Frequently Asked Questions
For Frequently Asked Questions about children's treatments, please click [here].
Is acupuncture safe?
There are very few side effects from acupuncture when practised by a fully qualified practitioner of traditional acupuncture. Any minor side effects that do occur, such as dizziness or bruising around needle points, are mild and self-correcting.
When you receive treatment from a BAcC registered acupuncturist you can be confident that your wellbeing and safety is at the heart of everything your practitioner does. The following assurances are BAcC standard:
- Has completed a first-degree-level training or equivalent in traditional acupuncture including substantial elements of western anatomy, physiology and pathology.
- Your BAcC acupuncturist will record all relevant details of your health condition and your medical history before treatment commences. Occasionally, based on this information, he or she may refer you to your GP for further investigation or medical treatment
- Your BAcC acupuncturist uses only pre-sterilised single-use needles which are safely disposed of after your treatment
- All treatments are carried out in accordance with exemplary professional standards developed by the British Acupuncture Council and detailed in the BAcC Codes of Safe Practice and of Professional Conduct
- The treatment room and all equipment must conform to standards laid out in the BAcC Code of Safe Practice and nearly all cases have also been approved by local authority environmental health officers.
- Has full medical malpractice and public/product liability insurance cover.
- Click [here] for more details from the BAcC about these topics.
Does acupuncture hurt?
This can be a common question for many people and it is reassuring to know that when the needles are inserted it is done with a guide tube which is a sterilised tube around the needle to keep it clean, these guide tubes provided a smooth and painless insertion. After this the needle is then inserted to the correct depth. Once it has been put to the right depth the patient may feel a sensation but not pain, this can feel like a dull ache or a tingling and this usually only lasts for a few seconds. Very occasionally you may feel slightly more sensation this is often a indication that there is more of a blockage of flow in the channels.
How long does a course of treatments take?
Each patient can take different length of time to get better. An acute symptom is usually cleared in one to four treatments in quick succession. However long term chronic conditions usually take longer.
It is understandable that a recent acute condition will clear quicker than one say developed in childhood over a long period of time.
Usually practitioners say (as a loose guide) that it takes a month of treatment for every year you have been unwell.
