FAQ’s

Acupuncture is one of the safest medical treatments, both conventional and complementary.

Two surveys conducted independently of each other and published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 concluded that the risk of a serious adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than 1 in 10,000.  This is far less than many orthodox medical treatments.  One survey was of traditional acupuncturists and the other of doctors who practise acupuncture.  A total of 66,000 treatments were reviewed altogether with only a handful of minor and transient side effects recorded.

There are very few side effects from acupuncture when practiced by a fully qualified practitioner of traditional acupuncture. Any minor side effects that do occur, such as dizziness or bruising around needle points are mild and self correcting

All of the needles used are very fine and of varying lengths depending on the part of the body being needled. A small prick will be felt and in some cases a mild tingling or numbing sensation. Most people find the experience deeply relaxing

  For your first consultation a full case history will be taken and a treatment given. This takes between one and one and a half hours. Follow up treatments take between 45 mins and one hour. Needles are left in the body for between 20 and 30 minutes.

The amount of treatments you need will depend on the condition you are presenting with and your general lifestyle. As a general guide, most people will see significant improvement within 4 to 6 weekly sessions. For conditions that have been present for a very long time (chronic conditions), this may take a little longer.

No you don’t. After your first consultation we will discuss together the best course of treatment for you and you can make a decision to continue and make a further appointment or go away and think about it

The main health insurance providers in Ireland do offer cover for acupuncture treatments but you should check with your own policy plan provider first.