| Acupuncture, which
simply means the insertion of needles into the body to effect
a desired change, is one of the fastest growing complementary
therapies and has recently been identified by the British
Medical Association as being the top alternative treatment
with 75% of GPs wishing to see it more widely available on
the NHS for the symptomatic relief of conditions such as back
pain, migraines and post-surgical nausea. As well as GPs,
physiotherapists, midwives and osteopaths are undertaking
short training courses to enable them to use it as an adjunct
to their existing practises.
Traditional Acupuncture requires lengthy training courses
of 3 years or more and requires a deeper understanding of
the principles and philosophy underpinning Chinese Medicine
which is based on the holism theory that our emotional, spiritual
and physical selves are connected and that isolating one part
of the body would be similar to treating the leaf of the tree
and not the root. Therefore, if asked if acupuncture can treat
a specific condition, I usually explain that the beauty of
this system of medicine is that the person is at the centre
of the diagnostic process and therefore it is not only the
main complaint, but the whole self that is addressed. In this
way acupuncture can also be viewed as preventative medicine,
our aim being to correct imbalances before they manifest into
more serious conditions. The aim is to enhance the flow of
'Qi" or 'Universal Life Force' which in turn assists
in stimulating the organism's own self-healing mechanisms.
There are many styles of acupuncture that work in this way,
the two most common in this country being Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) and Traditional Acupuncture (or Five Element
Acupuncture), and many practitioners use a combination of
both styles. Traditional Acupuncture uses metaphors and imagery,
drawn from the observation of the natural world, to explain
about imbalances, disease, harmony and healing. Nature has
lessons for us all, and The Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth,
Metal, and Water are embedded in every culture and have characteristics
not only associated with nature but also with ourselves. If
these elements are in balance there will be a smooth flow
of Qi within the person, with a sense of well being. However,
if there is an imbalance it could be detected during a Traditional
Diagnosis by observation, by taking pulses on both wrists
to feel their quality and strength, by looking at the tongue,
and by asking about lifestyle, medical history, diet, digestive
system, sleeping patterns, and emotional state.
To give an example of an imbalance I'd like to share Margaret's
case history: Margaret is a woman in her 30’s with two children,
who presented with debilitating heavy irregular menstrual
bleeding, sometimes in a 14 day cycle, accompanied by severe
abdominal cramps. She also had clots, breakthrough bleeding,
PMS with depression before and after her period. Her secondary
complaints were migraines and tender breasts. She had been
prescribed Primulat, which she had been taking for 8 months
for the menstrual problems, and Imigran for the headaches,
neither of which helped. Margaret had also wanted another
child, but due to an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy, which
resulted in adhesions, she was unable to conceive and an IVF
programme was undertaken which proved unsuccessful. Margaret
expressed anger at her situation, and was concerned as the
gynaecologist had suggested a hysterectomy might be necessary.
In this case the main imbalance was in the Wood element:
the emotion associated with Wood is anger, which she clearly
expressed and which was evident during her PMS. The smooth
flow of liver Qi was also interrupted, resulting in her menstrual
problems and migraines. Treatment was primarily on the liver
meridian, the liver being the organ associated with Wood,
which is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi which controls
the blood, and also on the Earth Element, on the spleen meridian
which nourishes the blood. Sessions were weekly for the first
eight weeks until a 28 day menstrual cycle was established,
progressing to two, four and then six weekly intervals. By
three months the periods were regular, normal and painfree
with no clotting or spotting. PMS had decreased as did the
breast tenderness and migraines. Margaret reported feeling
much better in herself, felt a lot calmer and no longer required
hormonal medication. She now comes for a treatment at the
turn of each season to maintain health.
Treatment is by insertion of very fine needles into the
series of channels called meridians situated beneath the skin,
careful consideration being given to the selection of points
depending upon where and at what level(s) the imbalance lies;
the body, the mind, or the spirit. As well as physical symptoms
and conditions affecting the mind, (or ability to think) the
Chinese considered the vitality of the spirit to be an essential
component of well being, and believed that it is from the
spirit that the emotions emanate, therefore an integral part
of the practitioners assessment will include the person's
emotional welfare.
In answer to the question 'What does acupuncture treat?'
the answer must be 'the person'. While it is therefore impossible
to mention all problems, the following list includes some
of the conditions that can be helped by acupuncture: anxiety
states, arthritis, asthma, back pain, circulatory problems,
depression, facial paralysis, fibrositis, high blood pressure,
indeterminate aches and pains, infertility, menstrual problems,
migraines, rheumatism, sciatica, skin conditions or ulcers.
Acupuncture is also used in pregnancy management and can assist
people overcome addictions.
Members of the British Acupuncture Council have completed
a thorough training of at least three years and carry the
letters MBAcC after their name. To find a qualified acupuncturist
contact
The British Acupuncture Council,
63 Jeddo Road,
London W12 9HQ.
Tel +44(0) 20 8735 0400.
e-mail info@acupuncture.org.uk
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