Unlike hypodermic injection needles, acupuncture needles are solid & hair-thin; they are not designed to cut the skin. They are inserted to shallower levels than hypodermic needles, generally no more than a centimetre or two depending on the type of treatment being delivered. We only use single use needles that are high-quality and sterile.

While each person experiences acupuncture differently, most people feel only a minimal amount of sensation as the needles are inserted, but different points on the body elicit different sensations.

As with most health practitioners, the first visit to an acupuncturist usually begins with the practitioner taking a detailed history. Since Traditional Chinese Medicine takes a more holistic approach to patient care than Western medicine, Jane or Samuel may ask you questions that appear unimportant (questions about your sleep habits, your ability to tolerate heat or cold, your dietary habits, etc) but these are actually vital to the type of care you will receive. The goal is to assemble all the jig-saw pieces of information into one coherent picture allowing us to determine the most appropriate personalized treatment for you.

In addition to asking questions we will also ask to see your tongue & will feel your pulse on both sides of your wrist. Tongue & pulse diagnosis is a method of observing how your body is functioning internally.

The number & frequency of visits will depend upon several factors. These include the duration & intensity of your condition; your age & general constitution; your response to treatment & your willingness to do things to help yourself (doing exercises, making suggested lifestyle changes).

Chinese medicine is effective because it makes very specific subtle changes to your body’s energy system. The effects are cumulative so compliance with a suggested treatment schedule will maximise your chance of improvement.