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Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves placing needles into the skin at various points and sometimes twisting them. The needles are very fine and should not hurt when they go into the skin. The needles are left in the skin for a short period of time to ensure maximum effect.
What does it do?
Acupuncture has been shown to stimulate the brain to produce natural pain relieving chemicals, endorphins. These chemicals are stimulated when the needles trigger the nerve endings and help the body heal itself and give pain relief.
Is Acupuncture safe?
Acupuncture is perfectly safe when practised by someone with appropriate training. The needles we use are disposable and pre-sterilised. CTC physiotherapists are trained to use the strictest hygiene.
Will it work for me?
Research has shown that most people gain relief from acupuncture. It does not work for everybody and every condition, but frequently good results are achieved. There is nothing spiritual about it and you don’t need to believe in acupuncture for it to work for you. The effects of acupuncture are cumulative, with pain-relief building up as treatment progresses. Some people respond quickly, but others take a few more treatments to get desired effects.
Contraindications to Acupuncture include:
You may feel a slight prick as the needle goes into the skin, but usually you don’t feel it. If your physiotherapist turns / twists the needles, you may feel an ache, tingling, tightening, warmth or a sting around the needles.
Are there any side-effects?
Acupuncture is a very safe form of treatment when used by qualified practitioners. However, like most forms of treatment there is a small risk of adverse effects. Occasionally, the condition may become slightly worse at first. This is not a bad sign, as it usually means the condition will respond.
Other possible side-effects include infection or extreme sleepiness post treatment, fainting can occur in certain patients. Symptoms may worsen post treatment in up to 3% of all patients, including bleeding and/or bruising. Up to 1% of patients may experience pain post treatment.
Merian Denning, chair of the AACP said: “The AACP welcome these NICE guidelines that recognise the evidence and clinical effectiveness for acupuncture when used alongside exercise and manual interventions for the management of musculoskeletal conditions.”
If you have any concerns regarding the safety of acupuncture or would like these risks explained further in context with your individual treatment programme, please feel free to discuss issues with your physiotherapist prior to commencing treatment.
If you have any concerns regarding the safety of acupuncture or would like these risks explained further in context with your individual treatment programme, please feel free to discuss issues with your physiotherapist prior to commencing treatment.
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