What is acupuncture ?
This is a good question to ask if you have never had acupuncture before, but are perhaps considering it for a health related problem or concern. Most people know that it involves needles but are put off by the thought that it might be painful and/or cost a lot of money. The truth is that Traditional Acupuncture has been around in Eastern Cultures for many thousands of years and is a well established system of medicine. In modern China it is used quite happily along side conventional medicine in hospitals, together with traditional herbal medicine, and a form of Chinese massage called Tuina. Here in the West, acupuncture is fast becoming recognised as an effective therapy for many of today’s health related problems and indeed, has undergone some very thorough research with promising results.
The system is based on the understanding that our well being and good health is dependent upon vital energy flowing harmoniously around the body. This vital energy is called qi (pronounced chi). Any disturbance to this harmony, which may come about by such emotional states as shock, grief, anxiety, or stress, or by environmental factors such as damp, cold, heat, or wind, as well as better known factors such as poor diet and nutrition, injury and trauma can result in imbalance, or “stuck energy”. If left unchecked this can result in ill health and disease.
An acupuncturist will assess the patients’ state of qi at the diagnostic stage and, using very fine needles, will insert them at carefully chosen points along one or more channels or meridians. The idea of this is that when the needles are placed in these acupuncture points and gently stimulated, they will move qi and help restore harmony in the body and mind of the patient. The insertion of the needles is usually painless, followed by a feeling of heaviness or a slight ache which passes quite quickly.
There are over one thousand acupuncture points on the body. A properly trained and qualified Traditional Acupuncturist will know all of them, but will be selective about which ones they use to treat the individual. All of these acupuncture points have names, such as “heavenly place”, “leg three miles”, “abundant prosperity”, “wind pond” and many more. It is the understanding of the energies of these individual acupuncture points, and the subtle effects that they will have upon an individual that sets traditional acupuncturists apart from the form of acupuncture often carried out in physiotherapy departments or by some osteopaths and chiropractors, who practice dry needling techniques used only to relieve pain.
Traditional acupuncturists may be recognised by the title MBAcC. This means that they are a registered Member of the British Acupuncture Council and therefore have been trained for at least three years in an accredited college or university. They will also have been trained in conventional medicine and will hold a valid first aid certificate. Those who are registered with the British Acupuncture Council are bound by a strict code of conduct, ethics and hygiene. We consider the comfort, well being and safety of patients as being of primary importance in any course of treatment.
Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of a number of conditions. For further information on some of these conditions, and how acupuncture may be of some help, please click on the links below.
This is a good question to ask if you have never had acupuncture before, but are perhaps considering it for a health related problem or concern. Most people know that it involves needles but are put off by the thought that it might be painful and/or cost a lot of money. The truth is that Traditional Acupuncture has been around in Eastern Cultures for many thousands of years and is a well established system of medicine. In modern China it is used quite happily along side conventional medicine in hospitals, together with traditional herbal medicine, and a form of Chinese massage called Tuina. Here in the West, acupuncture is fast becoming recognised as an effective therapy for many of today’s health related problems and indeed, has undergone some very thorough research with promising results.
The system is based on the understanding that our well being and good health is dependent upon vital energy flowing harmoniously around the body. This vital energy is called qi (pronounced chi). Any disturbance to this harmony, which may come about by such emotional states as shock, grief, anxiety, or stress, or by environmental factors such as damp, cold, heat, or wind, as well as better known factors such as poor diet and nutrition, injury and trauma can result in imbalance, or “stuck energy”. If left unchecked this can result in ill health and disease.
An acupuncturist will assess the patients’ state of qi at the diagnostic stage and, using very fine needles, will insert them at carefully chosen points along one or more channels or meridians. The idea of this is that when the needles are placed in these acupuncture points and gently stimulated, they will move qi and help restore harmony in the body and mind of the patient. The insertion of the needles is usually painless, followed by a feeling of heaviness or a slight ache which passes quite quickly.
There are over one thousand acupuncture points on the body. A properly trained and qualified Traditional Acupuncturist will know all of them, but will be selective about which ones they use to treat the individual. All of these acupuncture points have names, such as “heavenly place”, “leg three miles”, “abundant prosperity”, “wind pond” and many more. It is the understanding of the energies of these individual acupuncture points, and the subtle effects that they will have upon an individual that sets traditional acupuncturists apart from the form of acupuncture often carried out in physiotherapy departments or by some osteopaths and chiropractors, who practice dry needling techniques used only to relieve pain.
Traditional acupuncturists may be recognised by the title MBAcC. This means that they are a registered Member of the British Acupuncture Council and therefore have been trained for at least three years in an accredited college or university. They will also have been trained in conventional medicine and will hold a valid first aid certificate. Those who are registered with the British Acupuncture Council are bound by a strict code of conduct, ethics and hygiene. We consider the comfort, well being and safety of patients as being of primary importance in any course of treatment.
Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of a number of conditions. For further information on some of these conditions, and how acupuncture may be of some help, please click on the links below.
