Acupuncture is a complementary therapy that involves inserting needles into your skin at defined points to try to help treat health problems and conditions. A complementary therapy may be used together with medical treatment that you might be receiving. Although often described as a means of pain relief, it is in fact used to treat people with a range of illnesses where function is impaired. Its focus is on improving the overall well-being of the patient, rather than the isolated treatment of specific symptoms.
Acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of conditions. There is lots of research which suggests that acupuncture might also be a helpful treatment for low back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, tension-type headaches and migraines.
Following an initial consultation your acupuncturist will determine the most appropriate course of treatment. There are around 500 recognised acupuncture points on the body, 100 of which are most commonly used.
Very fine needles are then either inserted for a second or two, or left in place for up to 20 minutes, depending on the effect required. When the needle is inserted the sensation is often described as a tingling or dull ache
