making them less painful to insert.

How long does an acupuncture session last?

Once the needles used in acupuncture are inserted, they will be left in place for between 5-30 minutes, depending on the type of treatment you require. In some cases, acupuncture needles will be inserted and then removed a few seconds later. Most acupuncture sessions last between 20-40 minutes. You will normally require approximately 6-12 sessions of acupuncture in recovery.

How will I feel afterwards?

Acupuncture can affect everyone differently. After acupuncture treatment, some people feel relaxed and calm, while others feel alert and energized.

Things to consider before coming for treatment:

Your first visit will begin with an in depth assessment of your condition and an initial treatment. The intake and treatment my take up to 1 hour. Typical treatments afterwards last only 30-45 minutes.

During the assessment I may ask you about some things that you might not think are connected to your chief complaint, for example, your emotions, sleeping patterns, and eating habits. Chinese medicine considers the whole person, not just one isolated symptom. When put together, the myriad of symptoms and signs you are experiencing reveal patterns of disharmony. Although treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your whole being must be considered in order to develop the most appropriate course of treatment. Chinese medicine is unique in that it appreciates that illnesses may be identical, but the persons suffering from them are individuals.

Pulse and Tongue Diagnosis

As part of your intake, viewing your tongue and feeling your pulse can provide a Chinese Medical practitioner with a great deal of information about your body to help guide the treatment.

Treatment

My needling technique is very gentle, and my clients usually do not feel anything more than sense of a small "mosquito bite", which disappears in moments. Although people experience different levels of sensitivity, I work very closely with you to make sure your experience is comfortable and positive.

My approach is always to use the fewest needles possible to achieve therapeutic results. With acupuncture, more needles does not always mean better results, but accurate selection of specific acupuncture points and placement are really the keys giving a excellent treatment.

Needles are typically retained for about 20 minutes. I often play soothing music to help you relax during this time. Many people even fall asleep.

What to Expect After Treatment

Your relief may be immediate, delayed for a few hours or even develop after 1 to 3 days. The relief may last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment. OR, relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. It is important to recognize that we are all individuals. Individual response to treatment varies.

Side Effects

Side effects are rare but may include the following symptoms: light-headed feeling, dizziness, sleepiness, euphoria, nausea, slight bruising, and residual muscle aching. Any of these should last only a very short time. It is helpful to take a short nap after acupuncture. To help reduce the risk of side effects, please read the section entitled Preparing for a Visit.

Flare-up

On rare occasions one's original symptoms may briefly get worse or 'flare-up' after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your treatment and only for an hour or so and then improvement and relief follow. If the flare-up lasts longer than this, please call me and let me know. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse.

Course of Treatment

As part of your first visit, I will discuss with a proposed course of treatment. Since individuals vary, it is difficult to state definitively at the time of your first visit how many treatments will be required. In general, acute conditions of recent onset may only require 2 or 3 treatments. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results. With chronic conditions I usually recommend an initial course of 3-5 treatments in order to make a better assessment of whether or not acupuncture will help the condition. Most people begin to experience results within the first two treatments. If there has been no response to the acupuncture after 4 - 6 treatments, acupuncture will likely not work and other approaches should be considered.

The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly treatments may be required for several months in order to have a curative effect.