Physio Footprint : Welcome : Physiotherpay, Podiatry, Sports Injury : Seaford East Sussex

Acupuncture

What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a form of traditional medicine that originated in China over 2,000 years ago. The word "acupuncture" derives from the Latin "to puncture with a needle", but the specialism uses a greater selection of tools than just needles. Acupuncture uses very fine sterile needles that are placed into points on the body and the acupuncture practitioner may also use massage, cupping, moxa, gua sha, electrodes & heat lamps. In traditional Chinese medicine, the selected body points are linked to the "channels" or "meridians" that run through out the body. In Western acupuncture, the pathways are often described as nerve, muscle and tendon pathways. Acupuncture takes a holistic approach to the body, and uses soft tissue stimulation and massage to help balance the body's natural energy and help the body to heal itself.

With traditional Chinese medicine, the focus is on the symptoms of the individual and not on the illness. A growing body of evidence-based research shows that traditional acupuncture safely treats a wide range of common health problems and national bodies recommend acupuncture as a modality for specific conditions; e.g. NICE guidelines on low back pain specifies acupuncture as one of the effective ways to reduce the pain.

Traditional Acupuncture What can I expect on the first visit? A very thorough consultation will be taken. This will include all aspects of your medical history, as well as a broader view of other aspects of your life. Your tongue and your pulses on both hands are checked as part of the diagnostic process. It is sensible to wear loose fitting garments for the treatment, as needles may be inserted at points far from the site of pain along a channel, and therefore elsewhere on the body, depending on the diagnosis. Questions and concerns are encouraged and discussed openly. Treatment will only be commenced following a full explanation of all treatments to be undertaken, and you have consented to the treatment plan. This whole process will take an hour, with follow-up treatments lasting 45 minutes. Training for acupuncture Annette Blackman has undertaken the three year BSc (Hons) degree in traditional acupuncture, and a two year diploma in Tui Na (Chinese Massage). These are both courses accredited within the UK.

Regulation for acupuncture Legally there is no regulation on acupuncture in the UK, although the professional bodies are in discussion about setting up a regulatory body. The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is an established professional body which only registers members with recognised qualifications. More about BAcC can be viewed at: http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/index.php



Acupuncture as part of physiotherapy What can I expect on the first visit? As always with physiotherapy, a full assessment, will be undertaken both verbal and physical, including medical history, current problem and how it affects work and social life. The findings and proposed treatment plan will be discussed with you and if acupuncture is appropriate, explained and offered as treatment. Again, the site of some of the needles may be far from the pain and the reasons will be explained. Initial treatment lasts one hour.