On your first visit, we will take a full case history and you will be able to discuss the issues that concern you.

We will draw up an individual treatment plan based on a detailed discussion of your state of health, medical history, any other treatment you are receiving, as well as your lifestyle to find solutions to help you feel better.

This first visit takes an hour and a half and includes the first treatment.

If you are attending for a painful/muscular skeletal problem, the treatment may include massage and heat treatment and you may be given simple remedial exercises that you can continue at home to help improve your condition.

You should bring a note of any medication you are taking. If you are on medication, it is always a good idea to let your GP know you are having acupuncture.

Acupuncture needles are much finer than the needles used for injections and blood tests, so fine that you may not even feel them being inserted. It is normal to feel a mild tingle or dull ache as the needles are adjusted. This feeling only lasts for a number of seconds and the benefits of treatment should outweigh any momentary discomfort. When the needles are in place most people feel deeply relaxed, which often continues once they are removed.

The single-use sterile needles come in sealed packs that will be opened in front of you and they are safely disposed after every treatment.

Research studies conducted in 2011 and 2012 concluded that when practiced by properly trained and qualified traditional acupuncturists, such as members of the British Acupuncture Council, the risk of adverse effects from acupuncture is extremely low.

Occasionally a small bruise can appear at a needle site. Sometimes people can feel tired after a treatment but this passes quickly.

Most patients enjoy the deep relaxation that comes with having an acupuncture treatment.

Weekly acupuncture is the norm to begin with, reducing in frequency as your body responds. The effect is usually felt within five or six treatments. Sometimes, just one or two treatments are enough. At the first treatment, we will be able to tell you how many treatments are likely to be necessary.