Frequently Asked Questions
1 / Does acupuncture hurt?
The needles are VERY fine and while you might feel a sensation, a lot of patients don't even feel the needles going in. There are of course some areas which are more sensitive than others (wrist and feet!) but I'll do my utmost to try and minimise discomfort where possible. In these instances, most reactions are 'ooh felt that one!' rather than jumping off the couch, screaming in pain. If you're nervous, just let me know - I can use acupressure and we'll work our way to needles.
2 / Is acupuncture safe?
Yes! When performed by a qualified practitioner such as myself. As a member of the British Acupuncture Council, I maintain high standards of safe practice which includes the use of sterile, single use needles.
3 / Are there any side effects to acupuncture treatment?
Some patients might experience some mild bruising at the site of needle insertion or feel tired after treatment; both these are short lived. Sometimes when I extract a needle, there might be a drop of blood that comes with it.
I always recommend taking it easy after a treatment, drinking plenty of water and avoiding stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine. Also pause the heavy gym session for another day!
4 / Who can have acupuncture?
Pretty much anyone human (sorry, no animals!). I am able to treat children aged 12 and over, and there is no 'upper' age limit :) one of my recent patients is 89 years young. Acupuncture can also be used when pregnant (in fact, its a really supportive treatment!).
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If you are receiving conventional treatment for your condition, acupuncture can be a fantastic addition and does not interfere or interact with medications. For example, acupuncture can be used alongside conventional cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy) to help alleviate some of the side effects of those treatments.
5 / How long is a treatment session?
Your initial consultation will last around 1.5 - 2 hours, to allow enough time for a full health history and treatment. Sessions after that will be 45 minutes - 1 hour.
6 / What should I wear to an acupuncture treatment?
I recommend loose, comfortable clothing. I will need to access various bits of your body which might involve asking you to remove clothes so, please wear underwear! Ladies, ideally a standard bra (rather than a sports bra or crop top) as less fabric is better for manoeuvring around. I have cosy blankets on hand to keep you warm and covered up.
7 / How many acupuncture treatments will I need?
This is completely dependant upon your individual condition and progress. As a standard, I would always recommend at least 3-5 sessions in order to give the treatment a chance; the effect of acupuncture is cumulative and as such, needs a few sessions for your body to 'get the message' (especially if you're new or haven't been for a while). Some people might only need a short course, while others might benefit from ongoing, longer term sessions (e.g. spaced out months apart). This is something we can discuss and agree together.
8 / I heard acupuncture is just a placebo?
*sigh* If I had a pound for every time...
In short - NO! Acupuncture is not 'just a placebo'.
In recent years high-quality clinical trials investigating acupuncture have been conducted, particularly for chronic pain conditions. Therefore, there is evidence available, and the systematic reviews can draw firm conclusions. A systematic review of high-quality trials, Vickers et al 2018, involving over 20,000 adults with osteoarthritis, chronic headache or musculoskeletal pain (back, neck or shoulder) concluded:
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acupuncture was more effective than control for all pain conditions (pragmatic trials)
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acupuncture is not a placebo for treatment of chronic pain
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the effects persisted over time (15% reduction at one year)
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If you're keen on finding out more, a really great place to start is the British Acupuncture Council and Evidence Based Acupuncture
9 / How does acupuncture work?
This is a big question which can be answered in two ways...
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1) The Chinese Medicine view
​This is the model I use in my diagnosis and when selecting acupuncture points specific to you. This theory uses the concept of qi. For example, when somebody is in pain, this is considered to be a blockage in flow of qi and so points are selected to encourage the qi to flow more freely. The overall aim is to trigger your body's own healing response to restore physical and emotional balance, as a whole (not just specific symptoms). Which is why you might come for treatment for one issue, but find other(s) are also improved.
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2) The Western Medicine view
One of the first potential mechanisms and probably the most famous is the release of endorphins. However, it is unlikely that the effects of acupuncture can be attributed to a single mechanism. There are a number of possibilities which include [1]:
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peripheral effects (release of adenosine and nitric oxide by axonal and dorsal root reflexes)
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spinal effects (modulation of sympathetic tone and motor reflexes)
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modulation of endogenous descending paying inhibitory and facilitatory systems
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changing the functional connectivity of the brain. Activation deactivation of limbic structures involved in stress/ illness responses; the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis and the prefrontal and frontal cortices
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modulation of parasympathetic activity
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modulation of activation of the immune system
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1. Lund I, Lundeberg T. Mechanisms of acupuncture. Acupuncture and Related Therapies 2016;4(4):26-30. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arthe.2016.12.001
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