Liz has trained in dry needling techniques (also known as medical acupuncture) and where appropriate and with consent, uses it to complement her treatment.

How does it work?
In many cases dry needling makes use of trigger points. These are areas, usually in an area of muscle that hurt when it is pressed and may cause pain to radiate to other areas. When a needle is placed in a trigger point it can relieve pain in these areas, although it is not exactly known how this happens. Acupuncture also works where there are no trigger points, in which case it is generally accepted that it works by changing the ways in which the brain transmits information about pain.

What symptoms can be helped by acupuncture?
Acupuncture can be used for a huge variety of symptoms although  it is often used for relieving muscle and joint related pain including headaches.

Are there any adverse effects?
Sometimes a small bruise may appear where the needle in inserted. This is not serious and it will go away by itself. Some people find that their symptoms become temporarily worse for a short time. In general this aggravation is followed by an improvement. Some degree of drowsiness may occur therefore patients who have had acupuncture should be cautious about driving or operating machinery after a treatment.

How many treatments will I require?
Sometimes only one treatment is required. Most people require 3-6 treatments. At first you may be asked to come back after one or two weeks and as improvement occurs, the interval between treatments will be spaced out. The effects of each treatment may vary, but what is important is that there is a long term trend towards improvement.