Acupuncture is a safe, effective, natural and drug-free system of medicine
Classical Acupuncture is one of the principal therapies used in Chinese Medicine and is both a science and an art. TCM is founded upon the belief that energy (Qi) flows through channels in the body. These meridians link the organs and tissues in a connected network. If this energy flow becomes disrupted or blocked, our physical and mental health is compromised.
By inserting very fine needles into specific points along the meridians, this energy is regulated and harmonised, stimulating healing and restoring well-being. These points are chosen according to the diagnosis made before the treatment is given. In essence, acupuncture works on the underlying causes of illness and does not merely treat the symptom. It can have profound effects on physical, psychological and emotional health, making it effective for a wide range of different complaints.
The Western biomedical view is that acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins and serotonin (pain-relieving and mood mediators) and the nervous system. However, the range of disorders that Acupuncture treats suggests the way it works is much more complex.
The World Health Organisation review of clinical research trials have listed over 100 diseases and conditions that acupuncture can effectively treat, including insomnia, depression, headache, back pain, sciatica and arthritis:
http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html
Acupuncture is now widely practiced in the West by traditional practitioners as well as GPs, nurses, midwives and physiotherapists (although western acupuncturists only train in very basic techniques).
What happens during an Acupuncture treatment?
You will be asked to remove or roll up clothing to provide access to the areas being treated. Normally, this does not involve you getting undressed unless bodywork is included in the treatment plan. Between 5 to 15 points are selected, based on the diagnosis made and the needles are left in for 10-30 minutes while you relax. You may be asked to turn over so points on the front and back can be stimulated in the same treatment. Cupping and Moxibustion may also be used.
Auricular Acupuncture
Auricular acupuncture is a microsystem of the body. The ear represents the whole body, turned upside down and there are around 200 points, each regulating a functional, anatomical or psychological aspect of the body: liver; heart; lumbar spine; hunger; adrenal and so on.
Research suggests that the auricular therapy stimulates the release of endorphins and hormones, making it useful in the treatment of pain, weight loss, addiction, insomnia, depression, stress, anxiety and panic attacks.
Electroacupuncture
This involves a small number of inserted acupuncture needles being attached to a machine that sends a small electric current through them. The therapy is normally used to treat chronic muscle and tendon disorders and pain: frozen shoulder; tennis elbow; carpal tunnel; arthritis and back pain; tendonitis and calcification of tendons.
Trigger Point Acupuncture
Acupuncture is used to treat pain by inserting needles into trigger points on the body. Trigger points are places in the muscle where tissue is injured and compressed, trapping nerves and creating local and referred pain. These points are similar to Ashi (tender points) in Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture can help to calm the excitability of the nerves and reduce muscle tension. This technique is often combined with myofascial and neuromuscular bodywork and stretching.
Read more from the British Medical Acupuncture Association about trigger points and acupuncture: www.medical-acupuncture.org/triggerpoints
