Does acupuncture hurt?

Most people are surprised by how gentle acupuncture feels. The needles are extremely fine — far thinner than anything used for injections or blood tests. You may feel a light pinch, a dull ache, warmth, or a heavy, relaxing sensation, but many people feel very little at all. If you’re nervous about needles, we take things slowly and explain each step so you feel comfortable throughout your session.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture works by influencing the body’s nervous system, circulation, and internal regulatory pathways. Research suggests it may help calm the stress response, support hormonal balance, improve blood flow, reduce pain sensitivity, and regulate digestion and sleep. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture supports the smooth flow of qi and blood throughout the body, helping restore balance across multiple systems.

Does acupuncture work?

Many people find acupuncture helpful for pain, stress, hormonal health, fertility, digestion, sleep, and overall wellbeing. Evidence continues to grow, particularly in areas such as chronic pain, women’s health, and fertility support. Your treatment is always tailored to your goals, symptoms, and constitution.

Yes — when performed by a fully trained practitioner. All our acupuncturists are members of the British Acupuncture Council and Professional Standards Authority, ensuring your treatment is safe, evidence‑informed, and grounded in advanced clinical knowledge. All needles are single‑use, sterile, and disposed of immediately after treatment.

How much does acupuncture cost?

Treatment prices vary depending on the type of session and practitioner. You can view current pricing and availability through our booking system.

How long is a session?

All our acupuncture sessions last 60 minutes. Your first appointment includes a detailed consultation so we can understand your symptoms, health history, and goals. Follow‑up sessions focus on treatment, progress, and ongoing support.

Ideally, wear something comfortable that allows access to your lower legs, arms, and abdomen. Many people come in loose trousers or leggings. If specific areas need to be treated, we provide towels and coverings to ensure you feel comfortable and supported throughout.

Are there any side effects?

Side effects are usually mild and short‑lived. Some people experience light tiredness, temporary soreness, a small bruise at a needle site, or a sense of deep relaxation. Most people feel calm, grounded, and rested after treatment.

Do you offer online consultations?

Yes. Alice offers online consultations for women’s health, fertility, menstrual health, and general wellbeing. These sessions help you understand your symptoms, navigate NHS or private pathways, and build a personalised plan.

Is your clinic inclusive?

Absolutely. We welcome individuals, couples, solo parents, LGBTQ+ families, trans and non‑binary people, and anyone seeking thoughtful, respectful care.

How many acupuncture treatments will I need?

This varies depending on the person and the condition. Acupuncture is cumulative — each session builds on the previous one. Weekly appointments are usually advised to start with, with results expected within 1–4 weeks. Women’s health and fertility treatment often spans around three cycles of weekly sessions.

What about the medical treatment or medication I am currently taking?

Not a problem. Acupuncture is a non‑invasive treatment that won’t interrupt or hinder other treatments. In fact, acupuncture alongside some treatments, such as IVF, has been shown to increase success rates, and for others, such as anti‑depressants, it may help manage possible side effects.

Can I have acupuncture if I’m pregnant?

Yes. Many of our patients come because they are pregnant, and acupuncture can be a wonderful resource throughout pregnancy.

Acupuncture FAQ’s

acupuncture needles, moxa and guasha tools on a white box in Brockley clinic

Most people are surprised by how gentle acupuncture feels. The needles are extremely fine — far thinner than anything used for injections or blood tests. You may feel a light pinch, a dull ache, warmth, or a heavy, relaxing sensation, but many people feel very little at all. If you’re nervous about needles, we take things slowly and explain each step so you feel comfortable throughout your session.
Acupuncture works by influencing the body’s nervous system, circulation, and internal regulatory pathways. Research suggests it may help:
- Calm the stress response
- Support hormonal balance
- Improve blood flow
- Reduce pain sensitivity
- Regulate digestion and sleep
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture supports the smooth flow of qi and blood throughout the body, helping restore balance across multiple systems.
Learn more about Acupuncture
Many people find acupuncture helpful for pain, stress, hormonal health, fertility, digestion, sleep, and overall wellbeing. The medicine has been used for over 2000 years.
Modern evidence continues to grow, particularly in areas such as chronic pain, women’s health, and fertility support. Learn more about Evidence Based Acupuncture.
Yes — when performed by a fully trained practitioner. All our acupuncturists are members of the British Acupuncture Council and Profesional Standards Authority, ensuring your treatment is safe, evidence‑informed, and grounded in advanced clinical knowledge. All needles are single‑use, sterile, and disposed of immediately after treatment.
Treatment prices vary depending on the practitioner. You can view current pricing and availability through our contact page and booking system.
All our acupuncture sessions last 60 minutes. Your first appointment includes a detailed consultation so we can understand your symptoms, health history, and goals. Follow‑up sessions focus on treatment, progress, and ongoing support.
Ideally, wear something comfortable that allows access to your lower legs, arms, and abdomen. Many people come in loose trousers or leggings. If specific areas need to be treated, we provide towels and coverings to ensure you feel comfortable and supported throughout.
Side effects are usually mild and short‑lived. Some people experience:
- Light tiredness
- Temporary soreness
- A small bruise at a needle site
- A sense of deep relaxation
Most people feel calm, grounded, and rested after treatment.
Yes. Alice offers online consultations for women’s health, fertility, menstrual health, and general wellbeing. These sessions help you understand your symptoms, navigate NHS or private pathways, and build a personalised plan.
Explore online consultations.
Absolutely. We welcome individuals, couples, solo parents, LGBTQ+ families, trans and non‑binary people, and anyone seeking thoughtful, respectful care.
This is always a tricky question to answer ahead of your first appointment, as it changes depending of the person and the condition. But one thing that stays the same is, acupuncture is cumulative. So each session you build on the work from the previous session. Regular consistent appointments accumulate results. Usually weekly appointments are advised to start with, with results expected to be seen within 1 - 4 weeks of appointments. However the course of treatment may last considerably longer than that. As a generalisation, women’s health and fertility is usually around 3 cycles of weekly treatment.
Learn more about our approach to treatment
Not a problem. Acupuncture is a non-invasive treatment that won’t interrupt or hinder any other treatments you might be having. In fact, the use of acupuncture alongside some treatments, such as IVF, has been shown to increase success rates and for others, such as anti-depressants, to help manage possible side effects.
Yes! In fact, many of our patients come because they are pregnant and acupuncture can be a wonderful resource for you throughout your pregnancy.
Learn more about pregnancy acupuncture