What happens during my initial appointment?

During your first visit, Birga will take a case history by asking you a series of questions about your current health concerns, past health conditions and a range of related matters, including diet, lifestyle habits, sleeping patterns appetite, stress reactions and other sensitivities. She will then observe the condition of your tongue, radial pulse and other physical signs to diagnose your energy balance also known in Chinese Medicine as ‘patterns of disharmony’.

The number of treatments depend on the individual, the severity and the duration of the condition. Acute conditions require only a few treatments, whilst for chronic conditions more sessions will be required. Treatment is usually given once or twice weekly, although results will be faster if treatments are more frequent.

Treatments lasts from 45 minutes to one hour.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a history of continuous use over 3000 years. Today it is practiced widely throughout the Orient and in the West. It is the second most practiced medical system in the world.

Acupuncture began with the discovery that the stimulation of specific areas of the skin affected the function of certain organs of the body. Each body has an energy circulation. Acupuncture is used to stimulate the body’s own healing response and help restore its natural balance. The principal aim of acupuncture in treating the whole person is to recover the balance between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual, to bring back health, vitality and greater enjoyment of physical and emotional life.

There are over 500 acupuncture points and these are situated on the meridians. By stimulating a selection of these points with needles the quality and quantity of energy and fluids can be normalized. Suction cups, electro acupuncture and massage may also be utilised to enhance treatment.

Does Acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture needles are much finer than those used for injections or for sewing. In most cases only a slight sting is felt upon insertion of the skin. When the needle reaches the acupuncture point, a numb feeling is often felt. This sensation lasts only for 1 or 2 seconds. Following an acupuncture session, some patients may experience minor side effects, such as dizziness, that are mild and self-correcting.

Needles used by your acupuncturist are sterile disposable needles and are only used once.

Visit Birga’s site to learn more about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine