Acupuncture
History And Treatment
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Acupuncture originated in China and other far eastern cultures where it still features in mainstream healthcare, both as a stand-alone therapy and in combination with conventional western medicine. Acupuncture is now widely used and accepted all over the world. In the UK more and more people are finding out what acupuncture can do for them.
Acupuncture works to help maintain your body’s equilibrium. It involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body to regulate the flow of ‘qi’, your body’s vital energy. For a number of lifestyle and environmental reasons, qi can become disturbed, depleted or blocked, which can result in some symptoms of pain and illness. In certain instances, traditional acupuncture can be an effective therapy to help restore balance and promote physical and emotional harmony.
 | Treatment is given to bring the body back into balance and so remove the original root cause of the illness. This is done by placing very fine needles in special points throughout the body. A practitioner can diagnose imbalances even before they lead to disease, hence acupuncture can be seen as a way of guarding against disease as well as treating it. Because of this people often come for acupuncture on a monthly basis in order to stay well. |
Your first Session
 | The first appointment usually takes an hour.Your general state of health will be assessed in order to diagnose your underlying pattern of disharmony. You will be asked questions about your medical history, the pulses on your wrist will be felt and your tongue examined. Unless it is an emergency, no treatment is performed on the first session. |  |
Subsequent Sessions
 | The treatment sessions usually last 40 - 50 mins. Usually you will lie on a couch for treatment and fine disposable needles will be gently inserted into acupoints on the body. The selection of points will depend on what you need, but are often on wrists, ankles, legs and back. Sometimes the needles are left in for 20 mins and sometimes they are immediately withdrawn. |
How Many Treatments
The number of treatments required varies, depending on the length and type of illness as well as your constitution. I would normally expect to see significant signs of change within 6 treatments.
Copyright M.J.Ackland