FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Five-Element Acupuncture?
Five-Element Acupuncture is a holistic style of healing which aims to restore a person’s health by putting them back into balance. This system of Chinese medicine does not treat people based on symptoms but instead looks for the root cause of the problem.
Acupuncture works by inserting very fine needles into specific points on the body to assist the flow of energy, known as Qi (Chi). Qi is universal energy, it flows within and around us all, an electromagnetic energy which we call our life force. Energy runs through our bodies via pathways/ channels called meridians (think of the way cars run along motorways). We need the energy pathways to be working in harmony together (no traffic jams!) to prevent disease. So, we use our needles along with the teachings that the ancient Chinese took from nature; The Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water), to restore balance and ensure they are doing just that!
What can Five-Element Acupuncture help with?
Five-Element Acupuncture can help with a large range of ailments. In many ways it would not be helpful to write a list of health conditions as it risks excluding something it has the potential to help with.
This style of acupuncture has a beautiful way of not only benefiting one’s physical health but their mental and emotional wellbeing too. The goal is to assist patients to feel their absolute best and get their mind, body and spirit working as nature intended. It is an excellent tool in supporting anyone on a journey towards sustained self-care.
You also do not need to have an active health problem to get treatment. Acupuncture is a wonderful option for preventative health care too. Nowadays we often only seek help when symptoms present themselves and the warning on the dashboard, so to speak, has come on. So, if you are also in need of some proactive, rather than reactive, health care you have also come to the right place.
How many treatments will I need?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach with Five-Element Acupuncture. Every individual is unique, and so every individual responds differently to treatment. Someone may find they have relatively quick results and only need to come for a short period, whereas others may take a bit longer.
Restoring your health with acupuncture is not a quick fix option, but a route to restore one’s health and vitality for the long term. The aim is to get patients to a point where they don’t need such regular treatment, more a top-up for maintenance should they feel a need for it.
What can you expect when coming for treatment?
Your first appointment includes a comprehensive health consultation and your first treatment. This is an in-depth appointment where we talk about what has brought you in for treatment and go through your health as a whole. The initial appointment can take roughly two hours and follow up appointments should then last about an hour. Please note though that these times are not set in stone and appointments can run over. As a practitioner the most important consideration for me is that each patient leaves the treatment in the best state of balance, so if this requires more time, we will allow for that.
With Five-Element Acupuncture, needles are mainly inserted and then removed immediately. There are only a couple of treatments where needles are left in the body for a period of time. Very fine needles are inserted into the skin at a specific point on the body. Patients may experience a warm rush or dull ache sensation when needles are inserted which only lasts a number of seconds.
Patients should find treatment a time for them to relax, let the needles do the work and leave the session feeling more at ease and calm.
What if I’m nervous about needles?
The acupuncture needles we use are extremely fine, smaller than a sewing needle. Whilst one may feel a sensation when the needle is being placed, it does not last more than a few seconds. With this style of acupuncture, the needles are rarely left in the body, so it is only momentary that the needle contacts the skin.
Sensations are often described as a “dull ache” or “warm rush" and patients often experience treatments helping them feel relaxed and calm which can continue after treatment. The benefits of getting treatment should outweigh any discomfort.
