FAQ

Does acupuncture hurt?

From my own experience having received acupuncture lots of times over the years, you feel a sensation or several sensations. Of course, it depends on the individual, their levels of sensitivity and if the area you are needling is already tender. Some people experience a slight heaviness or dull achey feeling in the area being needled. These potential sensations are a positive sign, as it tells me as an acupuncturist that the needle’s contact with the body is causing energy to flow - termed as the ‘Arrival of Qi’.

Upon insertion, you will feel a minute pinch lasting only a fraction of a second. Others hardly feel anything and are actually surprised when I inform them that the needle is in place.

I need to stress that as the needles enter the body, it will not feel like a hypodermic needle (the type of needle used for a blood test). Acupuncture needles are much thinner than typical hypodermic needles. This is worth mentioning as lots of people state they are unable to cope with needles but would like to try acupuncture, although are too anxious to ever book a treatment.

Many of those people actually go on to have an acupuncture treatment from myself and have been very surprised at how well they coped with the needles. Many end up returning as they have enjoyed the treatment and felt great benefit outweighing their initial anxieties surrounding needles.

How many treatments will I need?

This is a very difficult question to answer. From my extensive experience as a holistic therapist, the amount of treatments an individual needs in order to feel better varies considerably depending on the person, the nature of their illness/condition, and the length of time they have suffered from it. Chronic long-standing conditions/health problems can be very stubborn and difficult to treat, whereas acute conditions can potentially improve much faster.

I am a firm believer that individuals who have a positive approach towards the treatment are more receptive to the work being carried out, and in turn, seem to have a greater response to the therapy and an overall positive experience.

A patient’s expectations can sometimes be too high and expect holistic therapy to work immediately when they have had a really difficult health issue for a long time. Generally, in order to give acupuncture and/or holistic therapies a chance to work, I would recommend at least 6 consecutive treatments in order to begin to feel a lasting improvement. However, in some instances, people start to feel the benefits within 3 to 4 treatment sessions and even regularly report an improvement after one session, stating that they feel more relaxed, grester ease of movement, increased energy levels, improved sleep etc.