Acupuncture
A holistic treatment focusing on you rather than just your illness, acupuncture is one of the oldest established healthcare systems in the world. Very fine needles are inserted (painlessly) into specific points of the body to affect the flow of vital energy, encourage natural healing, relieve pain, and improve the functioning of the body.
Acupuncture can be successfully used to treat a wide number of conditions including (but not restricted to) musculoskeletal problems, emotional issues, gastrointestinal and respiratory conditions, disorders of the nervous system, and gender-specific issues including fertility, menopause or impotence.
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In the initial consultation, your practitioner will take detailed case notes including information about your condition and medical history and other aspects of your health and lifestyle, in order to enable them to make a diagnosis and formulate a treatment strategy. As part of this session your pulse will be taken and tongue examined. Appointments generally last 50 mins to 1 hour.
One of the most striking aspects of acupuncture is the almost complete absence of side effects. You may feel a slight tingling sensation when the needles are inserted and occasionally an acupuncture point may bleed very slightly but this stops almost immediately. Bruising is another rare occurrence. Sometimes patients may feel a little worse after treatment but this is only a temporary aggravation followed by a stronger improvement.
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You should advise the acupuncturist if you are feeling particularly tired on the day of treatment. We recommend that you eat a light meal beforehand and avoid unusually large meals immediately after treatment. Alcohol and sedatives should be avoided for the day.
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This depends entirely on the individual and condition. For an acute condition, a few treatments may be sufficient and we usually recommend once or twice a week (though possibly less). As far as possible the number of anticipated treatments will be advised.
