Question 1

I'm new to Acupuncture. What can I expect during my first session?

Accepted Answer

Your first session includes a detailed consultation about your health and lifestyle, followed by a tailored treatment which will usually include needling and sometimes cupping and bodywork.

Question 2

Does Acupuncture hurt?

Accepted Answer

We differ from many acupuncturists, particularly those practising more "TCM" styles. In our Classical Acupuncture treatments, you’ll often feel active sensations as the body begins to shift. We work directly with tissue structure and blood flow, so it’s completely normal to experience a range of sensations during needling.

Most people do  feel strong or intense sensations, while others may notice little discomfort. Everyone’s sensitivity is different, and what you feel depends on what we’re treating  and how.

After treatment, you might feel a slight soreness, similar to the muscle ache (DOMS) you may get after exercise. This usually fades within a day. Some people feel no soreness at all, and many experience immediate relief or significant improvement the following day which is often what brings them back.

Question 3

How should I prepare for my appointment?

Accepted Answer

Have a light meal or snack before your session and wear comfortable clothing. Avoid alcohol or intense exercise before and after treatment.

Question 4

What issues can Acupuncture help with?

Accepted Answer

It can support a wide range of concerns including pain, sleep issues, stress, digestive complaints, injuries, menstrual health, and overall wellbeing.

Question 5

Is acupuncture safe for treating chronic pain?

Accepted Answer

Yes, acupuncture is widely considered safe when performed by a qualified practitioner. At Miller’s Way Project, our acupuncturists are highly trained in Classical Chinese Medicine and take great care to ensure treatments are both safe and effective.

Acupuncture can be particularly beneficial for chronic pain conditions, such as back pain, joint pain, migraines, or fibromyalgia by improving circulation, releasing tension, and supporting the body’s natural healing processes.

Question 6

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

This varies depending on the individual and the condition being treated. Some people feel improvement after just one session, while others may need a series of treatments to achieve lasting results. For chronic or long-term issues, we often recommend starting with 4 - 6 weekly sessions, followed by a reassessment. Your practitioner will always work with you to create a personalised treatment plan.

Question 7

Do you offer acupuncture for stress or anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we do.

Question 8

What should I feel in a treatment from the needles?

Accepted Answer

Most acupuncturists will tell you that the needles they use are ‘painless’ and that you can expect to feel very little other than the initial insertion. We would disagree. We are using needles and the variety of needling techniques that we have spent years honing and refining to elicit very specific and sometimes very strong sensations in your body. Those sensations can range from a very pleasant warming and filling to a much more intense gripping pressure and even twitching in your muscle tissue. We are not using needles to send you to sleep - we are in many cases conducting minor and very precise (almost surgical) procedures to alter the structure of your tissue, redirect the flow of blood and fluids, and play with the awareness of your nervous system, with the ultimate aim of ensuring all areas of the torso and limbs are well perfused with fresh nutritious circulation.

Question 9

What part should I be playing in my ‘healing’?

Accepted Answer

The only person who can really make a meaningful change for your health is you. As practitioners at Miller’s Way we have a wealth of expertise, experience and knowledge that can help you to understand why you might be experiencing certain symptoms, and how you can potentially start to change and alleviate those, but you are the best expert on your condition and your commitment to making the necessary changes to your lifestyle (where necessary) will be a key factor in your health journey.

Question 10

What does “better” mean?

Accepted Answer

This is a difficult question to answer as “better” will mean different things to different people. For some it might just be that they are no longer plagued by headaches, or that their shoulder pain resolves and they can now play tennis like they used to. For others “better” might be a slower and less instantly tangible overall improvement in physiological function…. Less painful and more regular periods, better sleep and less afternoon fatigue, fewer headaches and more energy, more efficient digestion and less bloating. Often people will come to see us for one particular symptom such as a knee pain but will notice that after a course of treatment their whole body just seems to be working “better”.

Question 11

Is it good to feel worse after a treatment?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sometimes. In conduction our minor surgery and altering the structure of tissue and the flow of blood we are also inflicting small amounts of inflammation and irritation to the body. This most commonly manifests as a DOMS (‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ that you will have noticed after a strenuous workout) that can last for a couple of hours up to a couple of days. But this is a sign that things are changing and not a cause for concern. Once it alleviates you will almost always feel freer, lighter and less stiff or sore in the are where you were treated.

Sometimes, in unravelling what can be years of constricted and under or over used muscle fibres, we can also cause a migration or intensification of symptoms because it is impossible to get to everything in the first session. However it is rare that if you do experience a ‘worsening’ of discomfort that this will be all that you feel. Usually there will be an improvement in some areas and a new or different sensation of discomfort in others.

Question 12

How doesn’t acupuncture work?

Accepted Answer

Acupuncture is not (except in some rare instances) a quick fix, it does not detoxify your organs, nor is it manipulating magical invisible lines of energy in your body. The skilled and precise insertion of fine metal needles into your physical structure has a tangible and palpable effect on the surrounding tissues and fluids that in turn can improve circulation, remove restrictions, optimise organ function and encourage homeostatic and other physiological processes through appropriate manipulation of the nervous system.

Classical Acupuncture in West London

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FAQs About Acupuncture

I'm new to Acupuncture. What can I expect during my first session?

Does Acupuncture hurt?

How should I prepare for my appointment?

What issues can Acupuncture help with?

Is acupuncture safe for treating chronic pain?

How many sessions will I need?

Do you offer acupuncture for stress or anxiety?

What should I feel in a treatment from the needles?

What part should I be playing in my ‘healing’?

What does “better” mean?

Is it good to feel worse after a treatment?

How doesn’t acupuncture work?

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