What happens during a Chinese medicine consultation?
People are often surprised by how many questions I ask at a first appointment. If you've booked because of headaches, you might expect the conversation to stay on your headaches. It usually doesn't. I'll also ask about things like your sleep, digestion, stress levels, and menstrual cycle. Those details can seem unrelated at first, but often aren't.
One of the things I value about Chinese medicine is that it encourages me to ask how different parts of your health relate to one another. Looking at those relationships often provides a more complete picture than looking at each symptom on its own.
We'll also spend time talking about your main concern, your medical history, any investigations you've had, previous treatments, and what you're hoping to achieve. Many people I see are already working with a healthcare team that might include their GP, specialist, osteopath, psychologist or dietitian. Understanding the care you're already receiving helps me tailor my recommendations and, where appropriate, work alongside the rest of your healthcare team.
As part of the consultation, I'll also perform some traditional Chinese medicine assessments, including looking at your tongue and feeling your pulse. These are used alongside your health history and clinical presentation to build an understanding of your overall pattern of health. They aren't used in place of conventional medical assessment, but they provide another layer of information that helps guide treatment from a Chinese medicine perspective.
If we decide treatment is appropriate, acupuncture usually forms a large part of your care. Depending on your presentation, treatment might also include Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion, gua sha, heat therapy, or other traditional techniques where they're likely to be helpful. I'll explain why I'm recommending a particular approach and answer any questions before we begin.
Treatment doesn't end when the needles come out. We may also discuss practical lifestyle strategies that are relevant to your situation. That might include sleep, movement, nutrition, pacing, stress management, or other habits that support your treatment goals. The advice I give is individualised, and it's intended to be realistic and achievable rather than adding another long list of things to do.
No two consultations are exactly the same because no two people arrive with the same health history. My aim is to help you leave with a clearer understanding of your health and why I've recommended a particular treatment approach.
Last reviewed: July 2026
