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What can Acupuncture treat?
Acupuncture reduces stress and anxiety, helping patients enter a deep state of relaxation, which enhances the healing process

The World Health Organization has determined that acupuncture is an effective therapy for over 200 clinical conditions, including:

Acupuncture cannot be clamed to be an universal cure-all, it will not have any kind of effect in situations where body tissue is starting to disintegrate (for example cancer) but it will help reduce stress and anxiety, help patients enter a deep state of relaxation, which enhances the healing process. Herbal medicine can increase the effectiveness of your acupuncture treatment and is often the primary treatment for chronic internal medical disorders.

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What are the benefits of Acupuncture?
Acupuncture has seen a rapid growth in the Western World and is now generally accepted by the general public and by many doctors, as many as one in three GP surgeries now offer acupuncture to patients.
Acupuncture is used for a wide range of physical ailments which include arthritis, asthma, neuralgia, high blood pressure, back pain, arthritis, circulatory problems, skin conditions, bronchitis, insomnia, and pain of many kinds. It is also thought to be helpful for emotional problems, including anxiety and depression, and is often used to treat alcohol and drug addiction.
Some other conditions where acupuncture has been found to be successful is in treating headaches, and has proven to be beneficial for many patients with chronic headache, particularly migraine.
In eastern countries it is regularly used as an alternative to anaesthetic and in pregnancy management and for the relief of pain in childbirth.

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What to expect from an Acupuncturist
The therapist will ask you to sit or lie on a treatment couch. You may remain fully clothed or be asked to remove any necessary outer garments.
He or she will then feel 12 pulses - including one for each internal organ - along the radial artery on the outside of each wrist. The abdomen and certain acupuncture points may also be checked for tenderness or pain.
Next, the colour, shape and coating of the tongue, colour and texture of the face and skin are checked for signs indicating those internal organs that may have problems. The sound of your voice, your breath and any body odours will be noted and questions asked about diet, exercise, sleep patterns, stresses, problems and fears to confirm a diagnosis.
Acupuncture points will then be selected for treatment and needles inserted, either by hand or through a guide tube. This should be quick and painless. Some people feel a mild sensation as the needles are inserted, but this usually passes quickly.
Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of fine diameter (0.007" to 0.020", 0.18mm to 0.51 mm), sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave. The upper third of these needles is wound with a thicker wire (typically bronze), or covered in plastic, to stiffen the needle and provide a handle for the acupuncturist to grasp while inserting. The size and type of needle used, and the depth of insertion, depend on the acupuncture style being practiced
As few as one or two or more than 20 needles may be used in treatment and they are usually left in for 15 to 30 minutes. A course of ten treatments at weekly intervals is common.

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What does acupuncture feel like.
The needles used are usually very fine and sharp and the initial insertion causes minimal discomfort, the acupuncturist, at this point, is searching for the Qi along the relevant meridian, once this is located there is a sensation that is felt both by the patient and the acupuncturist. The patient can experience feelings from tingling, numbness, itching or a dull ache which can sometimes be accompanied by a localised temperature change. Sometimes these sensations can travel along the meridian away from the needles local area. After the treatment some patients may experience some slight swelling or soreness. These sensations will vary from patient to patient and to some extent the location and nature of the treatment. It is important to stress that if the patient feels anything other than slight discomfort the practitioner should be informed.

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Are there any side effects.
There is, as with many therapies, an understandable concern about side effects. the great majority of patients show no adverse reactions whatsoever. Occasionally there can what is descibed as a "needle shock" reaction that can result in nausea, lightheadedness and sometimes vomiting these are very rare and tend to last a very short time.
It is advisable that the patient has not drunk alcohol for at least an hour before treatment. Pregnant women should not receive treatment but in both these cases the practitioner will normally establish if either condition applies.

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Choosing an Acupuncturist
Choosing an acupuncturist can be made easier by following a few simple guidelines.:-
Often, one of the best guidelines to use in choosing an acupuncturist is seek advice from friends and family who may have been treated by the practitioner.
Ask if the acupuncturist certified and how long have they been practicing acupuncture. Most qualified British Acupuncturists will have trained at a college accredited by the British Acupuncture Council (BAAB).also it is highly recommended that you choose a practitioner who is a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC).
Question where they qualified and how long they have been qualified.
Establish if the Acupuncturist has any experience of treating people with your condition.
It would be useful to establish, either from an initial meeting or through a telephone call, that you feel comfortable with any potential therapist and you would feel confident they could treat your condition successfully. Feeling at ease with the acupuncturist is vitally important as you may be required to reveal personal details during diagnosis and subsequent treatment sessions.
It is important that you ask questions both before and after any treatment offered or given.

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We have hundreds of therapists listed on our pages so if you want to find an Acupuncturist near you, use our our Find a Therapist page

Our Acupuncturists guide covers the whole of the UK including-:

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