acupuncture treatments
PRICES
All treatments are £45
What to expect
The initial treatment is 80-90 minutes and begins with an in-depth discussion about your current health, any symptoms you may have, your general lifestyle and past medical history. All subsequent treatments are 55-60 minutes. Your information will be treated as highly confidential in accordance with standards of practice set out by the British Acupuncture Council and the GDPR Act 2018.
How a Diagnosis is made?
Chinese medicine uses a number of diagnostic methods to help put together a treatment plan, these include:
Pulse taking: By feeling your pulse, an acupuncturist is able to tell a great deal about which areas & organs of the body need the most attention. Each wrist has six different pulse positions which correspond to a total of twelve different areas/ functions of the body. Pulse-taking also works as an instant feedback system – when the needles are inserted the pulses are used to establish how the body is responding.
Tongue examination: The tongue often gives clues about what is happening internally, the shape, coating and colour are all informative. (Please try not to eat or drink strong coloured food, including coffee, or brush your tongue before an appointment).
Palpation: A physical examination includes palpating around your tummy, checking your face, hands and feet and palpating along your lower arms and legs looking for areas of tenderness, tension or softness, all of which provides good information to the practitioner.
What to wear?
As with any healthcare appointment you may or may not need to remove clothing. Your feelings of ease and safety are paramount, so if you feel uncomfortable undressing to your underwear please bring or wear alternative clothing, such as baggy trousers or shorts and a t-shirt that will enable us to work effectively. During the treatment you will be covered with a large towel to stay warm and comfortable. If you are uncomfortable with any of the above process please say so at any stage. You may also ask a friend or relative to accompany you to you appointment. An adult will always be required to accompany a young person under 18 years.
The Treatment
The treatment involves the gentle insertion of ultra-fine, single-use, sterile needles at specific acupuncture points, and these will remain
in place for 20-30 minutes whilst you relax. Since energy pathways are spread across the whole body, the location of needles may not necessarily be close to where you are experiencing pain or discomfort, for example, to treat headaches, points maybe used in your foot or leg. Most people find acupuncture very relaxing; patients often describe the needle sensation as a tingling, dull ache or heavy sensation (see FAQ for further explanation). In Chinese Medicine this is viewed as a sign that the body’s qi, or vital energy has been stimulated. The needles are much, much finer than hypodermic needles which are used for injections and consequently are often
not felt at all.
After-care and Side effects?
Acupuncture has little to no unpleasant side effects. It’s a good idea for everyone to try and take it easy for the rest of the day following
a treatment. Some patients may feel slightly ‘spaced out’ or drowsy, although this depends on the individual treatment. Occasionally there may be a small bruise at the needle point. Sometimes the effects of the treatment are not felt until two or three days afterwards and very occasionally a patient may experience a short-term flare-up of their symptoms, this typically resolves within a day or two as things 'shift’ and resettle. Please tell your acupuncturist about any effects of a treatment as it is all significant information.