Below are a number of questions that you may have about having treatment.  If you want to ask anything that I haven't included below, please don't hesitate to get in touch.  Please call or text me on 0771 363 7841.

 

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What will happen at my first visit?

During your first visit I will need to gain a thorough understanding of your main complaint and your general health and lifestyle. Your first appointment will begin with a conversation about any current symptoms, medication and treatment you have received, your medical history, diet, sleeping patterns and emotional state.  I will take your pulse on both wrists and may examine your tongue,  as this can indicate a health imbalance, and  feel for areas of muscular tension or pain.  Women are asked about their menstrual cycle and any past pregnancies and childbirth.  This all helps to form a diagnosis.

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You might feel that some questions appear unrelated to your condition but the information you give helps me to form a more complete picture of your health and lifestyle.  We will then discuss the most appropriate course o
f treatment.

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What happens in a treatment session

There are over 500 acupuncture points on the body. During an acupuncture session, usually 10-12 acupuncture points are used; these may change from session to session as treatment progresses.

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Once the needles are inserted, they will be left in place for between 5-30 minutes but your appointment will last longer than this.

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How many session will I need?

Patients normally require 6-12 sessions of acupuncture in order to feel the full benefits of the treatment. Some improvement is usually felt after five treatments.  Some patients need treatment over several months or long-term for chronic conditions.

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Many people enjoy regular acupuncture sessions as part of an ongoing programme to simply promote good health. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, good health is not just the absence of pain or disease, but is dependent on the body's motivating energy (qi) flowing smoothly and continuously.

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Will it hurt? 

Acupuncture needles are far finer than needles used for taking blood or injections.  When the needles are inserted the sensation is sometimes described as a slight tingling or dull ache.

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Is it safe? 

Yes. Acupuncture is considered safe for people of all ages, including babies and pregnant women. The results of two independent surveys published in the British Medical Journal in 2001, concluded that the risk of an adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than one in 10,000.

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The needles used are single-use, sterile and disposable. Responses to treatment may include tiredness or dizziness and very occasionally mild bruising may occur, but all reactions are short-lived.

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What can it do for me? 

Many people turn to acupuncture when they find conventional medical treatment has not worked for them, or is causing unpleasant side-effects. Others use acupuncture alongside more conventional medicine, as a way of enhancing their treatment, and speeding recovery.

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Clinical studies have proved acupuncture to be most effective in helping ease the symptoms of headaches, neck and back pain, toothache post-operative pain and nausea (particularly that induced by chemotherapy).

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Patients also find acupuncture helpful in treating stress and anxiety, digestive disorders, muscle and joint problems, sports injuries and fertility problems. Treatment can also be directed at feelings of general lethargy and ill-health.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has compiled a list of indications for which acupuncture has been proved through clinical trials to be an effective treatment at www.rep.bham.ac.uk/2006/Mapping Acupuncture. This list is used as a reference by NHS physicians.

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What is a qualified Acupuncturist

Acupuncture remains an unregulated profession, which means that anyone could set up a practice without breaking the law. So if you decide to have acupuncture, it is important to visit a properly qualified and registered practitioner. Chris is registered with the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)

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