Acupuncture

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Acupuncture

Classical and Orthopaedic Acupuncture

Finding a Natural Balance

What is Acupuncture

Both Classical (or Traditional) Acupuncture and Tuina use the same theory and have a very positive model of good health and function. Both look at pain and illness as signs that the body is out of balance and that pain occurs when the free flow of Qi (or vital energy) is interrupted. There are many reasons for this including emotional and physical stress, poor nutrition, infection or physical injury.

Classically the treatment often included the use of moxibustion (or moxa) and in fact the Chinese characters for acupuncture (see above) were made up of 2 parts - Acu and Moxa.  Moxibustion is  where the heated herb Artemisia vulgaris (or mugwort) is either placed on / near the acupuncture point or placed on the needle to warm the area.  Each treatment may use additional modalities depending on the condition including  Gua Sha,  Cupping (Ba Guan) and Tuina.  Acupuncture and these additional modalities all come under the heading of Traditional East Asian Medicine (or TEAM).

In the UK acupuncture is not a regulated profession, however members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) which is a voluntary register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), must undergo a minimum of three years study at a college recognised by the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB).

Types of Acupuncture

Classical Acupuncture


Classical (or Traditional) Acupuncture involves treating the patterns of disease and dysfunction and focuses treatment on the individual rather than their illness. Diagnosis is highly personalised and involves careful consideration of how symptoms inter-relate.  Using a variety of diagnostic principles, including Yin-Yang theory, the 8 Principles, 5-Phase theory and Applied Channel theory,   seemingly unconnected symptoms weave together into a "Pattern of Disharmony".  The practice of Acupuncture can focus on painful areas, acupuncture points and acupuncture channels and its overall aim is to restore the body's equilibrium.  Both body acupuncture and  auricular (ear) acupuncture has been shown to be very useful in helping reduce stress and anxiety, together with helping patients feel more revitalized and relaxed.


Orthopaedic Acupuncture


Orthopaedic Acupuncture uses functional anatomy, Range of Motion (ROM) testing, orthopaedic examination, manual muscle testing (MMT) and palpation to identify the injured tissue.  Postural and muscle imbalances are assessed through static and functional movements in order to understand how and why the injury occurred.  With its popularity amongst many healthcare professionals, this form of acupuncture is often practiced by medical doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors after a short course of training.


Integrative Treatment

Alex integrates orthopaedic acupuncture with classical acupuncture, classical channel theory and auricular acupuncture to diagnose and treat excess (shi) and deficient (xu) conditions involving the channels and injured tissues.  The importance of determining accurate organ and channel diagnosis, together with modern orthopaedic examination is emphasized in order to ensure an individualised treatment plan.  In partnership with you, he may then use acupuncture, in conjunction with other TEAM modalities, and / or osteopathic techniques to deliver an  integrated treatment plan.  For what to expect on your first treatment, please go to our FAQs page, by clicking here.


Alex is a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) and the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS).  More information can be found on their respective websites, or by clicking here.

Brief History of Acupuncture

It was through detailed observation that Chinese physicians identified points on the skin which, when stimulated, had an effect on the homeostasis of the whole human being.

It is generally believed that the first needles were made of stone.  Stone needles have been found in ancient tombs in Mongolia dating from 2,500 BCE.  Later on wood, bone and ceramic needles were also used, with bronze needles introduced around 1,000 BCE.  With the advent of 20th century  manufacturing techniques, the modern filiform sterilised needles are single use and made of very fine stainless steel.

Stone tablets have been found with calligraphy on them relating to acupuncture which go back at least 3,000 or more years.   The earliest paper writings include the famous ancient text on Chinese Medicine the Huang Di Nei Jing (The Classic of Internal Medicine of the Yellow Emperor), which includes the use of acupuncture techniques and how they should be used to treat conditions.  Many other classical pieces of literature have subsequently been written including the "Classic of Difficulties" the "Systematic Classic" and the "Treatise on Cold Damage Disease".  Acupuncture continued to develop and spread all over the Asian continent including Vietnam, Korea and Japan - each with their own distinctive styles.  With the introduction of western medicine in China in the late 19th to early 20th Centuries, the western and classical acupuncture systems started to learn to co-exist together.

Acupuncture was introduced to Europe by the Jesuit missionaries who travelled to China and the far east.  In 1929, Dr Soulle de Morant published L'Acupuncture Chinoise, which he used to teach traditional acupuncture to French doctors.  Then in the 1950s and 1960s acupuncture was brought to Britain by practitioners including Professor J.R. Worsley, Dr Johannes van Buren and Dr Royston Low.  With colleges of acupuncture being then set up, the training began to develop with the last 20 years seeing it develop into the professional system it is today.

Acupuncture Research and the Fascial connection


Below you will find a very interesting interview with Dr Helene Langevin(MD).  Dr Langevin is the Director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  She received an MD degree from McGill University in 1978, post doctoral research fellowship in Neurochemistry at the MRC Neurochemical Pharmacology Unit in Cambridge, England, residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was a Professor in Residence of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital. She was also a part-time Professor of Neurology, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Vermont College of Medicine.  In this short interview she describes her research into the role fascia has in Acupuncture and other manual therapies.

Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine


Below you will find a very interesting lecture given by Dr David Miller to Harvard Medical Student explaining the principles of Chinese Medicine. Dr. David W. Miller, MD, LAc is one of the only MD physicians in the U.S. dually board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Dr. Miller received his Bachelor’s degree in Theoretical Mathematics from Vassar College, his M.D. from the Brown University School of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency in Pediatrics at the University of Chicago. He then completed his Master of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine with the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago

Lifestyle Advice


Both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Osteopathy promote a healthy lifestyle (termed Yang Shen or "Nourishing Life" in Chinese Medicine) to help combat many of the common chronic illnesses that plague society both in past and present years.  As Dr Dean Ornish states in his book "UnDoIt" -

  • Eat well - increasing fruit, vegetables and whole foods and minimising processed foods;
  • Move more - even moderate exercise of 30 minutes a day will help offset some of the effects of inflammation - do what you love doing (since you will  be inclined to maintaining it) from a simple daily walk, cycling, gym work to dancing or martial arts;
  • Stress less - mindfulness techniques, meditation, yoga, Tai Qi and Qi Gong or a simple walk in nature will help ameliorate the effects of long term chronic stress and;
  • Love more - for many people the loss of close family networks / structure in our modern society, has resulted in reduced contact and intimacy that can help support us in our time of need.


For some interesting advice on lifestyle medicine I have included 2 links -

A short 30 minute interview with Dr Dean Ornish regarding lifestyle medicine

A longer 90 minutes documentary on Forks (food) over Knives (surgery) - some of the science behind a healthy lifestyle

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