TCM Acupuncture In London – Traditional Chinese Medicine

During an acupuncture session ultra-fine needles are inserted at chosen points along the channels on the body, aiming to stimulate it’s own healing response and restore it’s natural balance. Patients usually don’t experience any pain, as acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections and blood tests. At most, the sensation felt is described describe as tingling, dull ache, warmth and sometimes pressure in the needled and surrounding areas. The needles used are single-use, sterile and disposable and the common post-treatment response is to feel calm and relaxed. 

Sometimes mild tiredness can be felt after the treatment and on occasion a minor bruising in the needled area might occur. However, all such reactions are rare and short-lived. It is useful to mention that you should eat something a few hours before your treatment and make sure you get to continue to relax after it. It is also worth mentioning that alcohol and coffee following the treatment are not recommended

Acupuncture works by bringing the body into balance. Unfortunately, this isn’t achieved in just one session – although your first treatment can be hugely beneficial.

Frequency and length of treatment depends on your individual condition. Some change is usually felt after five treatments, but for chronic issues, I may recommend a course of ten. Some patients may need treatment over several months or long-term.

It’s all down to where you are in your individual health journey. At Acumedicare we discuss your plan during your first appointment and always aim to resolve your health concerns quickly and efficiently within a timeframe agreed and consequently reviewed. 

If you are on a fertility journey,  it is recommended to consider an acupuncture and personalised nutrition plan for at least three months prior to conception, either naturally or through Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART), such as IVF. This improves hormonal balance and regulates your period, as well as improving the quality of your eggs, which is actually determined three months in advance of conception.

No. Patients usually don’t experience any pain, as acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections and blood tests. At most, the sensation felt is described as tingling, dull ache, warmth and sometimes pressure in the needled and surrounding areas. The needles used are single-use, sterile and disposable and the common post-treatment response is to feel calm and relaxed.

Acupuncture has been recognised as a safe and effective complementary medicine model for many different ailments and World Health Organisation (WHO) states that it can be used for a variety of conditions:

• Allergic rhinitis
• Dysmenorrhea
• Headache
• Hypertension
• Essential hypotension
• Induction of labor
• Knee pain
• Leukopenia
• Low back pain
• Malposition of fetus, correction
• Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
• Morning sickness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Periarthritis of shoulder
• Postoperative pain
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sciatica
• Sprain
• Stroke
• Tennis elbow
• Addiction
• Asthma
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Menstrual cramps
• Myofascial pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Postoperative dental pain
• Stroke rehabilitation

No particular preparation for your acupuncture session is needed. Generally, you are advised to wear loose, comfortable clothing, although very often in the first session, you might remain fully clothed with only lower legs and arms exposed. 

If have any specific requests, or questions, you should always discuss it with your practitioner before your appointment. I always encourage a pre-consultation chat before the first session via phone, e mail, or Skype. At Acumedicare this service is free of charge, but that might vary between clinics and practitioners. 

Yes. However, the decision to share that you are having acupuncture treatments with your other care givers remains yours. 

It’s worth considering the fact that acupuncture is a well known and well researched complementary medicine model, and many medical doctors are increasingly aware of it’s role in the care of patients’ many health concerns. You might even find yourself being recommended to a qualified and certified acupuncturist by your doctor, as acupuncture gains more credibility all over the world.

Acumedicare is associated and works with a few conventional medical teams, supporting patients en route to parenthood at IVF Clinic Embryoclinic in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Gynaecological Hospital Genesis in Novi Sad, Serbia.