Acupuncture Treatment session – a brief overview

You will be assessed in detail at the first session and treatment tailored to your individual needs which will be discussed in detail with you. Acupuncture treatment is started in the first session itself. The first session is usually using only a few needles with minimal stimulation. If you are acupuncture naïve, I do not do electro-acupuncture during the first session to make sure you are not a ‘strong responder’. 

Treatment is recommended once weekly (occasionally twice weekly) to begin with, then at longer intervals as the condition responds. The initial course is 6-8 weekly sessions depending on the condition treated. 

Typically, fine needles are inserted through the skin and left in position briefly, sometimes with manual or electrical stimulation (electro-acupuncture). The needles used are sterile and single-use. A “no-touch” technique is used which means that the acupuncturist’s hand will at no time come into direct contact with the needle because of the use of a sterile insertion tube.

The needles used for acupuncture are very fine, like hair; hence almost no pain is felt as they pass through the skin. However, occasionally when treating extremely sensitive trigger points a slight pain may be associated with the needling, but this is usually very brief.