Acupuncture Treatment
 

How long will acupuncture treatment take?

One of the main factors is how long you have had your condition. For acute problems such as a recently strained muscle, only a few treatments should be necessary.

With longstanding chronic conditions, some improvement may be obtained after one or two treatment sessions or it may sometimes take several treatment sessions before any benefit is noticed. In some longstanding and entrenched cases, pain relief or maintenance only may be possible.

Normally, weekly treatments are given for most conditions. However, more frequent treatments will bring a faster improvement and in cases of severe pain will be recommended.

Treatment involves the insertion of fine acupuncture needles. You may feel a light pinprick on insertion and some sensation of dullness or heaviness. Needles are left in place for  about 20 minutes while you relax. Treatment may also include massage, moxibustion and cupping. Moxibustion is where moxa (a dried herb, usually mugwort) is burned either directly on the skin  or indirectly above the skin over specific acupuncture points. Cupping is where a glass cup is placed over the skin and a vacuum created to draw up the skin.

Treatment may also include some massage techniques especially where musculo-skeletal conditions are involved.