Acupuncture

Acupuncture and Pain Relief Treatments

Acupuncture: Should you find yourself affected by a health issue and conventional medical treatments have failed to provide relief, exploring acupuncture may be a worthwhile option. The applicability of acupuncture varies depending on the specific condition you are experiencing, but it has been shown to be effective for a broad spectrum of pains, complaints, and illnesses. While many individuals in the UK turn to acupuncture for targeted relief from specific medical conditions, others opt for regular sessions as a preventive measure to promote overall well-being. Acupuncture offers a holistic approach to health, focusing on balancing the body's energies, and could potentially provide the relief or balance you are seeking where other medical interventions have not.

UK Acupuncture Enquiries

Acupuncture therapy is accessible to individuals across all age groups, including infants and young children, and is commonly employed to address a variety of health issues such as migraine headaches, stress, arthritis, back pain, pain following surgery, and difficulties with sleep. Acupuncturists who are highly regarded in their field are often affiliated with the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), a leading professional body that upholds stringent standards of practice and ethics in acupuncture. Therefore, when seeking out an acupuncture practitioner in the UK, it's advisable to ensure they hold membership with the BAcC. This affiliation not only signifies a commitment to professional excellence but also provides patients with assurance regarding the therapist's qualifications and adherence to best practices in acupuncture.

Acupuncture UK

Acupuncture - An Overview: Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese healing practice involving the insertion of fine needles into the skin to achieve therapeutic benefits, has a history spanning thousands of years. A proficient and experienced acupuncturist can aid in alleviating symptoms associated with common ailments such as migraine headaches, osteoarthritis, and lower back pain, among others. Recognised worldwide as both a pseudoscience and an alternative form of treatment, acupuncture constitutes a fundamental element of traditional Chinese medicine, complemented by practices like gua sha, the bonesetter (die-da), qigong exercises, dietary therapy, cupping therapy, tui na massage, and the use of herbal medicines. This holistic approach is aimed at balancing the body's energies and promoting overall health and well-being.

Practiced for more than 3,000 years, acupuncture was developed as a procedure for opening up the energy channels to free the circulation of life force (Qi), to assist with pain relief. Focused on the stimulation of the nerve endings which are positioned just under the surface of the skin, modern medical acupuncture treatment increases the discharge of endorphins (produced by the central nervous system) to ease pain and discomfort throughout the entire body. Whatever option you choose, the beneficial results of acupuncture have been analyzed and confirmed for a variety of medical maladies. If you are affected by any of the stress related issues like anxiety, depression and panic attacks, you may find that acupuncture can help you to overcome them.

Acupuncturists in the UK (044)

The majority of professional acupuncturists in the UK will need you to attend a consultation, which should take place before your first session of treatment. You will be asked one or two basic questions regarding your personal lifestyle. Guage you and your affliction, and working out a treatment plan that will be suitable for your exact requirements, is the objective of this preliminary appointment. At times, it isn't uncommon for 2 individuals with almost comparable symptoms to receive 2 completely different treatment options. Thus you may perhaps know of somebody else in UK with very similar symptoms to you who have undergone another kind of acupuncture treatment.

When the treatment begins, tiny needles will be inserted into the body's meridian lines that are relevant for the person's conditions. Such insertion areas are sometimes in locations that you wouldn't automatically associate with the problem being treated. For example, a needle might be placed into a meridian point on a patient's hand to relieve a migraine headache. Lots of the most regularly targeted treatment spots are located on the lower limbs and legs, making it a smart idea to wear loosish fitting clothing to enable comfortable access to those locations.

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Going through an acupuncture procedure can quite often make you feel drowsy and exhausted. Driving a vehicle straight after treatment is therefore not a good idea. It's crucial for you to let your body recuperate in a natural way, allowing it enough time to relax before carrying on with your day. Considering that this feeling of drowsiness can often continue for a few hours, work plans can be impacted, so make allowances for this beforehand.

Incorporated within the "acupuncture" group are many different kinds of treatment, some that have their own particular applications and others which are standalone therapies. A handful of these are available in the UK area, for others you'll have to travel elsewhere. Some of the most common of the related techniques are sonopuncture, cosmetic acupuncture, Japanese acupuncture, trigger point acupuncture, tuina, bee venom acupuncture, Tui Na massage, dry-needling acupuncture, cupping, fire needling, Chinese acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, moxibustion, auricular acupuncture and acupressure.

Dry Needling Treatments UK

An alternative therapy treatment that is frequently employed by acupuncturists and physical therapists in the UK, dry needling (or myofascial trigger point dry needling) has developed into a popular style of procedure. Seen by many as the Western variation of acupuncture, dry needling uses an approach that's often termed intramuscular stimulation (IMS). Many therapists in the UK who practice it however, would say that it's more about having an understanding of basic anatomy and the musculoskeletal system . Trigger points will be found by the therapist as the procedure is carried out, to pinpoint the parts of the body that are afflicted by muscle pain, soft tissue injuries and persistent spasms. The dry needling system is focused on problems with bodily imbalance, muscular injury and posture. (Tags: Dry Needling Treatments UK, Dry Needle Therapy UK, Dry Needling UK)

Does Acupuncture Really Work?

Does Acupuncture Work?

Now another regular question that is often asked is "does acupuncture really work?", well I believe that there's no definitive answer to that question given that it is somewhat subjective. Some patients might say "acupuncture doesn't work" as it did not work for their condition, while other patients will declare "acupuncture is wonderful and transformed my life", as it plainly had positive results on their complaint. Such disparities could obviously apply to many medical procedures and in particular to the alternative medicines, where there's always serious doubt about the authenticity and veracity of such treatments.

Credibility

The Credibility of Acupuncture

There have been numerous trials and studies that have tried to prove or disprove the validity of acupuncture as a treatment for pain and the findings of these trials have been mainly inconclusive. In the eyes of most medical experts acupuncture is pure "quackery" with no place within conventional medicine and no real scientific basis for why it can be of any help to patients suffering from pain. The "placebo" effect is what others reckon is responsible, thinking that when there has been a favourable outcome it is down to the fact that the patient assumed that it would succeed, so it did. Hence, the "cure" was purely psychological and not medical. Trials have also been carried out in an attempt to get around the "placebo effect", with one group of people given mock acupuncture and the other given the real thing. While results have been confused, most seem to lean towards the "placebo effect" being the most feasible.

To conclude, as with many choices in life, you will only find out if you try. So, if you have a condition that has been tormenting you for ages, and conventional medication or treatment been unable to deal with the problem, you could think about trying acupuncture to find out whether that can help you. Should you feel a bit of relief, no matter how minor, even if it is purely attributable to the "placebo effect", then it can be viewed as successful.

Moxibustion UK

Moxibustion UK (044)

The burning or dried mugwort (artemisia vulgaris) to stimulate and warm acupoints (energy points) on particular areas of the body, is known as moxa therapy (or moxibustion), it is typically used in combination with tui na and acupuncture. For different conditions the moxa can be applied using various techniques, such as attaching it to the tip of an acupuncture needle, in the form of a cone which is placed on a shielding medium directly onto the body and as a moxa stick - a cigar shaped object that is lit at one end. Moxibustion (moxa therapy) is used to promote healing, stimulate the circulation and heat up the body. Moxa therapy is often used for digestive problems, infertility, weakness, arthritis and the relief of pain. Moxibustion Breech - Pregnant women with breech babies sometimes seek moxibustion treatments to rectify this.

Popularity

Acupuncture for Pain Relief UK

Though acupuncture is nowadays being more acknowledged as a useful treatment, it's still perceived by the medical profession as a whole to be within the alternative medicines, one of the most favoured, however still "alternative". It's estimated that members of the British Acupuncture Council undertake roughly two million acupuncture treatments annually and there are a consistently increasing number of dedicated people qualifying to be acupuncture practitioners throughout the UK. Acupuncture is currently widely accepted as a valuable therapy for a number of diverse illnesses and ailments and the stigma that was once attached to it has largely disappeared.

Acupuncture Meridians and Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture Needles UK - Acupuncture Points

There are more than four hundred acupuncture points located within physical body, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), most of which are located on the meridians or pathways which transport the body's chi (life energy). While there are around 20 or so meridians in all, for the purpose of this brief post there are twelve primary meridians used in acupuncture and acupressure which are associated with the internal organs of the body, these are the spleen, the bladder, the small intestine, the lung, the stomach, the pericardium, the liver, the large intestine, the heart, the kidney, the gallbladder, the triple energizer, the other pathways are referred to as "extraordinary" meridians. Each individual one of these acupuncture points are identified by the meridian on which they're located and their identifying numbers tally with the point order upon that specific channel. There are some weird names which are affiliated with these acupuncture points and the following eleven - Middle Palace, Lesser Shang, Clasping the White, Fish Border, Palace of Heaven, Broken Sequence, Cubit Marsh, Channel Gutter, Supreme Abyss, Maximum Opening, Cloud Gate - are the ones for the lung, they've got the numbers LU-1 to LU-12.

Cupping Therapy UK

Cupping therapy is a method that creates a local suction on the skin by placing a heated cup over areas of the skin. It is mostly practiced in Asia but is also commonplace in Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Despite its widespread use, some medical professionals argue that cupping therapy is simply pseudoscience and quackery.

Cupping Therapy UK

Cupping therapy involves placing a warm-to-hot cup over certain areas of skin to create a suction effect that aids in the circulation of blood and lymph. The therapist heats the cup using alcohol, herbs and paper. This causes the skin to rise and the blood vessels to expand. The procedure normally lasts between 5 and 10 minutes. It is commonly used on the back, but can also be used on the legs, abdomen and buttocks.

Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine that is commonly used to treat muscle pain. However, it can also be beneficial for anybody experiencing muscle tension. Using bamboo, plastic or glass cups, a cupping practitioner will place one or more of these cups onto your skin. This creates a vacuum effect that is said to increase blood circulation and reduce muscle tension..

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

Acupuncture doesn't generally hurt to any significant degree however acupuncture needles put in the extremities (fingers and toes) might give a sharp prick. A slight tingling or pulsating sensation may be experienced when the acupuncture needle is inserted and then maybe a dull ache round the base of the needle once it's penetrated the skin of the client. In actual fact the needles used are incredibly thin being something like one tenth the thickness of a hypodermic needle (the type used for administering injections), they range from around 0.12mm to 0.35mm in thickness. When push comes to shove the acupuncture experience is completely different for every patient, and what's true for one may not be germane for another, but in most cases .... no, acupuncture shouldn't hurt.

UK Acupuncturists

Related Treatments

Your local UK acupuncturist will help with: gua sha, cosmetic acupuncture treatments in the UK, acupuncture for acne, acupuncture for weight loss in the UK, acupuncture for back pain, ear acupuncture treatments, acupuncture for hot flushes in the UK, cranial acupuncture therapy in the UK, acupuncture for epilepsy in the UK, infertility acupuncture treatments, acupuncture for insomnia, japanese acupuncture therapy in the UK, laser acupuncture treatments in the UK, acupuncture for neck pain, acupuncture for joint pain, acupuncture for headaches in the UK, acupuncture for vertigo, acupuncture for tennis elbow, facial acupuncture treatments, moxa in the UK, anxiety acupuncture treatments, acupuncture for sleep, oriental acupuncture therapy in the UK, cupping, needling and other acupuncture related services.

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