Frequently Asked Questions

I am happy to have a chat on the phone to discuss the ways in which acupuncture could help you and your specific health conditions, and answer any questions you may have. Please find my contact details here.

For information about the treatment of specific ailments, please follow this link to the British Acupuncture Council’s fact sheets, which summarise the efficacy of acupuncture on treating a wide range of illnesses and health conditions - https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/research-fact-sheets.html

Everyone responds differently and some people don’t feel anything much at all.  The needles are exceptionally thin – the ones I typically use are a fifth of a millimetre wide, and they are solid, not hollow like the ones used for injections.  It is more likely you will feel sensations such as tingling or warmth than pain.

It is most likely that I will choose to needle points on your arms and lower legs, so it would be helpful if you wear loose clothing to make these easily accessible. If I need access to your back, I will provide you with a gown.

Studies have shown that acupuncture has a direct effect on the central nervous system, stimulating muscle relaxation, hormone regulation, improving physiological stress responses and reducing inflammation. These processes will occur if you are sceptical or not!

If you would like to read more about acupuncture, how it works and what it can treat, please follow this link to the Evidence Based Acupuncture website, which gives an overview of the scientific evidence for acupuncture:https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-scientific-evidence/

This is dependent on your symptoms, but my general recommendation is to come for 4 or 6 weekly treatments to begin with and then fortnightly for a month or so. It’s best to think of it like a course of treatment, such as you might have with medication, rather than a one off. Generally speaking, the more recent the issue, the fewer treatments are needed, but again this varies depending on the symptoms presented.

Some people like to come for what is sometimes called “maintenance acupuncture” every 6 weeks or so, to help keep themselves in good health.

Yes absolutely! Sometimes people can’t quite identify what feels wrong but know that they need support. Acupuncture is especially great for this as the pulses give me information even if you can’t articulate how you feel.

The needles I use are incredibly thin, about a fifth of a millimetre wide, which is more 8 times thinner than a small hypodermic needle and I am very gentle, so most people find they can cope with the treatment even if they are needle phobic. I will always discuss with you what treatment I would like to do, to make sure you are at ease before we start and you can ask me to stop at any time. Some people worry about feeling “pinned down”, but if at any point you don’t feel comfortable then I will remove the needles. There are also additional techniques I can use, such as cupping or gua sha, which don’t involve needles. If you would like to read more about these, please click here.