Acupuncture
in the UK
How to Find Acupuncturists
near me
Acupuncture is an ancient healing art using fine needles inserted into
specific points on the body to treat disease, restore health and promote
well being.
It thought to have originated in China between 2000 to 3000 years ago
although other styles of acupuncture are practiced, such as Japanese
and Korean acupuncture.
There is
also evidence of its use outside China, about 5000 years ago. In 1991
a mummy was found in the Tirolean Ötztal Alps showing tattoos of
modern acupuncture points.
There are two different branches of acupuncture practiced
in the U.K.
Members of
the British Acupuncture Council use a holistic approach
based on the principles of Chinese medicine.
They have
a minimum training of 3,600 hours and are required to attend courses after
qualifying, as part of their continuing professional development. This
style of acupuncture has been refined and developed over the past 2,000
years in the East and West.
"Medical
acupuncture" is a more recent development practiced by members of
the British Medical Acupuncture Society.
Members are
western health care professionals such as doctors, osteopaths, physiotherapists,
and dentists and have a minimum of 100 hours training. Theories of Chinese
medicine do not fit easily into modern biomedical paradigms, therefore
they use acupuncture techniques within their existing practice, based
on western, orthodox medical diagnosis.
Chartered
physiotherapists are registered with the Acupuncture Association
of Chartered Physiotherapists. They are required to do 80 hours
of training. www.aacp.uk.com
Acupuncture
is also used by veterinary surgeons to treat animals. Association of British
Veterinary Acupuncturists
British Acupuncture
Council www.acupuncture.org
British Medical Acupuncture Society www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk
Acupuncture
Association of Chartered Physiotherapists www.aacp.uk.com
Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists https://www.abva.co.uk
What
can you expect from an Acupuncture session
Many people
find acupuncture a relaxing experience leaving them with a deep sense
of well being and increased energy levels.
You may have
to remove clothing so your practitioner can access areas of the body for
treatment. Fine, disposable, sterile needles are used; they are completely
different to hypodermic needles. Needles may be inserted in various parts
of the body and the number of needles used depends on the style of acupuncture
and condition being treated.
After the
needles are inserted, they may be manipulated until a sensation called
“de qi” is obtained. This feels like an ache or distending
feeling in the area of the needle although not all practitioners manipulate
acupuncture needles during treatment.
Acupuncture
is generally pain free but some people may be more sensitive to the sensation
than others. Needles may be removed immediately or left for about 20 minutes.
Your practitioner
may use other modalities of Chinese medicine if they are appropriate to
your condition. Moxabustion is a supplementary treatment
where the herb mugwort (moxa) is burned on acupuncture points to warm
areas and support the body’s energy.
Moxa can
be applied directly on the skin in the shape of a cone, attached to the
end of the needle or used indirectly above the skin in a ready rolled
stick.
Cupping is
a procedure using glass suction cups over body areas, usually the back.
Sometimes needles may be attached to an electrical stimulator that sends
mild currents down the needle. Again these procedures should be pain free
and are designed to stimulate the body’s energy.
Sometimes
massage or a blunt metal probe is used to stimulate acupuncture points.
This is particularly useful for small children and people who are afraid
of needles.
Questions about what
an Acupuncture session involves
Do
I need to buy any equipment?
No
What to wear
Comfortable clothing that is easily removed.
How long is a session
45 mins
to 1 hour. The first session is usually 1 ½ hours to incorporate
taking details of your current and past health issues, medication and
diagnostic signs.
What is expected of clients
During the treatment you will lie on a massage couch. Your practitioner
may give you dietary advice, exercises or other recommendations to support
the treatments.
Average
costs / fees per session
£40 - £80 depending on length of session, experience and location
What are the main Qualifications a practitioner should have?
BSc:Acupuncture, Lic.Ac., MBAcC or BMAS
What can
acupuncture treat
Acupuncture
has been proven through controlled clinical trials to treat many health
complaints.
In 2003 the
World Health Organization recognized that acupuncture
was effective in treating the following conditions:
Adverse reactions
to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, allergic rhinitis (including hay
fever), biliary colic, depression (including depressive neurosis and depression
following stroke), acute bacillary? dysentery, dysmenorrhoea,
primary? epigastralgia, acute peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis,
and gastrospasm, facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders), headache,
hypertension, essential hypotension, induction of labour, knee pain. leucopenia,
low back pain, correction of malposition of fetus, morning sickness, nausea
and vomiting, neck pain, pain in dentistry (including dental pain and
temporomandibular dysfunction), periarthritis of shoulder, postoperative
pain, renal colic, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, sprain, stroke, tennis
elbow.
Acupuncture
has shown to be therapeutic in the following conditions but more
trials are needed to prove their efficacy:
Abdominal
pain (in acute gastroenteritis or due to gastrointestinal spasm),
acne vulgaris, alcohol dependence and detoxification, bell’s palsy
bronchial asthma, cancer pain, cardiac neurosis, chronic cholecystitis
with acute exacerbation,? cholelithiasis, competition stress syndrome,?
closed craniocerebral injury, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus,
earache, epidemic haemorrhagic fever, epistaxis (without generalized or
local disease), eye pain due to subconjunctival injection, female infertility,
facial spasm, female urethral syndrome, fibromyalgia and fasciitis, gastrokinetic
disturbance, gouty arthritis, hepatitis B virus carrier status, herpes
zoster (human (alpha) herpes virus 3), hyperlipaemia, hypo-ovarianism,
insomnia, labour pain, lactation deficiency, male sexual dysfunction,
non-organic? Ménière disease, neuralgia, post-herpetic?
neurodermatitis, obesity, opium, cocaine and heroin dependence, osteoarthritis,?
pain due to endoscopic examination, pain in thromboangiitis obliterans,
polycystic ovary syndrome (Stein-Leventhal syndrome), postextubation in
children, postoperative convalescence, premenstrual syndrome, prostatitis,
chronic? pruritus? radicular and pseudoradicular pain syndrome, Raynaud
syndrome, primary recurrent lower urinary-tract infection, reflex sympathetic
dystrophy, retention of urine, traumatic? schizophrenia? sialism, drug-induced?
Sjögren syndrome, sore throat (including tonsillitis), spine pain,
acute stiff neck, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, Tietze syndrome,
tobacco dependence, Tourette syndrome, ulcerative colitis, chronic? urolithiasis?
vascular dementia, whooping cough (pertussis).
Current research on the effectiveness of acupuncture
for other conditions can be found https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/content/Library/documents.asp
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