The Treatment
What should I expect on my first visit?
The first visit to an acupuncturist usually begins with the practitioner taking a detailed history. Diagnosis and treatment strategies are determined using this information and various diagnostic techniques such as reading the tongue and pulses.
Using all of the information, the practitioner will then determine the cause of your symptoms according to Chinese theory and decide on the best points to use based on this. Needles are then inserted into the specific acupuncture points on the body. The acupuncturist may use moxa or electrical stimulation to enhance acupuncture's therapeutic effects.
The number of treatment sessions depends on the seriousness of your condition. A typical course of acupuncture treatment is 10 sessions, although significant improvements can occur after just a couple visits. Your first visit may take 90 minutes, with subsequent visits lasting about 45 minutes.
Does it hurt?
Unlike hypodermic needles, acupuncture needles are solid and hair-thin – not designed to cut the skin. They are also inserted to much more shallow levels than hypodermic needles,
generally no more than 1/2 -inch to an inch. While each person experiences acupuncture differently, most people feel only a minimal amount of sensation as the needles are inserted.
Some people report feeling a sensation of tingling or a dull throb while others just feel relaxed.
Conditions commonly treated with acupuncture:
- Diseases of the muscles, bones and joints
- Diseases of the nervous system
- Digestive disorders
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels
- Obstetrics and gynecology
For more information or to arrange an appointment contact us on 07709 896140 or alternatively email lesley@atcnewbury.co.uk. Ask about our introductory offer at the time of booking.
