Acupuncture
Acupuncture uses very fine needles at specific points on the body to restore normal circulation and nerve signalling where it has been disrupted. It is the fastest treatment we have for most kinds of pain, and it is also effective for sleep, headaches, digestion and hormonal problems.
Point selection depends on the diagnosis, not on the location of the symptom. Two patients with the same shoulder pain often receive different treatments.
What acupuncture treats
- Neck, shoulder, back, hip and knee pain.
- Sciatica.
- Headaches and migraines.
- Frozen shoulder and joint strain.
- Insomnia and early-morning waking.
- Anxiety and stress-related tension.
- Bloating, IBS-type symptoms and other digestive complaints.
- Painful, irregular or absent periods.
- Perimenopausal hot flashes and night sweats.
- Fatigue that does not improve with rest.
- Facial acupuncture for circulation and skin tone.
What a session involves
Your first visit is a new patient consultation of 60 or 90 minutes and is mostly assessment. We take your pulse at both wrists, look at your tongue, and ask about sleep, appetite, temperature, digestion, stress and your cycle.
You then lie down and the needles are placed. Most people feel a dull heaviness or a brief ache rather than a sharp pain. The needles stay in for 20 to 30 minutes while you rest. Many people fall asleep.
Follow-up acupuncture appointments are offered at 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes.
Acupuncture is often combined with cupping, moxibustion or tui na in the same visit, depending on the diagnosis.
How many treatments
Acute pain often improves within two to four sessions. Long-standing conditions and hormonal problems usually need a longer course, weekly at first and then spaced further apart. We will give you an estimate after the first visit. Anyone who promises a fixed number before assessing you is guessing.
Safety and limits
Needles are single-use, pre-sterilized and disposable. They are opened in front of you and discarded after one use.
Acupuncture does not replace medical diagnosis. If your symptoms have not been investigated by a physician, please have that done, and bring any imaging or bloodwork with you. Acupuncture treats functional problems well. It cannot repair structural damage.
Book an appointment
New patients start with a consultation of 60 or 90 minutes.
Book an appointment New patients start with a consultation