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Acupuncture · Upper Rissington, Cotswolds
Acupuncture, tailored to you.
Five Element and TCM acupuncture with Andrea Garratt, with electroacupuncture, cupping or moxibustion incorporated where appropriate.
At a glance
- Styles
- Five Element and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
- Also used
- Electroacupuncture, cupping and moxibustion
- Needles
- Very fine, sterile and single-use
- First appointment
- 60–75 minutes · £76
- Follow-up
- 45–60 minutes · £56
- Registered
- British Acupuncture Council · PSA accredited register
How Andrea practises
Two traditions, one approach
Five Element acupuncture
Five Element acupuncture pays close attention to you as a person: your constitution, how you respond to stress and change, and the themes that tend to come up again and again.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
TCM acupuncture looks at patterns: how your symptoms relate to one another and to the way your body is working as a whole.
Andrea trained in both at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine and draws on whichever suits you, sometimes both in one treatment.
Other techniques
Where appropriate, Andrea may use electroacupuncture (a very gentle current between two needles), cupping, or moxibustion, a warming herb used near the skin. She will always explain what she’s suggesting and why before she begins.
60–75 minutes · £76
Your first appointment
Conversation
Your main concern and the wider picture: history, sleep, digestion, energy, cycle, stress and medication.
Observation
Andrea may take your pulse at both wrists and look at your tongue, both traditional parts of a Chinese medicine assessment.
Treatment
Fine, single-use needles are placed and you rest. Most people feel very little as they go in.
Plan
Andrea explains what she recommends, how often to come and what to expect.
Nervous about needles?
How it feels
Acupuncture needles are much finer than the needles used for injections or blood tests. You may notice a brief tingling, warmth or dull ache as a needle settles, and many people find treatment deeply relaxing.
If you’re nervous, say so. Andrea will go at your pace, and laser acupuncture is available if needles aren’t right for you.
“Her deep knowledge, compassion and understanding put me completely at ease, even helping me overcome my fear of needles. She takes the time to listen and tailor the treatment.”
Safety
Safe, registered practice
- Andrea is a member of the British Acupuncture Council, whose register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, and of the Association of Acupuncture Clinicians.
- Every needle is sterile, single-use and safely disposed of after your treatment.
- Please tell Andrea if you’re pregnant, take blood-thinning medication, have a pacemaker or a bleeding disorder, so she can adapt your treatment.
Questions about acupuncture
Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are much finer than the needles used for injections or blood tests. Most people feel very little as they go in, perhaps a brief tingling, warmth or dull ache as a needle settles.
I’m nervous about needles. Can I still come?
Yes. Andrea will go at your pace. Laser acupuncture with the K-Laser can be used where needles aren’t right for you, and Chinese herbal medicine involves no needles at all.
How many treatments will I need?
It depends on what you’re coming in with and how long it has been going on. Andrea will give you a realistic idea at your first appointment and review it with you as you go.
What should I wear and eat beforehand?
Loose, comfortable clothing is ideal, so your arms and lower legs are easy to reach. Have a light meal beforehand rather than coming hungry.
Can I have acupuncture when I’m pregnant?
Yes. Andrea’s postgraduate training includes obstetrics. Let her know how many weeks pregnant you are when you book.
Will my health insurance cover it?
Some private health policies reimburse acupuncture. You pay at your appointment and claim from your insurer afterwards, so check your policy first.
Keep exploring
From the articles
Read before you book
Your first visitYour first acupuncture appointment: what to expectThe consultation, the needles, how it feels, how many sessions and what it costs.
Patient guideAcupuncture in the Cotswolds: a patient’s guideWhat acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine involve, what UK regulators accept about the evidence, safety, cost and how to choose a practitioner.
HeadachesAcupuncture for migraine and tension headachesWhat NICE recommends, what a course looks like and how to keep a headache diary.Start with the whole picture.
Your first appointment gives Andrea time to understand what has been going on, your wider health history and what matters to you.