What to expect during your treatment

Your initial appointment will involve taking a detailed consultation before treatment, so it is likely to last at least 1 hour. Subsequent treatments are 45 minutes.  During the consultation, you will be asked about your current symptoms, medical history and that of your close family. In addition, you are likely to discuss other aspects of your health, diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and emotional state. I wil also take your pulse and look at your tongue; this helps me to gain a true understanding of your state of health and make an accurate diagnosis.

Needle sensation

Acupuncture needles are incredibly fine and the method of insertion using a guide tube, helps to temporarily de-sensitise the area of skin around the acupuncture point. This means that most people hardly feel the insertion of the needles, but describe the sensation as a warm, dull ache or tingling, followed by a deep sense of relaxation.

The needles remain in place for around 20 minutes. During this time, you will be lying down relaxing on either your front or back. Many people fall asleep during treatment and this is heartily encouraged!

Treatment strategy

Often health issues have been present for some time and as a result they are unlikely to disappear immediately.  A course of several treatments is to be expected to achieve maximum benefits, but this will of course depend on the nature of the condition & will be discussed with you during your first consultation.

You should expect to be involved in the healing process as much as possible, to ensure that you experience the desired health improvements. This may involve suggested changes to your lifestyle, which can be incorporated into the treatment plan agreed between you & your practitioner.