What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture (針灸) is a 2,000 year old branch of Chinese Medicine used widely across the world to encourage optimal health and vitality.  Using a logical framework for understanding the functions of the human body, it suggests that symptoms of disease are the manifestation of an imbalance within different physiological and energetic systems.

Comprehensive traditional diagnostic tools (including questioning, physical examination and pulse & tongue diagnosis) allow a full picture of your health to be established within the context of Chinese Medicine.  Treatment can therefore tackle your main complaint along with any accompanying problems and boost your overall strength, energy and immune system.

An integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture is used together to help restore balance in the body on physical, mental and emotional levels.  This aids promotion of optimum health and wellbeing and can be safely used alongside conventional medical treatment.

What does treatment involve?

Initial consultation involves a full diagnosis (including details of your main complaint, general health and lifestyle) which takes around 1.5 hours; follow-up appointments last for around 1 hour. The number and frequency of treatments required varies depending on the duration and severity  of your illness or injury; this will be discussed during consultation.

During treatment ‘hair-fine’, single-use, pre-sterilised, disposable needles are inserted into your skin.  Gentle manipulation at specific points stimulates your body’s natural healing response and helps return it to a more balanced state.  Following needle insertion you may feel a brief dull ache or tingling; this can sometimes be a strong sensation but normally disappears quickly.  Electro- and ear acupuncture, cupping and moxibustion (smouldering herbs) may also be used during treatment if necessary.