|
Acupuncture, Frequently Asked Questions
Is
Acupuncture safe?
Acupuncture is generally very safe. Serious side-effects
are very rare - less than one per 10,000 treatments. See
Survey on Acupuncture Safety.
Does
Acupuncture have side-effects?
You need to be aware that:
- Drowsiness occurs after treatment in a small number of patients, and, if
seriously affected, you are advised not to drive.
- Minor bleeding or bruising occurs after acupuncture in about 3% of
treatments. - Pain during treatment occurs in about 1% of treatments.
- Existing symptoms can get worse after treatment (less than 3% of patients).
- You should tell your acupuncturist about this, but it is usually a good
sign.
- Fainting can occur in certain patients, particularly at the first
treatment.
In addition, if there are particular risks that apply in your case, your
practitioner will discuss these with you.
How long does a session take?
Apart from the first session, treatments seldom take more than 45 minutes,
but we usually allow one hour so that you don’t feel
hurried.
Does my doctor have to be told or to
know that I am having acupuncture?
No, but we encourage you to tell your doctor. Sometimes what we do may lead
to a situation where you could or should reduce your medication, and we
always suggest you discuss this with your doctor before making changes. If
you want us to write to your doctor about your treatment
we are glad to do so.
What can Acupuncture help with?
We believe that many
conditions benefit from acupuncture but current UK law administered by the
Advertising Standards Authority now insists that only when ‘robust’ evidence
is available may claims for efficacy actually be made.
By ‘robust’ evidence they mean that neither the WHO (World Health
Organisation) list of conditions treatable by acupuncture nor a similar list
on the British NHS acupuncture evidence site is adequate. They regard such
lists as being based only on positive evidence and not on all
reviews including those of research conducted on a condition where the
results were also found to be negative or inconclusive.
We would point out that although, for
convenience, conditions with names such as nausea, vomiting and dental pain
are treated as such (and successfully according to their requirements for
‘robust’ evidence) acupuncturists don’t treat such conditions.
What acupuncturists do treat are syndromes and meridian problems as defined in
Chinese medicine. For example, ‘nausea’ isn’t such a syndrome.
Nausea can arise in Chinese medicine from a
multitude of syndromes, some easier to treat than others, such as Liver qi stagnation with
invasion of the Stomach, Stomach qi not descending, Stomach Heat, Stomach qi deficiency, Stomach
Full condition, Heat in the Liver and Gall-Bladder, Cold in the Stomach, and
so on: or a combination of the above.
When you visit your acupuncturist, you may
think you are being treated for nausea, your presenting condition. Not so! You are being treated for one of the conditions in the list above,
or a combination of them. If the treatment is successful, your nausea will
improve – as a side effect.
Is
there anything your practitioner needs to know?
Apart from the usual medical details (see Consultation), it is important
that you let your practitioner know:
- If you have ever experienced a fit, faint or funny turn.
- If you have a pacemaker or any other electrical implants.
- If you have a bleeding disorder.
- If you are taking anti-coagulants or any other
medication.
- If you have damaged heart valves or have any other particular risk of
infection.
Blood Donor Certificates
After careful discussion between acupuncturists and doctors in the British
Blood Transfusion services in 1995, it was agreed that there is no reason for
acupuncture in itself to prevent people from donating blood as long as it is administered by a competent and professionally registered
practitioner. However, the conditions for which acupuncture is being given may be a reason for deferral.
Insurance
As a member of the British Acupuncture Council, your practitioner is fully insured, for example, against professional
negligence.
Needles
Single-use, sterile, disposable needles are used in this clinic.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY
See our Privacy policy.
|
