What is acupuncture?

Traditional Chinese acupuncture is a treatment that’s been used for thousands of years in the Far East where is it based on the belief that an energy called Chi becomes blocked and fine sterile needles are inserted into specific sites called meridians to unblock this energy and to help the body function better.

Western medical acupuncture which is derived directly from this traditional form and is a complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and is different in important ways from treatments that are part of conventional western medicine. Unlike conventional treatments, the use of acupuncture is not always based on scientific evidence.

It has evolved to work within the mainstream western approach to medical care very much as an integrative approach.

The availability of acupuncture on the NHS is limited. Most acupuncture patients pay for private treatment.

What should you expect during an acupuncture session?

I’ll start off by assessing your own health situation. If I think a different approach or therapy option would provide a better solution for your condition, I’ll advise you and we’ll discuss your options going forward.

If we go ahead, each session will take around 45 minutes (1 hour on the first occasion). During each session, the needles will usually be left in for a minimum of 20 minutes. I’ll use moxa, heat and/or electrical acupuncture to enhance the therapy as needed. Typically, between 6-12 sessions are needed and the frequency depends on the condition for the best results for you. You may also benefit from maintenance sessions less frequently following up from the main course.

There are many more conditions treatable but too many to list them all here. If you have a medical condition which is not listed above, please feel free to contact me via my website’s enquiry ‘contact us’ form and I will be happy to discuss further.

Although acupuncture treatment strategies are very successful in many conditions, please note that not all of them can be treated with acupuncture but can be helped in other ways such as better sleep or overall wellbeing.

If you have any problems with the therapy, we’ll stop immediately and agree on the best next step.

Conditions that can be treated with acupuncture