Thank you for considering treatment at The Acupuncture Clinic.

Choosing an acupuncturist is not easy, adverts don't tell you all that you need to know. These are the questions you should ask before entrusting your health & well-being to a practitioner.

1) Are you a member of the British Acupuncture Council (B.Ac.C.)?

This is your guarantee that the person who gives you acupuncture treatment has been properly trained at an accredited Acupuncture College in the U.K. and is qualified to give you safe and effective treatment. The B.Ac.C. lays down strict requirements for the education and clinical training of acupuncturists. This covers the full theoretical groundwork of acupuncture together with a period of supervised clinical practise. The letters B.Ac.C. after an acupuncturists' name indicates that they are Council members. The British Acupuncture Council requires it's members to engage in continuous professional development.

2) How long have you been qualified and do you intend to remain in this area?

If your acupuncturist has been in practise for a number of years, they will have a track record of treating many different health problems. For continuity in your treatment you will also wish to know that they intend to stay in the area.

3) Will you ask about all my symptoms and make sure that you understand them?

A thorough understanding of your symptoms is essential to make an accurate assessment and formulate the best treatment plan for you. In the first treatment session, time is spent finding out about your symptoms and how your particular health issues affect you.

4) Will you give me advice on improving my health through dietary and lifestyle changes?

It is important to understand that there are many factors involved in creating your state of health. These are your diet, your work/life balance, what exercise you take and your stress levels. In order to help you to attain your optimum health, it is sensible to look at all these factors and to give you guidance on making improvements where needed.

5) Do you ask about my medication before making recommendations to take herbs or other supplements?

Some medications interact with herbs or health supplements, and so it is vital to make sure that whatever is recommended will be safe and appropriate for you to take. We have access to a computer database which gives reliable and up to date information on medications, herbs and possible interactions.

6) How many treatments do you recommend me to have?

Because acupuncture is working with the body's natural healing systems, weekly treatment for 5 to 6 sessions is helpful. Within this time scale you should start to see improvement and can then discuss spacing out treatments to maintain your improvement.

7) Does the acupuncturist speak your native language?

Good communication is essential in order to build trust and rapport between patient and practitioner. It is vital to make sure that the person who gives you treatment has a thorough understanding of your problems. If the practitioner does not speak your native language, you may wish to consider bringing a family member with you to assist clear communication.

8) Do you use disposable needles and how are they disposed of?

All B.Ac.C. members are required to use pre-sterilised, single use, disposable needles and to make arrangements for their safe disposal. We have always used this type of needle as we consider it to be the safest for both patient and practitioner.

9) How long is a treatment session?

You should allow 50 minutes to an hour for each of your treatment sessions.

10) Do you practise any other therapy and are you properly qualified and insured to do so?

There are many therapies which can be successfully used alongside acupuncture. These include massage, Cranio Sacral Therapy, stress counselling and N.L.P. A thorough grounding and training in these therapies is essential in order to make sure that you receive the best and safest treatment. We are qualified and insured to practise all these therapies.

11) What other services or facilities are provided by your Clinic?

We offer Food Intolerance Testing, CranioSacral Therapy, Stress Counselling and we have an exclusive Clients Website giving you access to a library of researched health information. We also have a Chiropractor in the clinic on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

12) Do I need to pay for a course of treatment in advance?

We never ask for payment in advance, until we work with you, we do not know how many or how frequently you will need treatment. It is always our policy that you "pay as you go". Receipts can be given for claiming on your health insurance policy.

F.A.Q.s

How many treatments will I need? This is always difficult to answer as each person responds to treatment differently. Because we are working with your body's unique healing ability, progress will be influenced by many factors. As a general "rule of thumb", we suggest that you commit to having treatment weekly for 5 or 6 sessions. At the end of this time we will re-evaluate and you can then decide if you need to continue treatment, or can increase the gap between treatments.

Where will you put the needles? This will vary from person to person and will depend upon the diagnosis we make at your first appointment. There are acupuncture pathways running down the front and back of the body, arms and legs and we may use points in any of these areas.

How long is a treatment session? We allow an hour for each appointment.
Will I need to get undressed?  Because the acupuncture points lie all over the body, we ask you to undress to underwear to make treatment easier. We provide a clean towel for you to cover yourself if you wish.

How do you treat back pain? We will usually use a combination of acupuncture, therapeutic massage and CranioSacral therapy.

Is it safe to have treatment when you are pregnant?  Most definately, acupuncture can support you right the way through your pregnancy.

Will acupuncture interfere with my medication? No, acupuncture does not interfere with medication. Because it can help your body to work better and be more healthy, you may find that you can reduce or stop medication in co-operation with your GP.