A profound 3,000 year old system of East Asian medicine that is increasingly used in the West as well. In the UK more and more people are finding out what acupuncture can do for them.
Acupuncture is considered primarily as a means of pain relief, but it is in fact used to treat people with a wide range of illnesses. Its focus is on treating the root of the problem and improving the overall well-being of the patient, rather than the isolated treatment of specific symptoms. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy – known as Qi (pronounced ‘Chee’) – moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin.
Acupuncture evolved as a holistic approach to the management of disease as well as the maintenance of health. It is well-documented by scholars and doctors since 400BC. The skill of an acupuncturist lies in their ability to make a diagnosis from what is often a complex pattern of disharmony. The exact pattern and degree of disharmony is unique to each individual and it will be treated as such with a personalised treatment plan.
Acupuncture in China still features in mainstream healthcare, both as a stand-alone therapy and in combination with both conventional western medicine and herbal medicine. It is now widely used and accepted all over the world, with some excellent research showing its mechanisms as well as what conditions it can help.
What you can expect at the appointment
By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the person’s own healing response and help restore their natural balance, which will in turn improve the symptoms of dis-ease. The flow of Qi can be disturbed by a number of factors. These include emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief; poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, environmental toxins and trauma. The principal aim of acupuncture in treating the whole person is to recover the equilibrium between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual.
The first appointment will be a longer session and involves the taking of an in-depth case history, followed by a treatment. All information within the consultation and treatments is strictly confidential.
We may ask you to take some items of tight clothing off so we recommend wearing loose attire.
At the start of each session you will be asked how you have been since you were last seen and the practitioner will find out in detail what changes have taken place since then. Your pulse will be taken and your tongue examined – this is an important diagnostic tool. You will lie down or sit up while needles are put in place for about 20 minutes; you may be left to be quiet, relax and let the needles do their work.
Practitioners may also use moxa (Artemesia, a heating herb,) or Cupping (the placing of cups over certain points, creating a suction), Tuina (massage technique), or Guasha (brisk rubbing technique). Lifestyle can often have a detrimental impact on health – we can support you to makes the necessary changes that will be beneficial to you.
We carefully insert a small number of hair-fine needles – there is a slight prick then a transient mild tingly ache feeling which many people experience as deeply relaxing. There’s rarely any bleeding or bruising.
How many sessions should the client need before they see a result?
The number of sessions required largely depends on the severity of the problem, but a practitioner usually starts by seeing you for 6 weekly sessions then stretches the frequency to fortnightly, monthly and so on as you improve. The effects are cumulative. You should have indications of a response within the first 6 treatments – for some that may be sufficient. For chronic conditions, more sessions may be required. Once better many people choose to continue more occasional maintenance treatment tailored to their requirements.
What problems can this therapy help
There is a growing body of evidence-based clinical research showing the benefits of acupuncture for a wide range of common health conditions. A lot of people have acupuncture to relieve specific aches and pains, such as osteoarthritis of the knee, Tempero-Mandibular (jaw) Joint pain, headaches and low back pain, or for common health problems like an overactive bladder or menopause. Other people choose acupuncture when they can feel themselves out of balance, but have been given no obvious diagnosis. And many have regular treatments because they find it beneficial and relaxing.
In 2003 the World Health Organisation published a report, ‘Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials’, which lists 31 symptoms, conditions and diseases that have been shown in controlled trials to be effectively treated by acupuncture. About 28,000 research papers have been published on acupuncture, too many to list here! But NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) considers acupuncture to be effective for:
- tension headaches/migraines,
- pain – back and neck
- arthritis
- allergic rhinitis
- depression
- fertility support and IVF
- cancer patient support
Scientific research has also shown us that acupuncture:
- regulates brain chemicals – releases endorphins and adenosin
- regulates some hormones – eg adrenaline
- strengthens immune system
- improves blood circulation
- helps repair damaged/inflamed tissues (the US army uses Acupuncture to treat battlefield injuries in war zones)
Please click this link to access the references:
https://acupuncture.org.uk/about-acupuncture/fact-sheets/
Who would benefit from this type of therapy?
As acupuncture treats the person as a whole, many people who have treatment report “beneficial side effects” – their other symptoms and general health start to improve. So it is suitable for almost everybody.
Useful Links
The British Acupuncture Council: https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/
Multi-Bed (community acupuncture) clinic at Nine Springs: Multi-Bed Acupuncture
Association of Community and Multi-bed Acupuncture Clinics http://acmac.net
The British Acupuncture Association British Acupuncture Association – Official website of the British Acupuncture Association