A Guide for Teens & Young People

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healthcare in the World.  It originated in China around 3,000 years ago!

It takes between 3-4 years training to become a qualified acupuncturist and we learn Chinese medicine as well as conventional / Western medicine too. 

I'm registered with an industry body called the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) which means you can trust that I'm fully trained to be able to help you.  I use Chinese medicine techniques to work out the best way to treat you - I will always look at you as a whole person and not just a list of symptoms. 

Treatment involves using super fine needles in specific points on your body which are called acupuncture points.  I work with your body's energy which is called 'qi' (pronounced 'chee') in Chinese medicine.   

No!  Honestly, most people don't even feel the needles going in, they're a lot smaller than needles you may have seen at the doctor's.

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You might feel a slight tingle or an ache when the needles are in, that's totally normal and is just your body responding to the needle.  Most people find it really relaxing!  If you are worried about needles though, we have loads of needle-free techniques we can use so don't let the needles worry you at all!  You get to decide whether we use needles or not at each appointment.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Acupuncture can help with all sorts of things!  Some of the more common things I treat for teenagers are:

• Sleep problems

• Anxiety

• Feelings of anger and frustration

• Feeling down

• Acne

• Digestive problems

• Painful periods

• Headaches and migraines

You don't need to have a particular thing to come for treatment for - acupuncture is great for just helping make the transitions through your teenage years easier! 

At the first appointment, we'll have a chat about how I can help you and I'll ask to have a look at your tongue (it may seem a bit weird at first) and I'll  feel your pulse too as these things help me to decide the best way to treat you.

Then you'll lay on a comfortable treatment couch and I'll insert the very fine needles (usually between 2-8).  Sometimes they may stay in for around 15 minutes, other times they will just come straight out.  I always explain everything I'll be doing and you can say 'no' to anything you're not comfortable with.  

The points I use are often on the lower arms or legs so wearing short sleeves and clothes that can easily be rolled up out of the way means you won't need to take anything off.  Sometimes, there are points I will use on your back or torso and then I have towels you can use and I always leave you to get undressed in private and we only ever expose the parts of your body that we need to needle.  

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If you're not comfortable with needles in certain areas of your body, just let me know as there's always other points we can use - that's the great thing about having hundreds of acupuncture points all over our bodies! 

They need to be there for the first time I see you as they can sometimes remember things from your childhood that you may have been too young to remember.  After that, it's entirely up to you.  They can stay for some, all or none of your treatment.  It's your choice.  I will always ask them to stay on the premises though so if you do change your mind they will always be near by.

Yes!  I follow very strict confidentiality rules so anything you say to me, stays private between us.  The only exception to that is if I was very worried about your safety or the safety of others.  If I think it would help to talk to your GP or other healthcare professional, I'll always ask your permission first. 

This is a tricky one to answer as a lot depends on what you're coming for treatment for and how you respond as an individual - everyone's different.  Acupuncture usually isn't an instant fix and it can take several treatments.  Many people do notice changes pretty quickly though.

I'll be able to give you a  better idea of how many sessions you might need after our first session.