Initial acupuncture treatments last 10-20 minutes and follow ups can last longer, depending on your condition acupuncture is being used for.
What is acupuncture?
Traditional Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine which goes back nearly two thousand years, and it involves fine needles being inserted into different locations around the body to treat a variety of illness and medical conditions.
Traditional Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine which goes back nearly two thousand years. More recently, western medical acupuncture has also been widely used and accepted all over the world, including in the NHS. It is also used by many of the world’s greatest athletes, sports people, and celebrities to treat musculoskeletal conditions and relieve pain.
What is Acupuncture used for?
Some evidence has found acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on the following conditions:
- Lower back pain
- Tension headaches / migraines
- Osteoarthritis
- Muscle tension
- Joint Pain
- Postoperative pain
How acupuncture works?
Western medical acupuncture is the used following a medical diagnosis. It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles, in response the body releases chemicals including endorphins to assist pain relief. A course of acupuncture sessions normally creates longer lasting pain relief, than a single session.
Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or "life force", flows through the body in channels called meridians. This energy is known as Qi (pronounced "chee"). Practitioners who follow traditional beliefs about acupuncture believe that when Qi does not flow freely through the body, this can cause illness or injury. Picture it a bit like a break in an electrical circuit.
Currently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic lower back pain, neck pain, chronic tension headaches and migraines. NICE makes these recommendations based on scientific evidence.
Find out more about the evidence for and against acupuncture.
Everybody responds differently to acupuncture, with some having great results and others feeling little difference. NJD Sports Injury Centre use safe, effective Acupuncture to reduce pain and to treat many Musculo-skeletal conditions including sports injuries. We often combine Acupuncture with other forms of treatments to provide a more comprehensive multi factorial approach.
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Acupuncture FAQ's
All our needles are sterile and single use, and disposed of immediately after use
You may feel slight discomfort when the needles are in including tingling, tightness, or a dull ache. You should not experience significant pain, if you do let your practitioner know straight away.
As our therapists are experience, qualified acupuncture practitioners, the application of acupuncture is generally very safe.
If you have a bleeding disorder, such as haemophilia, or are taking anticoagulants, talk to your GP before you have acupuncture, and let your therapist know before your treatment.
It's generally safe to have acupuncture when you're pregnant. However, let our therapists know in advance if you're pregnant because certain acupuncture points cannot be used safely during pregnancy.