Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: Acupuncture works on the life force or energy (known as 'Qi'). Qi flows all over the body in 'channels' or 'meridians' and, by inserting a very fine needle at acupuncture points, this energy flow is accessed, bringing healing to the whole body.
Q: Is acupuncture safe?
A: Only single-use, pre-sterilised, disposable needles are used. The British Acupuncture Council, the regulatory body, demands high standards of hygiene.
Q: Who has acupuncture?
A: Many people have acupuncture for help with specific symptoms or to relieve specific pains. Some people come to acupuncture as their first choice, while others are drawn to it, sometimes in despair that their symptoms have not been helped with conventional medicine.
Others come to acupuncture knowing that something is not right and will turn to acupuncture when either nothing can be found or no suitable treatment given.
People also come to acupuncture to improve their general sense of wellbeing, to help maintain good health, as a preventative measure. Because acupuncture aims to treat the whole person rather than specific symptoms in isolation, it can be very effective for a range of conditions.
Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages including babies and children, elderly and the chronically ill.
Q: What can acupuncture do for me?
A: Acupuncture works to maintain our body's equilibrium, which can become blocked for a number of reasons; e.g. our lifestyle, trauma, diet, emotional upset, injury etc. In certain instances, acupuncture can be an effective therapy to help restore balance and promote physical and emotional harmony.
For nearly every named "western" illness, there is a Chinese Medicine interpretation of that illness, specific to each individual. With acupuncture you are truly treated as a whole person, not as someone having a single illness. In the UK, more and more people are turning to acupuncture.
For more information on current scientific research into the effectiveness of acupuncture, go to the official website of British Acupuncture Council, or click here.
