Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an integral part of the rapid growth of complementary therapy in the UK. With an increasing number of people seeking acupuncture treatment it is important for patients and healthcare professionals to understand the difference between the two styles most commonly on offer.
Acupuncture as practised by members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is an holistic approach to health based on over 2,000 years of development and refinement in the Far East. The tradition is as much about the maintenance of health as the management of disease. Western or medical acupuncture is a more recent development practised predominantly by doctors and physiotherapists which uses acupuncture techniques within their existing scope of practice on the basis of a western medical diagnosis.
Although sometimes described merely as a means of pain relief, traditional acupuncture is actually used to treat people with a wide range of illnesses. Its focus is on improving the overall well being of the patient, rather than the isolated treatment of specific symptoms. The skill of an acupuncturist lies in their ability to make a traditional diagnosis from what is often a complex pattern of disharmony. The exact pattern and degree of disharmony is unique to each individual and so following diagnosis, the acupuncturist puts together a personalised treatment plan.
According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body's motivating energy - known as qi - moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin. The flow of qi can be disturbed by many factors, physical, mental and emotional: anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, poisons and trauma. By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body's own healing response and help to restore its natural balance.
Short History of Acupuncture:
Acupuncture has been used in the Far East to restore, promote and maintain good health for over 2,500 years. The first needles were made from stone, and then later from bronze, gold and silver. The first medical account of acupuncture was The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine which dates from about 300 BC.
What happens during a session of Acupuncture?
On your first visit you will have a consultation to assess your general state of health, to give he most effective treatment.
Fine needles will be inserted into recognised acupuncture points, for example a headache will may not be treated with needles in the head or neck as you would expect but in the hand or foot. The needles are left in place for a period of time from either a second or two or left for up to 20mins.
I am scared of needles
Needles which are used by the acupuncturist are not like those used for injections or blood tests, they are solid and not hollow. They are much finer and do not look like the needles we all know. All needles are sterile, and practitioners follow stringent standards of hygiene. All needles are disposed of once a treatment is complete.
What can Acupuncture do for me?
Acupuncture is widely considered to be beneficial for a wide range of illnesses and symptoms, from clearly defined complaints such as headaches, vomiting, neck and back ache, arthritic and dental pain, through to more general feelings of ill health such as nausea, poor immunity or low energy.
How often do I need to go for Acupuncture?
The number of treatments depends upon the individual. It could be from one to two visits up to five or perhaps more. Some improvements are dramatic whilst others are more subtle.
Do I need to be ill to receive Acupuncture?
No. Acupuncture helps the body work in harmony. It is said to be good to have acupuncture treatment in each of the four seasons if you do not feel you require it for anything else. It helps keep energy channels open and will help boost overall energy and vitality.
Conditions that may be helped with Acupuncture:
Eye, ear nose and throat;
circulatory;
gastrointestinal;
gynaecological;
genito-urinary;
immune;
muscular-skeletal;
neurological;
respiratory;
emotional and psychological ;
addiction.
Many women choose to have acupuncture throughout pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, it is increasingly used by couples dealing with problems of fertility or to support IVF treatment.
Therapist:
Jennifer Ratnayake
MBAcC