Acupuncture
| Practitioners: Paul Wilson |
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Acupuncture is part of the traditional medicine of China which includes herbal medicine, exercise, massage and diet. It is based on a history, philosophy and sociology very different from that of the West, and has developed a unique understandings of the body. Acupuncture is a method of using fine needles to stimulate invisible lines of energy running beneath the surface of the skin. This affects a change in the energy balance of the body and works to restore health. Moxibustion, the stimulation of energy by the use of burning herbs, is often used as a supplement. Both are powerful forms of medicine and can be used for treating a very wide range of diseases. |  |
Treating the whole person
Western medicine and Chinese medicine approach disease in fundamentally different ways. Western medicine looks for an external cause or agent of a specific disease which it isolates and controls or destroys with drugs or surgery. Chinese medicine takes into account not only the disease symptoms but also the age, habits, physical and emotional traits and all other aspects of the individual, and attempts to put together an overall picture of the patient in order to evaluate any patterns of disharmony that have arisen. Health is a state of total harmony between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual. Illness, on the other hand, is disharmony that manifests itself as certain symptoms. The symptoms on their own are often unimportant; they are merely a part of the syndrome of harmony or disharmony which makes up the whole person.
Causes of disease
Many things can upset the balance of the body and disturb the flow of Qi. Chinese medicine lays great stress on the importance of:
- emotional states, such as stress, worry, anger, fear, grief, etc., each one of which has a particular effect on the balance of the body.
- diet, malnutrition, overeating, too much salt or greasy foods, eating erratically or in a state of tension, can cause illness.
- drugs, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, wrongly prescribed medicines or medicines with side effects, even tea and coffee can overstimulate the body.
- weather conditions, such as cold, damp, wind, heat, etc., particularly sudden changes in the weather.
- exercise and rest - too little or too much of either can harm the balance of energy.
- trauma, such as accidents, falls, operations
- hereditary factors
- poisons
- epidemics
Acupuncture Diagnosis and treatment
During the first consultation, the practitioner aims to determine the nature of the disharmony in the patient's mind/body by careful questioning and observation.
A detailed understanding is required of the patient's symptoms, past medical and family history, lifestyle and diet, behaviour of all the systems in the body such as digestion and circulation, sleep patterns, and emotional feelings. Diagnosis may also include examination of the tongue for its structure, colour and coating and of the pulses of the wrists, which are felt for their quality, rhythm and strength.
What the practitioner is looking for is not symptoms in isolation, but rather a pattern into which is woven a total picture of the patient. Having decided on the cause or causes of the problem, the points and appropriate method of treatment are selected according to various rules governing the movement of Qi in the body. During acupuncture treatment, needles are either inserted for a second or two or left in place for up to 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the effect required. During this time there may be a heavy sensation in the limbs and a pleasant feeling of relaxation. Sometimes, a herbal preparation known as moxia is smouldered on or held near to the acupuncture point and removed when the patient feels it becoming hot.
Treatment with acupuncture can produce rapid results but more often it requires a number of treatments over a period of time. Acupuncturists are trained to recognise disease often long before the patient is aware of any illness. They are, therefore, concerned not only with treating illness, but also preventing it.
Acupuncture can be combined with Western drug therapy, or can be used to eliminate dependence on drugs for chronic conditions. In this case the drugs will gradually be reduced as the effect of the acupuncture builds up. Treatment for acute problems can be daily. The number of treatments depends entirely on the problem.
Following is a list of some of the diseases more commonly treated by acupuncture, based on information from Chinese sources and the clinical experience of practitioners. Many other diseases can be treated; this list merely gives some indication of the power and scope of acupuncture.
| Infectious diseases | ||
| Bacterial dysentery Bronchitis Common cold Cough |
Diarrhoea/vomiting Infectious hepatitis Influenza Malaria |
Pneumonia Ringworm Shingles Tetanus |
| Internal diseases | ||
| Allergies Arthritis Asthma Back pain Boils Catarrh Colitis Conjunctivitis Constipation Dental pain Depression Dizziness Eczema Gall stones Gastric pain Haemorrhoids |
Hay fever Hiccough Hypertension Hysteria Incontinence Indigestion Insomnia Jaundice Kidney stones Migraine Nervous disorders Oedema Otisis Media Palpitations Paralysis Rheumatism |
Sciatica Shock Sinusitis Stomach ulcers Styes Tennis elbow Tenosynovitis Thyroid conditions Tinnitus Tonsillitis Trigeminal neuralgia Urine retention Uro-genital infections Varicose veins Vertigo |
| Women's diseases | ||
| Absence of periods Anaemia Cystitis Discharge Habitual miscarriage |
Hot flushes Infertility Irregular periods Labour pains Lactation problems |
Mastitis Morning Sickness Pre-menstrual tension Prolonged labour Uterine collapse |
| Men's diseases | ||
| Hernias | Impotence | Prostatitis |
| Addictions | ||
| Alcohol Barbiturates |
Food Heroin |
Tobacco Tranquillisers |
Your Questions Answered
How many treatments will I need?
There is no set number of treatments required. Usually treatments are once a week, but they can be less frequent. Sometimes the effects are dramatic and you may only need one or two treatments, somtimes the effects are subtle and you may need treatment for several months. There is, however, usually some change after about five treatments.
How will I feel during and after treatment?
Usually, a feeling of peace and relaxation comes over people during acupuncture treatment and you should be fine to travel home alone afterwards. If you are in any doubt, you could take a friend with you on your first visit.
Is there a risk of infection with acupuncture treatment?
All practitioner members of the British Acupuncture Council's register are fully conversant with and must observe a Code of Practice containing strict rules regarding hygienic procedures and sterilisation of needles. These procedures have been approved by the Department of Health. Acupuncture carried out under the British Acupuncture Council's Code of Practice is approved by the Blood Transfusion Services of the U.K. for people who wish to donate blood.
All needles are sterile and disposable. They are used only once.