British Acupuncture Council

Q: What about the needles used? A: I use single-use pre-sterilised disposable needles, which are disposed of immediately after use. Acupuncture needles bear little resemblance to the needles used in injections and blood tests. They are much finer and solid, not hollow. When a needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as a tingling.

Q: Is it safe? A: There have been three surveys in the last six years which have shown that acupuncture is amongst the safest therapies in use in the UK today. Out of 68,000 recorded treatments in two of the 2001 surveys, there were only 14 minor (bruising, feeling nauseous) adverse events. There have been very few reports of serious adverse events, and most adverse effects are transient, lasting no more than a day or so.

Q: What should I do before treatment? A: You should try not to have a large meal within an hour of your appointment as the process of digestion will alter the pattern of your pulse.