About Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a system of medicine that seeks to employ the body’s natural healing mechanisms to encourage positive health outcomes
This system of medicine dates back over 2000 years and was originally developed in Eastern Asia. It is based around a map over 300 points on the body where needling is used to illicit change. Ahshi points, which are sensitive or painful spots on the body can also targeted during acupuncture.
The focus for a traditional acupuncturist is on the patient as an individual and not just their specific illness, and all symptoms are seen as part of an interconnected pattern. Treatment involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points in the body. The needles interact with your body’s physiology and help to bring about change.
Acupuncturists have a ‘toolkit’ that is used during their treatments which includes: -
Needles: Fine needles are inserted into the body in order to stimulate a physiological response. In traditional terms, these responses were described as the manipulation of qi – a term used to describe a group of mechanisms in the body such as neurological, vascular, chemical, lymphatic and endocrine to name but a few.
Cupping: Specially shaped cups are used to create a vacuum to an area of the body. This technique encourages blood flow and lymphatic drainage which promotes healing and the clearing of toxins.
Gua sha: For this technique a vigorous brushing technique is used with a special rounded tool to give a similar effect to cupping.
Moxibustion: Moxa is a heat treatment technique which is used in several different ways including the stimulation of acupuncture points.
What happens when I come for treatment?
Your initial visit will take around 90 minutes and consists of a personal and medical consultation covering your family history, lifestyle, systems functions (eg. sleep, appetite) and full details of your current complaint/s and any test or investigations that you have had. You will also have the opportunity to discuss in complete confidence any concerns or troubles you may currently be dealing with. After your consultation I will carry out a number of short non-invasive physical diagnostic tests including blood pressure, temperature distribution and pulse taking. In most cases, aside from the most complex, this is then followed by your first treatment. Subsequent appointments take up to around one hour, and include discussion of your progress and your treatment to date.
What does it feel like?
Many patients are concerned that acupuncture maybe painful but as the needles are flexible and about as thick as two human hairs there is usually only a very slight sensation as it enters the skin. Sometimes patients also feel a dull ache on the acupuncture point but this also only lasts for a few seconds and is generally not considered to be uncomfortable. Many find acupuncture relaxing and feel very calm during and after a treatment; you may also feel a little tired or sleepy so if possible, try to arrange a relatively restful and quiet day, especially for your first treatment.
Safety
There are many, many scientific studies showing the efficacy of acupuncture and clinical experience shows us that patients frequently receive significant and lasting benefits from acupuncture. A study from 2006 concluded that there were only 11 serious adverse incidents in 4,441,103 acupuncture procedures. Another study from 2000 concluded that in the UK, over 34,000 treatments performed by fully trained British Acupuncture Council member practitioners reported zero serious adverse events.
This incident rate is extremely low and is also considerably lower than rates seen in conventional medicine.
Conditions
Acupuncture is used all over the world to treat many conditions. Our treatments can provide a local and widespread affect throughout the body and hence the surprisingly wide range of its applications.
Among the conditions commonly treated with acupuncture include: wellbeing, hormonal/endocrine conditions, chronic pain, migraines, fertility.