Your initial visit will take up to an hour and consists of a personal and medical consultation covering your family history, lifestyle, systems functions (eg. sleep, appetite), and full details of your current complaint/s and any tests or investigations. All information given is treated with complete confidentiality.

 

After your consultation, I will carry out a number of short noninvasive physical diagnostic tests that might include blood pressure, temperature distribution, and pulse taking. In most cases, (aside from the little more complex) this is then followed by your first treatment which is seen as a detox for your system.

 

Subsequent appointments take between three-quarters of an hour to an hour and include a discussion of your progress and your treatment to date.

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What does it feel like?

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Many patients are concerned that acupuncture maybe painful but as the needles are flexible and about as thick as two human hairs there is usually only a very slight sensation as it enters the skin. Generally  patients also feel a dull ache on the acupuncture point but this also only lasts for a few seconds and is generally not considered to be uncomfortable.

Mostly people find acupuncture relaxing and feel very calm after a treatment; you may also feel tired after the initial first few appointments so perhaps plan for that eventuality. That sleepiness is generally just felt at the beginning.

 

Is it safe?

Acupuncture is one of the safest medical treatments currently on offer in the UK, in fact in 2001 a number of studies concluded that the risk of serious adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than 1 in 10,000.  Any minor side effects that do occur, such as dizziness or bruising around needle points, are infrequent, mild and self-correcting. To see more information regarding the safety of acupuncture please visit the British Acupuncture Council’s website.