The Theory & Practice of Acupuncture

Responsible Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a medical technique used to treat a wide variety of conditions

During the past few years, acupuncture has become increasingly popular. Whilst it is exciting that the range of medical treatments available is widening, it does mean that the responsible practitioner of acupuncture has a duty to educate both other medical colleagues and the general public about the strengths and weaknesses of the technique.

Very large claims have been made for acupuncture in the past. Not all of them can be substantiated. Such claims are worrying to the responsible practitioner because they tend to confuse rather than enlighten. They can also alienate many people - doctors among them who might otherwise be sympathetic to the view that acupuncture can, in some cases, be an effective method of treatment.

The British Medical Acupuncture Society is a nationwide group of family doctors and hospital specialists who practice acupuncture alongside more conventional techniques. The BMAS believes that acupuncture has an important role to play in health care today, and that it is vital to put forward a balanced case in order that informed opinion can encourage its use.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a medical treatment which can relieve symptoms of some physical and psychological conditions and may encourage the patient's body to heal and repair itself, if it is able to do so.
Acupuncture stimulates the fine network of nerves running in the skin and sometimes nerves in the deeper tissues too. These then affect the central nervous system, blocking pain and altering the nervous system's control of other bodily organs.
Modern research shows that acupuncture can affect most of the body's systems - the nervous system, muscle tone, hormone outputs, circulation, antibody production and allergic responses, as well as the respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems.
Each patient's case will be assessed by the practitioner and treatment will be tailored to the individual; so it is impossible to give more than a general idea of what treatment might involve. Typically, fine needles are inserted through the skin and left in position briefly, sometimes with manual or electrical stimulation. The number of needles varies but may be only two or three.

Treatment might be once a week to begin with, then at longer intervals as the condition responds. The average number of treatments is about five.

Taking the above into consideration, here are some of the ways in which acupuncture may be effective:

Pain relief for a wide variety of situations, including migraines, period pains, backache, trapped nerves, frozen shoulder and other kinds of arthritic and rheumatic pain. It can also be useful in relieving post operative and post injury pain, such as following sports injuries.
Depression, anxiety, feelings of being 'run down', including pre-menstrual tension and menopausal symptoms.
Allergic reactions such as asthma, hayfever, eczema.
Sinus problems and chronic catarrh.
Skin problems such as mouth ulcers, inflammation of the eyelids, pruritus (itching), dermatitis, excessive sweating.
Abdominal and bowel problems such as peptic ulcer, colitis, chronic and intermittent bouts of diarrhoea or constipation, irritable bladder, bed wetting in children.
Stopping smoking, eating disorders (compulsive eating, bulimia, anorexia) also drug addiction.

This list is not exhaustive. Remember that before starting acupuncture the practitioner must be sure that all the necessary tests have been carried out which might point to any serious or potentially serious condition, perhaps requiring other forms of medical treatment.

Acupuncture Today and Tomorrow

Acupuncture started in China several thousand years ago. It was first introduced into Europe in the 17th century, but knowledge of this practice, so far removed from anything used in the West, was very patchy until the 1970's.
In the past twenty years, because of the huge public interest in the subject, considerable scientific research on acupuncture has been carried out -although much remains to be done. We now know much more about how acupuncture works and some of the myths can be laid to rest. It is demonstrably untrue to say that the results of acupuncture are all in the mind. After all, treatments have been successfully carried out on very small children and animals. It is very unlikely that a cow could be hypnotised into health by a veterinary surgeon.

Instead, we now know that acupuncture increases the body's production of natural pain killers - endorphins. It also works through centres in the brain, to modify the way pain signals are received.
Acupuncture will never replace conventional medical treatment but, as we team more about it, the possibilities of using acupuncture alongside 'orthodox' medicine increase. Recently, acupuncture has been used, together with conventional anaesthesia, for women giving Caesarian birth. The addition of acupuncture meant less pain after the birth for the mother, as well as a quicker recovery.
All the signs are that, within the next decade, the relationship between conventional medicine and acupuncture will become much closer as more is discovered about this ancient oriental technique.


Where to go for Acupuncture

At the moment, anyone is allowed to call themselves doctor and start advertising and practising acupuncture immediately, regardless of qualifications or experience. This is deeply worrying to the British Medical Acupuncture Society, whose members are all fully qualified medical practitioners.
Acupuncture should be practised as a branch of medicine; so go to a fully registered medical practitioner who is trained and experienced in acupuncture. There are three fundamental reasons for this:

Firstly, a qualified doctor has been trained to discover if a patient has a condition requiring other urgent medical treatment. He or she
will not hesitate to advise a patient if acupuncture does not seem suitable.

Secondly, you can be sure that a qualified doctor has the necessary anatomical training and will follow the correct hygiene procedures with sterile needles to eliminate the risk of transmitting infections such as AIDS or Hepatitis.

Thirdly, a medical practitioner will be able to communicate with other doctors such as the patient's GP, or hospital specialists who may also have been consulted. He or she will be able to gain access to medical records or Xrays and can order further investigations if it is indicated.

Your family doctor should be able to tell you the name of your nearest medical acupuncturist. If he or she does not know, the local office of the BMA or the Family Health
Service Authority may be able to supply the information. Alternatively, you may of course contact the BMAS office at Newton House, Newton Lane, Whitley, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4JA (Telephone: 01925 730727)

Published by THE BRITISH MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE SOCIETY