FURTHER INFORMATION

ACUPUNCTURE
Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are so fine that most people don’t feel them being inserted. It is normal to feel a mild tingle or dull ache as the acupuncture practitioner adjusts the needle to direct Qi. While the needles are in place most people feel deeply relaxed which can continue after they are removed.

Before  Acupuncture Treatment
First of all, don’t come hungry. Have a snack or light meal before your treatment. You are advised to have a shower before your treatment. It’s best to avoid alcohol or recreational drugs before treatment. However, you should take your prescription medicines on schedule. Acupuncture practitioners regularly treat patients who are on medications for all sorts of conditions.

Your first consultation
You must tell your Acupuncture practitioner if you have any medical condition.
During your first visit your acupuncture practitioner needs to gain a thorough understanding of your main complaint and your general health and lifestyle. You might feel that some questions appear unrelated to your condition but the information you give helps your practitioner to form a more complete picture of your health and lifestyle. Your acupuncture practitioner will also take your pulse on both wrists and may examine your tongue and feel for areas of muscular tension or pain.
When talking about your main complaint, the practitioner might ask you to describe in your own words what the symptoms feel like and how severe they are. You may also be asked how long you have been having the symptoms, whether they are constant or intermittent and how frequent they are. You should mention any medication that you are taking and whether you have tried any other therapies. In order to make a diagnosis according to traditional Chinese medicine theory and to find the right treatment approach, the practitioner will also want to know more specific details.

Lifestyle advice
Your acupuncturist is likely to suggest ways in which you can enhance the long-term effects of your treatment. This may involve making changes to your diet and daily routine. If necessary you will be referred to other healthcare practitioners for specialist care.

Treatment plan and treatment
Based on all the information you have given, the practitioner will make a diagnosis and put together your treatment plan, which may include lifestyle and dietary advice as well as acupuncture. Your practitioner will use very fine single-use pre-sterilised needles to stimulate specific acupuncture points on your body. Because energy meridians range across the whole body, the points used are not necessarily close to where you experience pain or discomfort. For example, if you suffer from headaches needles might be inserted in your foot or hand.

After the treatment
• Acupuncture has very few side effects and any that do occur are usually mild and self-correcting. Cupping and Gua Sha can sometimes temporarily bruising the skin such bruising is painless and generally clears within a few days .• Drowsiness  can occur in a small number of patients, and if affected, you are advised not to drive and operate machinery straight away after the treatment.
• Minor bleeding or bruising can occur as a result of needling. The  vasculature of the face is delicate especially around the eye area. Given the nature of the Advanced Cosmetic Acupuncture treatment, capillary bleeding can occur. Whilst this is not detrimental to the objective of the treatment it can be visible in the form of bruising for a number of days. To achieve maximum benefit in certain delicate areas of the body bruising is sometimes unavoidable.
• Light headiness or fainting can occur in certain patients, particularly in the first treatment.
• You should keep the treated skin area water free (dry) and use surgical  spirit to clean and  antibacterial cream 7 days for infection control.
• Less than three people in a hundred will find their symptoms get worse after their first treatment. This is often a good sign, but you should always tell your acupuncturist about this if it happens to you and last more than 3 days.
• After acupuncture, you may resume your normal activities. Going back to work is fine.  If you are tired and have the opportunity to nap, do so. Eat normal meals and drink a lot of water and avoid alcohol.
• Do not use ice after acupuncture. Acupuncture gets the circulation flowing, your Qi and blood moving. If you have swelling,  Acupuncture reduces it. When you apply ice it impedes this process. Cold contracts things and slows them down.​