Acupuncture is amazing! Although regarded as an alternative or complement to western medicine, acupuncture has stood the test of time and its concepts are just as relevant today as they were 2000 years ago. Commonly used as a last resort for long standing medical complaints acupuncture has its benefits in preventing injury and health problems just as much as correcting them. There are no tricks, no gimmicks and no smokescreens. Acupuncture is continuously being supported by growing scientific research and is increasingly more accepted in to modern health care systems. The NHS recently made acupuncture available for patients with chronic lower back pain, a perfect testament to the ability of acupuncturists to obtain fantastic results with these patients. Practitioners are now more regulated than ever before and the standards are high. Acupuncture, a traditional treatment from the past is here for the present and the future…

I love my job as an acupuncturist. When revealing my occupation to a stranger the reaction always makes me smile as I watch their eyebrows raise high and they say “ah that’s different… so does it work?” My answer is yes, depending on the condition. Acupuncturist’s can never claim to “cure” but there is a wide range of conditions that can be, and have been treated to great success. In cases where the condition has no cure acupuncture can offer great support in lessening the symptoms and also reducing the amount of medication required. Unlike western medicine the treatment investigates the roots and branches of your overall health. Everything from your pulse, diet and sleeping pattern to the coating of your tongue, complexion and stress levels will be considered. A treatment is then administered to treat the underlining cause of the health concern rather than just scratching the surface of the problem.

Next comes the questions “doesn’t it hurt and what about placebo?” When being needled there are some points that may cause mild discomfort as the needles are manipulated. However, this is only very minimal. Often you will feel a slight scratch and/or an internal dull sensation and this is when the needle has found what acupuncturists call “Qi” and will then bring about a change in the body to improve health and promote healing in the target areas. As for placebo, extensive medical trials remain inconclusive that acupuncture is simply a placebo effect. Evidence suggests that acupuncture carries the same level of placebo as western medication.

Acupuncture became a part of my life when I injured my shoulder playing sport. A nasty sprain of the shoulder had put me out of action and the physiotherapy only aggravated the issue. A friend suggested the treatment as they enjoyed huge success in reducing the problems of long standing sciatica. With cautious optimism I attended the session and made huge progress in the 6 treatments and was able to return to competition 3 weeks earlier than scheduled. Now I am trained in acupuncture and regularly see the benefits that it brings to my patients. In my opinion health care should not be entirely western or eastern but a combination of the two. The strengths of the two combined make for a holistic and effective treatment, which ultimately means that your health remains high.