Acupuncture
Janice Walker-Robbins, Lic.Ac. MBAcC
Acupuncture is a tried and tested system of complementary medicine. The Chinese and other eastern cultures have been using acupuncture to restore, promote and maintain good health for thousands of years. Nowadays more and more people are finding this long established therapy can offer an effective solution to all manner of today’s ills.
Who has acupuncture?
Many people come to acupuncture for help with specific symptoms or conditions, and some because they simply feel generally unwell. Others choose acupuncture to enhance their feeling of wellbeing. Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages, including babies and children. It can also be used alongside conventional medicine.
What happens when I go for treatment?
You will be asked about your current symptoms, what treatment you have received, your medical history, your diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and emotional state. The acupuncturist is also likely to feel your pulses on both wrists, and may ask to look at your tongue. The acupuncture points used are not always close to the part of the body where you experience the problem. For example, although you might suffer from headaches, needles may be inserted in your foot or hand.
How many sessions will I need?
Frequency and length of treatment depends on your individual condition. Some change is usually felt after five treatments, although occasionally only one or two treatments are required. Some patients may need treatment over several months or long-term. Your acupuncturist will normally ask to see you once or twice a week at first.
Is it safe?
Acupuncture has a very sound track record. The needles used are single-use, sterile and disposable. Responses to treatment can sometimes include tiredness or mild dizziness, and on occasion minor bruising may occur. However, all such reactions are short-lived.
What does it feel like?
Acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections and blood tests. When the needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as a tingling or dull ache.
What can acupuncture do for me?
Acupuncture is widely considered to be beneficial for a range of illnesses and symptoms, from clearly defined complaints such as headaches, vomiting, neck ache, and back and dental pain, through to more general feelings of ill health such as nausea or low energy.
Acupuncture is often used in the treatment of a variety of conditions and in conjunction with western medicine. Increasingly women are choosing to have acupuncture to support them throughout pregnancy, labour and after giving birth.
The point of acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture works to maintain the body’s equilibrium by focusing on all aspects of wellbeing; physical, mental, emotional. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of channels beneath the skin. This energy is known as qi.
The flow of qi can be disturbed by any number of factors. These include emotional states such as anxiety, anger, or grief, as well as poor nutrition, hereditary factors, infections, and trauma. When the qi is unbalanced, illness may result.
Ultra fine needles are inserted at chosen points along the channels of energy. The aim is to stimulate the body’s own healing response and restore its natural balance. Treatment is aimed at the root of your condition, as well as your symptoms. This approach can lead to a more permanent resolution of your problems.
The British Acupuncture Council
The British Acupuncture Council is a registering body for professional acupuncturists Members maintain high standards of education, ethics, discipline and practice. Acupuncturists registered with the British Acupuncture Council carry the letters MBAcC after their name.