Treatments
A treatment begins by gathering information about what’s normal for you as well as any recent changes. This might include questioning around sleep, digestion, mood and pain for example. I will also take the pulse by holding three fingers on each wrist and have a look at your tongue. All of this helps me to build a picture of how your body is functioning and allows for every treatment to be closely tailored to each individual patient’s needs at that moment in time.
I use all of this information to help me choose the acupuncture points that will benefit you. Super fine needles can then be inserted at these points and either left in place for 15-30 minutes or taken out straight away, depending on the aim of the treatment. As well as needling, treatments might include moxa, cupping and gua sha.
I practise both TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Five Element acupuncture to enable both a ‘symptom-based’ and more spiritual approach to treatment.
Treatments take place in a warm, friendly and accepting environment with soft lighting and, if you like, gentle music during periods of relaxation.
Initial Consultation
Up to 90 mins/ £60
Diagnostic consultation to explore your needs from treatment + initial treatment.
Follow Up
Up to 55 mins/ £50
Continued treatment of presenting symptoms. Maintenance treatments also welcome!
FAQs
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Shorter answer: For something more acute, you should see changes within 4 treatments. Sometimes you will notice improvements even on the couch in the first treatment. For a chronic condition you might hope to see changes in 6-10 treatments. Often it is quicker.
Longer answer: This is highly individual. Broadly speaking, the longer a condition has been around, the longer it will take to treat. This is because we are not simply managing symptoms but seeking to treat the condition at its root so that improvements can be long-term. Acupuncture is fundamentally about empowering you to take care of your health and the intention is always to get you to a point where you don’t need regular treatments.
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There is minimal sensation of needle insertion but patients often feel deqi: a mild ‘pulling’, ‘spreading’ or ‘tingling’ when the needle reaches the right depth.
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Sometimes needles will be retained for 10, 20 or 30 minutes, sometimes not, it all depends on the specific needs of the patient. Either way, patients are invited to use this time for meaningful rest while the needles do their work.
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There are acupuncture points all over the body. Many of the points we will use are on the lower legs and forearms so please wear loose clothing to enable us to reach these points. I also provide gowns and blankets to keep you comfortable when we are using points elsewhere.
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Acupuncture uses a completely different reference system, but it is useful to know what western medical diagnoses are in order to support the development of treatments that can work alongside western medical treatment if need be.