What to do before the treatment?

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• Avoid acupuncture on an empty stomach to minimise the chance of feeling dizzy or faint after a treatment.

• Eat a light meal or have a snack with no alcohol at least an hour beforehand.

• Wear loose, comfortable clothing to allow for easy access to lower arms and legs, where common points are located.

• Let me know if you are either pregnant or trying to conceive as there are certain acupoints that should be avoided through pregnancy. 

• If you are a blood donor or thinking about becoming one, please be aware that The National Blood Service does not allow you to donate blood for six months from your last session of traditional acupuncture.  

• There are several safety measures in place to minimise the risk of Covid-19. In addition to these, you can expect to receive a welcoming and calm space to relax and if you choose, allow yourself to enjoy the treatment.

• If you are scared of needles, please let me know beforehand so that I can address this and put in place steps to help you.

• Once the needles are inserted, these will be left in place for between 10-20 minutes depending upon whether its your first or follow up treatment.  I will maintain proper social distancing, keeping close by should you need any assistance.​

• The needles will be safely removed and disposed of as clinical waste.

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What may happen after a treatment?

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• You may feel more relaxed as you let go of any tension you are holding in your body. 

• Also you may feel calmer and sometimes a little sleepier afterwards so bear this in mind if you need to drive or use other machinery. 

• Usually there are no significant side effects, although some short term bruising at the needle site may occur.

• It's a good idea to drink water after a treatment, so please bring a water bottle as I will no longer be able to provide any at this time.

• Avoid alcohol / strenuous exercise for several hours after the treatment to allow the body to rest and adjust to the effects of the treatment.

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What does it feel like?

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• Acupuncture uses very fine, sterile, single use needles and many people do not feel them being inserted.  

• You can feel a tingle or ache near the needle site and as they are being adjusted followed by a sense of relaxation.  

• This short video from the British Acupuncture Council may be helpful to understand what to expect.

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How often would I need to come?

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• People's bodies are unique and predicting how your body will respond to acupuncture is extremely difficult.

• A good place to start is once a week for an agreed timescale, at least 3-6 weeks, to see how your body responds and allowing the  cumulative effects to be seen. 

• It's helpful to have regular check-ins to track specific outcomes that you would like to address taking inot consideration the nature of the condition and whether it's acute or chronic.  Chronic cases can take longer to see changes because they are long standing problems that will require more time.

• The treatment frequency can change to fortnightly, monthly, quarterly etc to maintain any benefits and offer ongoing support.

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Will I need to undress?

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• You may need to undress depending upon what you need treating so wearing loose clothing will minimise the need to undress as it can easily be rolled up.

• If you do need to undress, I will leave the room and will provide a towel for covering your body which are changed for each client.

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