Your Treatment

Acupuncture

One acupuncture treatment session takes approximately one hour. It is a good idea to wear loose fitting clothing. During your first visit you will be asked a number of questions about your medical history and current symptoms. Your tongue will be looked at and your pulse examined in order to determine the best treatment prescription for you. Fine, sterile needles are inserted under the skin and left in place for twenty to thirty minutes. Acupuncture does not interfere with any other therapy. It will not alter the effect of any medication you may be taking. Additional treatments may be used depending on the individual needs of the patient.

Cupping

Cupping is one of the oldest methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In a typical cupping session a cotton wool ball is soaked in alcohol, lit, and placed inside a glass or bamboo cup. Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum. This vacuum anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it up inside of the cup as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up the skin is believed to open up the  pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, and qi, and allows toxins to be drawn out of the body. Improving blood flow in this way helps to relax tight muscles and relieve pain.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique in which the herb mugwort is burned to facilitate healing, relieve pain and stimulate the flow of blood and qi. Moxibustion is used in two ways at Aran Acupuncture. A stick of moxa which looks when lit, very much like a cigar, is held over the affected area to warm it. Needle-on moxa is also used. A cone of moxa is fixed to the top of an inserted needle and lit. Each cone will burn for about five minutes bringing warmth right into the acupuncture channel. This is a particularly effective treatment for the relief of knee pain and tennis elbow.

Auricular Acupuncture

In Chinese medicine the ear serves as a unique and complete microsystem for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of virtually every human illness. The entire body is mapped out in acupuncture points on the ear. The use of small magnetic ear seeds which are held in place with skin coloured plaster and can be worn for up to three days is a continuation of your acupuncture treatment and adds to the healing process.

Electroacupuncture

During electroacupuncture the inserted needles are attached to a device that generates an electric pulse using small clips. This gives a stronger stimulation to the acupuncture points and is especially useful in treating long-standing conditions and musculo-skeletal injuries. The machine can also be used with pads, which allow gentle needle-free stimulation of acupuncture points, very useful for treating children and babies.