Acupuncture FAQs

Not really, but let’s be honest: you’re getting poked with needles, so you’ll probably feel something. The good news is that acupuncture needles are incredibly fine (about the width of a cat’s whisker), and most people describe the sensation as a light pinch, a dull ache, or a warm, spreading feeling.

Occasionally, a point might feel sharp or zappy for a second: that usually means we’ve hit exactly where your body needed a nudge. It’s not pain in the “I regret everything” sense; more like “Huh, that’s interesting.” The majority of patients find it deeply relaxing, and quite a few fall asleep during treatment.

A skilled practitioner knows how to adjust the technique to your sensitivity. You don’t need to grit your teeth or pretend you’re brave. You’re allowed to say, “Nope, that’s too much.” This is your body, not a medieval test of character.

Vanessa Menendez Covelo, acupuncturist and lecturer in North London, takes a thoughtful and responsive approach to needling. Whether you’re needle-phobic, vaguely intrigued, or ready to sign up for a full body reboot, she’ll meet you where you are with a calm hand and zero judgement.

Yes, mild bruising can occasionally happen after acupuncture  although it’s not very common and usually nothing to worry about. Because acupuncture involves inserting fine needles into areas rich with tiny blood vessels, sometimes one of those vessels can be nicked, leading to a small, painless bruise that fades within a few days.

Vanessa uses ultra-fine, sterile needles and gentle technique to minimise the chance of bruising, especially in areas where the skin is more delicate, like the wrists or ankles. Most people don’t bruise at all, but if you do, it’s a normal response: just your body processing a small change in circulation.

You can help reduce bruising by avoiding alcohol, vigorous exercise, or anything that thins the blood (like certain supplements) on the day of treatment. A cool compress afterward can also help if you notice a mark.

In most cases, bruising is simply a sign that your body’s healing and circulation are active and it shouldn’t affect the overall benefits of treatment. For most people, the only lasting effect is feeling calmer, lighter, and more balanced after the session.

Acupuncture is recommended for a wide range of conditions, especially those where the body’s own systems need support to regulate, repair, or calm the hell down. Most people first try it for pain: back pain, migraines, sciatica, neck tension, and those mysterious shoulder situations that aren’t technically frozen but might as well be. But that’s just the beginning.

It’s also frequently used for hormonal issues (PMS, perimenopause, fertility), stress and anxiety, digestive symptoms, fatigue, insomnia, and recovery from illness or burnout. Some patients come in with a diagnosis; others show up with a vague feeling that something’s off. Both are valid.

Acupuncture works well as a complementary therapy meaning it can sit alongside Western medicine, not replace it. It’s not a silver bullet, but it often becomes a surprisingly effective missing piece of the health puzzle.

Vanessa Menendez Covelo, acupuncturist and educator based in Crouch End, works with patients managing complex or chronic conditions as well as those navigating life transitions (think menopause, career burnout, or the sudden need to question everything). Her practice combines traditional Chinese medicine with a modern, evidence-informed approach tailored to real lives, not ideal ones.

It depends on the person and the condition being treated. Some people notice changes after just one session, while others see results gradually over several treatments.

For something acute (like a recent injury), you may feel improvement quickly. For longer-term issues (like chronic pain or hormonal imbalance), it may take a course of 4–6 sessions to notice consistent changes.

As a rule of thumb, Vanessa tends to review progress after 3–5 sessions. If nothing has budged by then, it’s time to reassess; whether that means adjusting the treatment strategy or recommending something else entirely (Vanessa is pro-results, not pro-needling-for-eternity).

Acupuncture works best when it’s consistent. Coming once, waiting six months, and coming again won’t usually cut it. It’s more like physiotherapy or counselling than a one-off fix. That doesn’t mean you’re signing up for weekly treatments forever but it does mean that healing, like life, isn’t instant.

Located in Crouch End, Vanessa’s clinic offers realistic care plans and honest timelines: no vague promises, just a collaborative approach to helping your system rebalance at its own pace.

The effects of acupuncture vary from person to person, but most people feel a difference after their first few sessions. Some experience relief that lasts for days, while others notice longer-lasting improvements as their treatments build. Acupuncture works cumulatively, meaning the benefits deepen as your body learns to maintain that balanced, calmer state between sessions.

Vanessa usually recommends an initial course of weekly treatments to get your system moving in the right direction, then spacing sessions out as things stabilise. For some, that means occasional “maintenance” visits every few weeks or months to keep stress, pain or sleep issues in check.

Think of it less like a one-time fix and more like training your body to stay balanced. Over time, those effects last longer, and many people find their bodies naturally settle into a more resilient rhythm: one that feels calm, clear and sustainable.

How often you have acupuncture depends on what you’re coming for and how your body responds. In general, acupuncture works cumulatively; the benefits build with consistency, a bit like physical therapy or exercise for your nervous system.

Vanessa usually recommends starting with weekly sessions to get things moving in the right direction. As your symptoms improve and your system starts to stabilise, treatments can be spaced out to every two to four weeks, or used seasonally for maintenance and prevention.

For some people, a few sessions are enough to reset things; for others (especially with chronic issues like pain, hormonal imbalance or anxiety) a longer course offers deeper, more lasting results. Vanessa always tailors the plan to you, adjusting frequency based on how your body feels, not just a set schedule.

The goal is for you to need acupuncture less over time, as your body learns to maintain that balance on its own: calm, steady and self-regulating.

Acupuncture has a lot going on beneath the surface and no, it’s not just about sticking needles in random places like a human pincushion. It helps calm the nervous system so your body can shift out of “fight-or-flight” and into “rest-and-digest.” That’s where you’ll find the calmer mind, better sleep and less tension people often notice after treatment. It also supports circulation, releases your body’s natural painkillers and helps ease inflammation, which makes it useful for everything from back pain to migraines. On a deeper level, acupuncture works with your natural rhythms, helping with cycles, hormones, digestion and energy. People often describe it as feeling like their system has been “defragged”: clearer, lighter, more grounded.

Think of acupuncture as a conversation with your nervous system. The needles are hair-thin and placed at specific points to send signals through your body. Those signals help improve blood flow, calm stress responses, release endorphins and gently nudge your system back toward balance. It’s subtle, but the effects are very real.

Acupuncture is for people who want their bodies to function better not in a mystical, mysterious way, but in a grounded, evidence-meets-tradition kind of way. With Vanessa, that means you’ll be met with zero judgement, a science-based approach that’s tailored to your nervous system, and the space to actually unwind while your body resets. Whether you’re dealing with stress, pain, sleep issues, hormonal shifts or just feel “off” Vanessa’s focus in her North London clinic is helping your system move toward balance in a way that feels supportive, not overwhelming.

There’s a solid and steadily growing body of scientific research supporting acupuncture particularly for pain, migraines, tension headaches, and some stress-related and hormonal conditions. It’s even recommended by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) for certain types of chronic pain and migraines, and used in some NHS settings for those specific cases.

Research shows that acupuncture can influence how the nervous system processes pain, regulate hormones and neurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and help the body shift from “fight or flight” into “rest and repair.” That said, studying acupuncture isn’t simple (because it’s highly individualised and can’t be “blinded” like a pill trial) so results can vary depending on how the research is designed.

Vanessa Menendez Covelo, a North London acupuncturist with a background in both science and classical Chinese medicine, takes an evidence-aware approach in her clinic. She reads the research, respects the tradition, and stays honest about what acupuncture can and can’t do in each case.

So while acupuncture may not be “proven” for every condition, the science increasingly supports what patients have been experiencing for thousands of years: it helps the body heal, balance, and function better.

Acupuncture is generally very safe when performed by a properly trained and licensed practitioner. The needles are sterile, single-use, and extremely fine: more like a hair than a medical syringe. Most people experience no side effects at all, though occasionally you might notice a small bruise, slight tiredness, or a brief feeling of lightheadedness after treatment. These effects are mild, temporary, and often a sign that your body is responding to the session.

More unusual reactions like feeling emotional, extra sleepy, or even a little energised are also normal. Acupuncture affects the nervous system and circulation, so shifts can sometimes feel noticeable in the hours following treatment.

Vanessa, a BAcC-registered acupuncturist based in North London, practices with great care and attention to patient comfort. She always checks in during treatment and adapts her approach to your sensitivity and health history.

In short, acupuncture side effects are rare and minor and for most people, the only “after-effect” is feeling calmer, looser, and a little more like themselves again.

Yes: acupuncture is generally very safe during pregnancy when performed by a properly trained practitioner. It’s often used to manage common symptoms like nausea, fatigue, pelvic discomfort, anxiety, and insomnia. As the pregnancy progresses, acupuncture can also help support breech presentation correction, labour preparation, and postnatal recovery.

Vanessa and Vaida, based in North London, have extensive experience treating pregnant patients: carefully, gently, and with attention to both safety and emotional wellbeing. 

Always let your practitioner know if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. And yes, pregnancy-safe acupuncture is one of the most calming ways to carve out a pocket of peace during a time when your body is doing roughly everything.

Comfort is the name of the game. You don’t need to arrive in full spa chic (unless you want to), but loose-fitting clothes that can be easily rolled up or moved around make everyone’s life easier, especially yours.

Most acupuncture points used in treatment are on the lower arms and legs, back, and abdomen. So ideally: sleeves that can be pushed up above the elbows, trousers or leggings that roll up to the knees, and a top you’re comfortable adjusting if points on the belly or upper back are needed. If something needs to come off, you’ll be covered with towels or blankets, and modesty will be fully respected.

Vanessa, North London acupuncturist and seasoned point-location examiner (she’s seen everything), keeps a calm and unhurried pace in clinic so you never feel rushed. If your outfit makes access a bit tricky, she’ll work around it with grace and zero judgement. Life’s messy. So are wardrobes.

And yes: you can absolutely wear your joggers. They’re the acupuncture equivalent of formalwear.

The short version? Be kind to your nervous system.

After acupuncture, it’s common to feel deeply relaxed, slightly spaced out, or on occasion oddly energised. Whatever your response, your body is doing something. So don’t rush straight into intense meetings, a HIIT class, or a full-blown argument with a delivery driver. Give yourself a bit of quiet time, even if it’s just a walk, a rest, or not checking your email for 20 minutes.

Stay warm, stay hydrated, and don’t skip meals. Occasionally, people feel a bit emotional after treatment; that’s normal too. Acupuncture moves energy (qi), and sometimes that means shifting things that have been stuck for a while, emotionally or physically.

Vanessa, acupuncturist and low-key chaos navigator in Crouch End, encourages her patients to think of acupuncture as more than just the hour in clinic: it’s a signal to your system to reset. That signal needs space to echo.

So yes, go back to your day. But go softly.

Yes, and that’s actually a good sign. Feeling tired after acupuncture is your body’s way of saying, “Thanks, I’ll take it from here.” When the nervous system finally shifts out of stress mode and into rest-and-repair, you might feel a wave of fatigue or a deep sense of calm. It’s similar to the way you feel after a massage or a really good nap: your system is recalibrating.

Vanessa always encourages people to take it easy after treatment: drink plenty of water, eat something nourishing and, if possible, avoid rushing back into high-stress activity. The tiredness usually passes within a few hours, replaced by a clearer, lighter energy the next day.

Over time, as your body gets used to this more balanced state, that post-treatment fatigue tends to fade and what replaces it is a steadier kind of energy that feels grounded rather than wired.

No, although both use fine needles, they come from different traditions and have different training requirements.

Dry needling is a modern technique used mainly for muscle pain and trigger points, often practiced by physios or chiropractors with short training courses.

Acupuncture is part of a comprehensive medical system with diagnostic principles, rooted in East Asian medicine and backed by in-depth training.

They may look similar, but the approach, reasoning, and scope of treatment are very different.

Vanessa, acupuncturist in Crouch End and lecturer at The City College of Acupuncture, is a vocal advocate for protecting the integrity of acupuncture as a profession. She’s spent enough time mentoring students (and treating dry needling fallout cases) to know the difference in depth, safety, and results.

If someone’s needling you, it matters what they learned and how long they studied.

The easiest way to find a safe, properly trained practitioner is to look for someone who is a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). Members meet rigorous training standards (usually a degree-level qualification), follow a strict code of ethics, and are fully insured. You can find them in the public register at acupuncture.org.uk.

But don’t stop there: find someone whose clinical interests match your needs. If you’re looking for fertility support, musculoskeletal care, or help managing anxiety, check whether the practitioner has experience or postgraduate training in those areas.

Vanessa Menendez Covelo, BAcC member, lecturer, and acupuncturist based in Crouch End, North London, brings both academic and clinical depth to her work. She’s particularly known for her interest in complex presentations, hormonal issues, and the occasional existential crisis. She’s also kind of obsessed with musculoskeletal pain (the satisfying kind to treat, not to have).

Ultimately, acupuncture is a collaborative process. Choose someone who listens well, explains clearly, and makes you feel like you’re in good hands…because you are.