FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS » Does Acupuncture work? Acupuncture is a tried and tested system of complementary medicine. The Chinese and other eastern cultures have been using acupuncture to restore, promote and maintain good health for thousands of years. Nowadays more and more people are finding this long established therapy can offer an effective solution to all manner of today's ills. Acupuncture is now widely used and accepted all over the world and in the UK there are currently over 3000 qualified acupuncturists registered with the British Acupuncture Council.

Who has acupuncture? Many people come to acupuncture for help with specific symptoms or conditions, and some because they simply feel generally unwell. Others choose acupuncture to enhance their feeling of wellbeing. Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages, including babies and children. It can also be used alongside conventional medicine. How is a diagnosis carried out? A diagnosis is based upon a full case history. You will be asked about your current symptoms, treatment you have already received and details of your medical history, your diet, digestion, sleeping patterns and emotional state. The acupuncturist is also likely to feel your pulses on both wrists, and may ask to look at your tongue. A structural examination and palpation may also be carried out depending on the main complaint.

Treatment is the process of re-establishing the energy balance. This is usually done by the insertion of fine, stainless steel needles into acupuncture points. These needles can be retained for up to 20 minutes. The acupuncture points used are not always close to the part of the body where you experience the problem. For example, although you might suffer from headaches, needles may be inserted in your foot or hand. Other methods of treatment include cupping, massage or the application of warmth to the point.

Frequency and length of treatment depends on your individual condition. Some change is usually felt after five treatments, although occasionally only one or two treatments are required. Some patients may need treatment over several months or long-term. Your acupuncturist will normally ask to see you once or twice a week at first.

A course of Cosmetic acupuncture for Facial Enhancement, consists of 10 sessions, each lasting an hour, with treatment being administered once or twice a week during the initial stages. Results may be seen quite early on but it is more usual for the effects to be seen around the 5th treatment.

If you have been prescribed medication it makes sense to tell your doctor that you are planning to have acupuncture. You should always tell your acupuncturist about any medication you are taking as this may affect your response to the acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture has a very sound track record. The needles used are single-use, sterile and disposable. Responses to treatment can sometimes include tiredness or mild dizziness, and on occasion minor bruising may occur. However, all such reactions are short-lived.

Acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections and blood tests. When the needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as a tingling or dull ache. It is rarely described as painful and lasts only 1-2 seconds.

Acupuncture is widely considered to be beneficial for a range of illnesses and symptoms - please refer to the page on Conditions Treated. It is often used in conjunction with western medicine. Increasingly women are choosing to have acupuncture to support them throughout pregnancy, labour and after giving birth.

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