Acupuncture · Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and traditional techniques for pain relief, balance and wellbeing.
Acupuncture · Traditional Chinese Medicine in Fernão Ferro.
Meet the professionals who provide this treatmentIn short
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complementary therapy regulated in Portugal (Ordinance 207-G/2014, Law 71/2013) that views health as a dynamic balance between body, energy and mind. It brings together acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, tui-na (therapeutic massage), Chinese herbal medicine and dietary therapy. We work with chronic and acute pain (low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headaches, menstrual pain, fibromyalgia), insomnia and sleep disturbances, stress and anxiety, digestive issues, allergies, gynaecological conditions and fertility support. Acupuncture is recognized by the World Health Organization as a complementary treatment for several conditions.
How it can help
Acupuncture is recognised by the WHO as a complementary treatment for several conditions.
Chronic and acute pain
Low back pain, neck pain, sciatica, headaches, migraine, joint pain, fibromyalgia.
Sleep and anxiety
Insomnia, fragmented sleep, anxiety, stress, burnout.
Women's health
PMS, dysmenorrhoea, perimenopause, fertility support.
Allergies and respiratory
Allergic rhinitis, recurrent sinusitis, seasonal allergies.
Digestive health
Irritable bowel syndrome, reflux, constipation, abdominal bloating.
Wellbeing and energy
Persistent fatigue with no medical cause identified, recovery after illness or surgery.
How the first session works
The first session is longer (60 min) because it includes a careful diagnosis according to Chinese Medicine and a decision on whether acupuncture is appropriate for you.
Step 01
Detailed history
We discuss the reason for the visit, but also sleep, digestion, energy, cycles — signs that TCM integrates into the diagnosis.
Step 02
Tongue and pulse examination
Two pillars of TCM diagnosis, providing information on the body's internal state.
Step 03
Plan and treatment
We define the imbalance pattern, choose suitable acupuncture points and start the treatment in the same session.
Acupuncture, and what may complement it
Acupuncture is the core of every treatment. The other techniques of Chinese Medicine are added only when they help your case.
Acupuncture
The technique at the centre of our consultation: stimulation of specific points with very thin sterile single-use needles.
Moxibustion
Heat applied to points using the artemisia herb (moxa), when indicated in patterns of internal cold and chronic pain.
Cupping
Suction cups on the skin, when indicated to release muscle tension and improve local circulation.
Herbal medicine and dietetics
Occasionally, herbal formulas or dietary guidance complement acupuncture; always discussed with your physician if you take medication.
When it is worth trying
Acupuncture may suit you if
- You have chronic pain that does not fully respond to other approaches
- You experience insomnia, anxiety or persistent stress
- You have gynaecological concerns or are planning fertility treatment
- You are looking for a complementary approach to conventional medicine
- You want to reduce reliance on painkillers for chronic complaints
Prior medical assessment is needed if
- You have warning signs not yet investigated by your doctor
- You take anticoagulants or immunosuppressants — herbal therapy is discussed with your physician
- You have severe needle phobia — alternatives exist (acupressure, laser)
In Chinese Medicine there is no 'one-size-fits-all' recipe — two people with the same low back pain may need completely different treatments, because what we treat is the underlying imbalance pattern. We coordinate with your physician whenever it makes sense and exclusively use single-use materials and safe protocols, in line with Portuguese regulation.
Acupuncture Team
Fábrica do Sorriso · Fernão Ferro
Clear prices, before we start
Before any treatment, you receive a plan explained in detail and a written quote. The amount you approve with us is the amount you pay — no surprises on the invoice, and no pressure to decide.
A written quote
Handed over and explained at your first appointment, before any decision. Take it home and think it over.
Consultation prices
The first visit, the urgent consultation, GBT oral hygiene, the dental sleep medicine and orofacial pain (TMJ) consultations, the polyclinic consultations and the panoramic X-ray have a published price — private prices; with insurance or an agreement, the amount depends on your plan.
See consultation prices3 to 12 interest-free instalments
Finance treatments up to €2,500 with Cofidis Pay — approval in minutes, fully digital.
See financingAgreements, insurance and cheque-dentista
Thirteen agreements and insurers — from Medicare and Multicare to Future Healthcare — plus the SNS cheque-dentista.
See agreements & insurance
No treatment goes ahead without a quote you have approved.
At the assessment you get the plan in writing, with the cost of each stage and what your insurance or agreement covers. Take it home and decide without pressure.
Book a visitWe publish consultation prices. The rest depends on the case — so treatment is quoted in writing, and you know the total before anything starts.
02 Who treats youDr. Sandra Silva
Chinese Medicine
At your appointment, Dr. Sandra Silva will listen to what brings you in, assess your case and explain your options. You can ask questions before deciding what to do next.
- Registration
- ACSS 0500661
- Clinics
- Fernão Ferro
Available at
Fernão Ferro
Rua Fernando Pessoa, 231 A
2865-189 Fernão FerroBook a visit+351 961 587 068Call charged at national mobile rate
+351 212 121 196Call charged at national landline rate
Frequently asked questions
- What is Chinese Medicine and how does it differ from Western medicine?
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system over two thousand years old that views the body as a dynamic whole — energy (Qi), blood, fluids and organs in interdependence. Rather than treating an isolated symptom, it seeks the pattern of imbalance behind a set of signs. It brings together acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, tui-na, moxibustion, cupping and dietary therapy. It is complementary to Western medicine and, in many cases, can run in parallel with it.
- Does acupuncture hurt?
- Acupuncture needles are extremely thin (around 10 times thinner than an injection needle). Most people feel only a light prick or nothing at all, followed by a sensation of warmth, heaviness or tingling — called "deqi." It is an expected sensation and means the point is being stimulated.
- What are the main indications for acupuncture?
- The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as a complementary treatment for several conditions. The most common indications include: pain (low back, neck, sciatica, headaches, migraine, menstrual pain, joint pain, fibromyalgia), insomnia and sleep disturbances, anxiety and stress, functional digestive disorders, allergies and rhinitis, gynaecological conditions (PMS, dysmenorrhoea, perimenopause) and fertility support, nausea (including in pregnancy or post-chemotherapy).
- After how many sessions are results felt?
- For acute complaints (recent back pain, headaches, seasonal allergy) effects may be felt after 1 to 3 sessions. For chronic complaints, an initial cycle of 6 to 10 sessions is usually recommended, mostly weekly, then spaced out according to progress. Response is reviewed with you regularly — if there is no measurable improvement after a few sessions, we revisit the approach.
- Is acupuncture safe? Does it have side effects?
- When practised by a certified professional with sterile disposable needles, acupuncture is considered a very safe therapy. Side effects, when they occur, are usually mild: small bruising at the needle site, transient fatigue or deep relaxation, rarely lightheadedness. Serious complications are extremely rare. In Portugal, only professionals with a license issued by ACSS are authorized to practise.
- Can I combine it with the medication I already take?
- As a rule, yes. Acupuncture can complement almost any treatment. With Chinese herbal medicine more caution is needed — some herbs can interact with medication (anticoagulants, antidepressants, immunosuppressants). That is why we always ask for your full medication list and, when in doubt, coordinate with your GP before prescribing formulas.
Other treatments
Ready to try acupuncture?
Book your acupuncture consultation at our Polyclinic in Fernão Ferro. We see adults and seniors.