Acupuncture

What a session involves

We start by talking: where it hurts, how long for, what else you are being treated for and what you are taking. That conversation decides which points are used.

The needles are far finer than the ones used for injections — closer to a thick hair. Most people feel a brief prick, then a dull or warm sensation. Some feel nothing. Say so if anything genuinely hurts.

Needles are pre-sterilised, used once and disposed of. Nothing is reused.

Then you rest under a warm lamp for twenty to thirty minutes. Many people fall asleep. Plan on an hour for a first visit.

What people come in for

• Lower back pain and sciatica
• Neck pain and stiffness
• Shoulder and upper back pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Knee pain and arthritis
• Repetitive strain from desk or manual work
• General muscular tension

Also used alongside fertility treatment and for menstrual symptoms — see women's care — and cosmetically on the facial and body page.

How many visits

Depends on the problem and how long you have had it. Something recent often settles faster than something carried for years. You will get an honest read after the first visit, not a package sold up front.