Your initial visit will take around an hour and a half to two hours. It consists of a personal and medical consultation covering your family history, lifestyle, systems functions (e.g. sleep, appetite). Full details of your current complaint/s, any medication your are taking and any investigations that you have had will be discussed. You will also have the opportunity to share in complete confidence any concerns or troubles you may currently be dealing with.

After your consultation I will carry out a number of short non-invasive physical diagnostic tests. This may include blood pressure, temperature distribution and pulse taking. This is then followed by your first treatment. Subsequent appointments take around one hour, and include discussion of your progress and your treatment to date.

What does acupuncture feel like?

Many patients are concerned that acupuncture maybe painful. 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. Sometimes patients also feel a dull ache on the acupuncture point. This also only lasts for a few seconds and is generally not considered to be uncomfortable. In Five Element acupuncture, we use only use a small number of needles and some might not even be left in for any length of time.

Many find acupuncture relaxing and feel very calm during and after a treatment. You may also feel a little tired or sleepy so if possible, try to arrange a relatively restful and quiet day, especially for your first treatment. If, however, needles really are not for you I also offer non-invasive techniques such as acupressure, cupping, guasha and moxibustion which are effective treatment modalities in their own right.

Is acupuncture 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.

How many sessions will I need?

This will depend on various factors, such as how long you have had your complaint for, age, underlying medical conditions and any medication your are taking. As a holistic medicine, acupuncture has a cumulative effect and a course of at least 6 sessions is usually recommended to see a meaningful improvement. Acupuncture is not a quick fix as your body needs time to respond, just like when taking medication such as antibiotics which don’t work over night. A course of acupuncture can often produce long-lasting, all-round effects. After the initial weekly sessions treatments are spaced out and many people return for biweekly, monthly or seasonal top ups as a preventative measure.