Some people turn to acupuncture for help with a specific symptom or condition, take a look at the research for specific conditions. Others choose to have treatment to help maintain good health, as a preventive measure, or to improve their general sense of wellbeing.

Because traditional acupuncture aims to treat the whole person rather than specific symptoms in isolation, it can be effective for a range of conditions. This approach also means that each patient’s treatment plan will be different. However, you can always ask Eleanor about other patients’ experiences, to give you an idea of what to expect. Many people return to acupuncture again & again because they find it so beneficial & relaxing.

Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages including during pregnancy, in babies & children. It can be used effectively alongside conventional medicine.

Acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections & blood tests. When the needle is inserted you may feel a tingling sensation or dull ache.

The acupuncturist will use a number of different diagnostic methods to get a complete picture of your health & lifestyle, including taking a full medical history, reading your pulses, & looking at your tongue. Based on this information, the acupuncturist makes a diagnosis & puts together your personal treatment plan.

Acupuncture involves insertion of fine needles at acupuncture points. There are hundreds of acupuncture points all over the body. The most commonly used are on the arms, below the elbow, & on the legs, below the knee.  It is best to wear loose fitting clothing but on occasions it may be necessary to remove items of clothing.

Acupuncture points are selected according to your symptoms. The single-use sterile needles come in sealed packs: they should be opened in front of you & are safely disposed of after each treatment.

There have been a number of scientific papers published on the safety of acupuncture. These have concluded that acupuncture is safe so long as it is delivered by a properly trained individual. Therefore, we recommend that you ensure your acupuncturist belongs to a professional organisation such as the British Acupuncture Council.

As acupuncture involves the insertion of needles there will sometimes be a small bruise or bleeding. Approximately 6% of people who have ten acupuncture sessions will report a bruise or minor bleeding.

Occasionally, people can feel dizzy or nauseous after treatment. Approximately 0.4% of people who have ten acupuncture sessions will experience these symptoms. Sometimes people feel tired after a treatment. This occurs approximately in 0.2% of people over a course of ten acupuncture sessions. Sometimes people experience headache, local muscle pain or strong pain during needling. These side-effects are classed as ‘uncommon’: affecting 1 to 10 of every 1000 people treated.

The above effects are to some extent an unavoidable part of acupuncture. However, the risks can still be minimised. Please let your acupuncturist know if you feel hot, or the room is stuffy, or you are hungry/thirsty, or you are especially nervous. This should help reduce the chances of dizziness and nausea. Please also let them know any medications that you are taking, such as anti-coagulants.

As the acupuncture involves piercing the skin there is a risk of infection at the needle site. The estimated risk is 1 to 10 of every 10,000 people treated. BAcC acupuncturists are trained, and bound by our Professional Codes, to provide acupuncture hygienically.

Serious adverse events such as pneumothorax (piercing the lung/perforation of the lung lining) and nerve injury can occur. However, these are very rare, and the risk is reduced by seeing a well-trained acupuncturist. In 2.2 million treatments pneumothorax occurred twice and nerve injury 31 times. One of the people who had a pneumothorax needed hospital treatment, the other required observation only. The longest duration of any side-effect was 180 days (nerve injury). No permanent injuries or deaths were associated with the acupuncture treatments.

Both cupping and guasha can lead to dark/purple patches on the skin. This is often an expected part of treatment. You may have seen dark rings from cupping on elite athletes such as swimmers. These marks disappear after a few days.

Cupping and moxibustion both carry a risk of accidental burns. Burns from moxibustion are estimated to occur once in 1000 to 5000 treatments.

Absolutely!

If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, please make sure that the acupuncturist knows, as some acupuncture points are contra-indicated in pregnancy.

Children’s energy is very volatile & they can respond very quickly to treatment. As a rule, it is best not to use acupuncture on children under seven years of age, however acupressure may be used.

Young adults up to the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Not really, but please do not arrive really hungry or after a glass or two of wine! If it is your first visit, please be sure to bring a list of the medication you are taking, & remember to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.

Moxibustion involves the burning of the herb Chinese mugwort (Artemisia argyi), commonly known as moxa, to warm acupuncture points & areas of the body. There are different techniques such as placing the moxa on the handle of a needle, a moxa stick, or placing moxa directly on the skin.

Cupping: A partial vacuum is created within cups which are placed on the skin. This produces a suction effect. The vacuum is produced either by fire (traditional method) or by a pump.

Guasha: The use of a smooth edge tool to repeated scrape the skin.

Both techniques may leave a temporary red marking to the skin for a few days. This is perfectly normal & part of the process.

Try to keep the needle, cupping, moxa & guasha sites clean immediately after treatment. It is generally best to avoid strenuous activity after treatment. You may feel that you want to rest after treatment. Sometimes people feel a dull ache at the needle sites after treatment. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

Please note that it is advisable not to drink any alcohol on the same day that you have treatment. Acupuncture is a very subtle treatment, & the effect of alcohol may negate the efficacy of the treatment. This applies just to the day of treatment – taking alcohol on the day before or after is completely OK. Please do not book an appointment on a day when you are intending to drink alcohol afterwards.

If you experience any effects after treatment that you are concerned about, please contact your practitioner and/or seek medical attention. For example, if a needle site becomes red or inflamed. If you received acupuncture on the upper back or shoulder and then experience any severe, gradual or sudden onset of pain over the chest, potentially combined with difficulty in breathing please seek immediate medical attention. These are the signs of pneumothorax. Although a pneumothorax from acupuncture is extremely rare, it is a serious condition. Prompt medical treatment can ensure a full recovery and prevent any long-term consequences.

If you have been prescribed medication we recommend you tell your doctor that you are planning to have acupuncture. Do not stop taking your medication. You should always tell your acupuncturist about any medication & supplements you are taking as this may affect your response to the acupuncture treatment. BAcC acupuncturists are trained to recognise potentially serious underlying health conditions & may refer you to your GP if they consider it appropriate.

Frequency & number of sessions depend on your individual condition. Some change is usually felt within five or six treatments, although occasionally just one or two treatments are sufficient. Some people choose to have regular acupuncture to maintain good health.

My general rule of thumb is that if you're not experiencing any improvements by six sessions then I don't think it's worth continuing with acupuncture.

Possibly.

Please check with your health provider, as individual schemes have different terms & conditions.

This is a list of providers that I know recognise the BAcC or myself individually.

AXA

Aviva Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund CS Healthcare Engage Mutual Assurance Exeter Family Friendly General & Medical Healthcare Healthshield HSF Medicash National Friendly Vitality Saga (cash policy) Sovereign Health (healthcare cash plan) Simply Health Westfield WHA WHCA Orchard WPA