Frequently Asked Questions
Tel: Peter Collison (Lic Ac MBAcC) on 01622 890803
- Do the needles hurt?
- Can acupuncture help me?
- Is acupuncture safe?
- What happens during a treatment?
- How much do you charge?
Do The Needles Hurt?
A. Yes and No! The needles, which are more accurately described as pins, are solid and made of very fine surgical stainless steel wire, they are about the same thickness as a human hair. The amount of discomfort depends on the part of the body being needled and the person being needled. Some people experience brief pain as the needle is inserted, others experience ‘needle sensations’ which can feel heavy, tingley, achy, etc and many people experience no pain or sensations at all.
Most patients find the treatments to be very relaxing, and many fall asleep or find themselves in a deeply peaceful state. After the treatment, they often feel refreshed and relaxed, and simultaneously many feel energized.
Can Acupuncture Help Me?
A. Many conditions may be alleviated rapidly by acupuncture other conditions may experience slow and steady progress. There are many factors that influence the course of treatment, including the duration of the disease and the current lifestyle and constitution of the patient.
If you are unsure if your condition can be treated with acupuncture please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
A. In the hands of a British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) registered acupuncturist, your safety is assured. A BAcC registered Acupunctureist will have a minimum of 3 years full time training and use sterile needles which are disposed or after each use.
Always inform your practitioner if you are pregnant or have a cardiac pacemaker. Also inform any health practitioner about all pre-existing conditions, known problems and the names of all medications (including supplements) that you are taking. Your acupuncturist will be able to evaluate your specific situation with this information to insure best results.
What Happens During A Treatment?
A. At the beginning a case history will be taken which will include the current condition that the patient is coming for, a history of any conditions treated in the past and any medicines and supplements the patient is currently taking.
A diagnosis will then be made primarily using the pulse and tongue and in some cases body diagnosis may also be used.
Body diagnosis is where signs appear on the patients body for example horizontal lines across the forehead indicates a pathology with the Small Intestine, red ears indicates a pathology of the Kidneys.
In Tongue diagnosis the acupuncturist looks for signs on the tongue relating to different disorders a couple of examples would be that if you were at the start of a cold and the tongue coating was yellow, this would indicate and invasion of wind heat. However if at the start of a cold the tongue coating was white then this would indicate an invasion of wind cold.
Pulse diagnosis is the most important diagnostic tool, listening to the pulses is an ancient art that requires a great deal of sensitivity, there are twelve pulses, six on each wrist at three different positions (deep Yin pulses and more superficial Yang pulses). These pulses show the quality and quantity of each organ and this gives a great insight into what is happening inside the patient at the time of taking the pulses.
All of the methods of diagnosis are then combined with the philosophy of Chinese Medicine which includes things like the five elements (also known as the five transformational phases), stems and branches, the six divisions, the eight principals, the seven emotions, the 4 emanations, etc and the acupuncturist then decides on a treatment.
The points used may not be over the site of the problem i.e. if you have a headache the needles may not be placed in the head. This is because the meridians carry the treatment all over the body and it is the patient that is being treated not the symptom. The headache is only the superficial symptom and the cause itself may be elsewhere. In subsequent treatments the choice of points is often different because the patient has been changed by the previous treatment or because the focus of the treatment has changes, e.g. from building a weakness to expelling a pathogen.
In adults the needles are retained in the body for around 21 minutes but this may differ in specific cases. In children the needles are inserted and then withdrawn or acupressure may be used to stimulate the points. Normally between 3-5 needles are needed (sometimes more or less) this is to give clear direction to the Qi of the patient.
Depending on the condition treated massage may also be used.
How Much Do You Charge?
Please refer to the table below:
| Initial Consultation | £37 |
| Follow Up Treatment | £37 |
| 1 Hour | £37 |
| 1/2 Hour | £27 |
Please give 24 hours notice of cancellation otherwise full rate will be charged