What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture has been used in China for over 2o0 years as an approach to maintain health and wellbeing. It involves inserting very fine needles into specific points in the body to connect and direct the flow of Qi (vital energy) in the body.

hOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?

Qi flows around the body in channels or meridians. When Qi is in harmony the body is healthy, however when out of balance illness and disharmony will occur. Acupuncture works by rebalancing the flow of Qi to restore both physical and emotional wellbeing. This approach considers and treats the ‘whole person’, so doesn’t look just to treat your presenting symptom (e.g pain or illness) but it goes much much deeper, looking to identify the root cause of why this is happening in the first place.

Benefits

Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment with very few side effects.

Acupuncture is recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence) for the treatment of headaches and chronic pain. NICE provides evidence based recommendations to the NHS and healthcare sectors in the UK.

Some of the conditions acupuncture has been shown to help treat include:

• Menopause

• Sports injuries and muscle tension

• Stress

• Anxiety and Depression

• Fertility

• Menstrual issues

• Insomnia

• Digestive issues

A comprehensive list of other conditions are provided by the British Acupuncture Council, and can be found here.

WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE A TREATMENT?

Please make sure you have eaten a light meal or snack at least 2 hours before your treatment. It is also beneficial to be well hydrated as this will ensure you obtain the best possible results from your treatment.

Avoid alcohol before and after a treatment.

Wear loose fitting clothing - As many of the acupuncture points used are located around your arms and legs, this will make it easier to access these areas. Depending on your treatment focus, sometimes needles will also be placed in your face, abdomen and back.

What to expect at A treatmenT?

As you will have already provided the majority of your health history within the online initial questionnaire, the start of a session is used to either some clarify points, a recap of the treatment focus, or to obtain updates from your previous acupuncture session.

Often observation of the tongue, pulse taking and palpitation of acupuncture points along channels or meridians are taken too. These are all diagnostic tools used in acupuncture treatments.

Acupuncture is relatively painless, the needles are sterile and very thin (less than a hair width), so often people are not even aware of them being inserted into the skin. Acupuncture is relaxing, so likely you may end up falling asleep during your treatment. A unique sensation is often felt after a needle has been inserted, this is frequently described as like a tingling or dull ache which is a sign that Qi has been reached. Needles stay in place for around 20 minutes, so gives you an opportunity to unwind and your body to harmonise and rebalance.

What shOuld i Do after a treatment?

More often that not you will feel very relaxed after your treatment, however if it has been a strong treatment or you were feeling very depleted beforehand you may feel drowsy or tired. It is recommended that you rest afterwards and remain hydrated after every treatment.

Very occasionally there may be minor bruising at the site of needling. It is also possible that you may experience a worsening of conditions before any improvement. This is often viewed in a positive light as represents your body healing.

How many treatments will i need?

This varies and depends as everyone is different. As a general guide, chronic conditions that have been around for some time are likely to require frequent weekly or fortnightly visits initially over a few months.

Acute conditions should normally improve after around 6 sessions, but this may be sooner.

Your progress will always be monitored at the start of each session, your treatment plan reviewed, and if necessary modified as your sessions advance.

Often people attend on regular basis and use acupuncture treatments as a general health and wellbeing check in or for the maintenance of longer term conditions.