01- What happens during an acupuncture session? 02- How many needles are used, and for how long time? 03- If the first visit lasts one hour, how much time is needed thereafter? 04- Is it painful? 05- Are the needles absolutely safe? 06- Does medical secrecy also concern acupuncturists? 07- How often are treatments needed? 08- Is it possible to have acupuncture even if you are on regular medication? 09- Are there medications that are in contraindication for acupuncture treatment? 10- What can be treated with acupuncture? 11- What should I remember to tell before the treatment? 12- Can you get help for menstrual problems? 13- Can you receive acupuncture during pregnancy? 14- Is there any hope to get help for morning-sickness? 15- Do you have to have "faith" in acupuncture to make it work? 16- Can you indicate some good massage points to relieve headache? 17- How can you know who is a good acupuncturist, should he/she be a doctor or some other healthcare practitioner?

01- What happens during an acupuncture session ?

- First I try to get a picture of the problems. You are also asked to fill in a form concerning important general information. At the same time I try to get an overall idea of your situation, not only of your disease. After this I listen to the pulses, and look at the tongue. Only after this the points can be selected. The whole session will take about one hour.

02- How many needles are used, and for how long time ?

- Normally 2 – 5 needles are enough, and they are kept 20 minutes for adults.

03- If the first visit lasts one hour, how much time is needed thereafter ?

- Always reserve one hour for a treatment. We need time to discuss what has happened after the treatment. Acupuncture depends on mutual co-operation for optimal results. Only you know how you have reacted. I need this information to adjust my treatment strategy.

04- Is it painful ?

- The needles I use are very thin, and most people experience the treatment as practically painless. Those who dread needles should tell about their fear in advance. Then I can take this into consideration when choosing points.

05- Are the needles absolutely safe ?

- They are absolutely safe as I only use disposable sterile needles.

06- Does medical secrecy also concern acupuncturists ?

- Yes, definitely.

07- How often are treatments needed ?

- It depends on each case, the length of the treatments may vary. A normal time between two treatments is three weeks.

08- Is it possible to have acupuncture even if you are on regular medication ?

- Medication is no hindrance for acupuncture. However, it is important to tell what medication you use, as this affects the different pulses. When I know what medicine you use, I will take this into consideration.

09- Are there medications that are in contraindication for acupuncture treatment ?

- Cortisone used during long periods may notably diminish the effect of acupuncture. Treatment is still possible, but it requires a longer time to obtain results.

10- What can be treated with acupuncture ?

- Chinese Medicine is a form of medicine of its own right. The same diseases as you treat with western medicine can be treated.

i.e.
- allergies
- asthma
- hypertension
- insomnia and stress related diseases
- menstrual dysfunctions (dysmenorrhoea, bleeding problems, PMS)
- infertility
- morning-sickness
- menopausal problems
- digestive problems
- migraine
- neurological problems
- buzzing (tinnitus)
- fibromyalgia
- rheuma
(...)

11- What should I remember to tell before the treatment ?

- It is worthwhile to make a list of all symptoms you have, even so you do not think that they are inter-related. The same problem can have many symptoms western medicine does not connect in the same way.

12- Can you get help for menstrual problems ?

- Yes. All menstrual problems should always be treated. Healthy menstruation is totally free from any kind of symptoms and is a good health indicator. Women will always be asked about their menstruation.

13- Can you have acupuncture during pregnancy ?

- Yes. Always tell if you are pregnant, if you hope for or suspect pregnancy! During pregnancy certain points are forbidden. Tonifying acupuncture is very beneficial both for the mother and the child.

14- Is there any hope to get help for morning-sickness ?

- Often morning-sickness can be helped very quickly. Of course there can be severe conditions, where even acupuncture can't help. This will show very quickly.

15- Do you have to have "faith" in acupuncture to make it work ?

- No, you do not. Acupuncture works independently of faith -even animals are successfully treated with acupuncture. A neutral attitude towards it is sufficent.

16- Can you indicate some good massage points to relieve headache ?

- There is no such thing as general points that always cures certain diseases. We all react individually. Your headache is not the same as somebody else's, and this is why the points are chosen to fit you and your condition. Furthermore, the points used on you are different from one treatment to another because, according to Chinese Medicine, you and your situation changes all the time.

17- How can you know who is a good acupuncturist, should he/she be a doctor or some other healthcare practitioner ?

- The situation in Finland is difficult from the patient's point of view. Acupuncture is legal, but there are no regulations as to the education. This means that there is no officially approved acupuncture education in our country. A doctor or any other health practitioner could be a good acupuncturer, provided he/she has a proper education in acupuncture.
The WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends 1500 hours acupuncture education for doctors, and 2000 hours for other practitioners. Only by asking your acupuncturist you can get to know his/her education (see my CV - click here).

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me, Click here

copyright © 2003 - Maria Juselius