What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM] which has been practiced in China and other Eastern countries for thousands of years.
Although often described as a means of pain relief, it is in fact used to treat people with a wide range of illnesses. It involves inserting fine needles into points of the body then leaving them or stimulating them intermittently for around 20 to 30 minutes to treat symptoms.

How does it work?

The traditional Chinese view is that there is an energy flowing through our bodies which is called Qi. The energy flows through channels but it can be blocked thus producing a build up of energy in one area and causing unwanted  symptoms. This blockage can be due to injury, disease, anxiety or infection. The use of acupuncture to stimulate  the relevant points frees this stagnation of energy and eliminates the symptoms.

Now for someone brought up in the western world and learning about the body from a medical point of view this whole energy thing was a little alien to me. This acupuncture thing seemed a little strange yet I had seen it work for so many patients.

Well the western world now acknowledges the benefits of acupuncture but they explain its effects in a slightly different way. They believe that the needles work by stimulating the nerves in skin and muscle and this increases the body’s release of natural painkillers – endorphins and serotonin. This changes the way pain signals are received and interpreted by the brain. Working in a very similar way to a TENS machine which many people will be familiar with as it is used quite commonly with back pain and in childbirth.

Although we don’t understand all the reasons why acupuncture works it certainly does seem to have an effect on the body. Furthermore you don’t have to believe in it for it to work on you!

Can Anyone Use it?

If you are on anti-coagulant drugs (these are drugs which thin your blood to stop clotting) this can be a problem as, although, needling doesn’t usually produce blood the acupuncturist needs to be aware of this potential problem.  The most that would commonly occur is an increase of site bruising.

If you have any sores, broken skin or infection over the site to be treated then the acupuncture is not appropriate. If you have a metal allergy then acupuncture needles cannot be used. Needles should not be inserted into any lumps or moles. A qualified acupuncturist will ask you questions about these things before starting treatment and will advise you on what is the best treatment option.

How are the points are selected?

Acupuncture points are found along the channels of energy which flow through the body. These have been mapped out and the acupuncturist will locate the relevant points on the body which he or she  will use. Each acupuncture point has an effect on the surrounding area. There are also points known as distal points which have an effect on areas far away from themselves. This means that although you may go to the acupuncturist for treatment for a sore shoulder they may use a point in your lower leg as this point has an effect on your shoulder.

The acupuncturist will choose the points relevant to your condition, the number of points used varies between conditions and also the individual acupuncturist. You may have only 5 needles in or you may have many more.

What can be treated?

Problems with Muscles, Joints and Nervous System, such as arthritis, carpal tunnel, migraines, insomnia, dizziness and low back, neck and shoulder pain.
Circulatory problems, such as hypertension and angina.  For the more serious circulatory and cardiac symptoms, be sure to consult with your internist/cardiologist before embarking on that treatment regimen.
Emotional and Psychological Problems, including depression, stress and anxiety have, also, been treated with some success.

This is not an all-inclusive list but it gives one idea of the wide range of conditions that can respond to acupuncture treatment. Before starting acupuncture it is important that any other serious underlying conditions have been ruled out, usually by visiting your GP or specialist.

How long is a treatment session?

This varies between practitioners but usually needles are left in for around 20-30 minutes. If a patient reacts strongly to acupuncture treatment the therapist may decide to put the needles in for a shorter time. Sometimes you may only need one session of acupuncture but usually most people have a course of around 3-6 treatments. Treatments are often carried out twice in the first week then once weekly after that. Sometimes after a treatment session the symptoms can be exacerbated, often this is only for a short time then an improvement in symptoms occurs. If this is too distressing then it can be avoided by inserting the needles for less time, using less needles or avoiding stimulation of the needles during treatment.

What Happens?

At the first session a detailed history and assessment should take place, this will vary depending on whether you are receiving your acupuncture from a traditional Chinese acupuncturist, a G.P. or a physiotherapist. You will usually be asked to lie down on the bed and remove clothing from the area to be treated. If you are being treated for back pain you may have needles put in your back, but also in your legs so its best to dress in comfortable loose clothing.

The needles are kept in sterile packets and are removed as required. There are different types of needles some coming  with a guide tube. This is a thin hollow tube which allows easy insertion of the needle. The acupuncturist will press the tube gently onto the skin over the point he has located. This allows accurate insertion of the needle onto the point. The needle is then tapped into the skin with a sharp tap of the finger. The guide tube is removed and quickly and gently the needle is pushed with a firm but gentle movement with a slight twist into the skin. The needles are very fine, thinner than those used to take blood or give injections.

Once all the needles have been inserted the acupuncturist may stimulate them during the treatment. They may do this by gently flicking the ends of them or twisting them between finger and thumb. This should not be painful but may feel a little uncomfortable if the point is sensitive. Following the treatment the needles are removed by the acupuncturist and placed in a sharps box for safe disposal. As the needles do pierce the skin there can be a very slight bleed but this is really minuscule, a tiny spot of blood and nothing like what can happen when a doctor takes blood.

Does it hurt?

As I said before the feeling of the needle going in is really not painful. Most of the time the patient is actually unaware that the needle has been inserted. Most people are nervous on the first acupuncture treatment as you don’t know what to expect, but most are pleasantly surprised that it doesn’t hurt a bit!

Are there any side effects?

There are a few side effects most of which are minor and can be avoided.

FAINTING – this can be avoided by the patient lying down during the treatment session. In some cases this is not possible and treatment has to be carried out in a seated position.   It is more likely to occur in patient who are very nervous and tense.

PAIN – As mentioned earlier inserting the needles should not be painful. Some points however can be a little uncomfortable and if you move during treatment this can cause pain. You should therefore ensure you are lying in a comfortable stable position before treatment begins. Very anxious people can feel more pain.

INJURIES – Injuries to internal organs are very rare. There are certain points that should not be needled or only needled with great caution. A trained acupuncturist should be aware of these and therefore no injury is likely.

DROWSINESS – Some degree of drowsiness after acupuncture is fairly common. You should take care if you are going to be driving or operating machinery. It may be sensible to get someone to accompany you on your first session if you are worried about feeling drowsy after the treatment.

Does it Work?

Well its not a wonder cure that works every time. For some people it does has wonderful benefits and can completely relieve a persons symptoms. Sadly for others it seems to have no effect. It can be difficult to predict who will benefit and who will not. It can take a few treatments before an effect is noticed. However after around 4 treatments if you are feeling no effect however short-lived it is probably unlikely it will help you. Some people require a course of 6-8 treatments and this relieves their symptoms completely forever, others require “top-ups” after 4-6months to keep their symptoms from returning.

Where can I get acupuncture?

There are more and more acupuncturists opening clinics all round the country. I have never been to these Chinese acupuncturists so I cannot comment on the cost or their expertise.  Some GPs are trained as are many physiotherapists.  If going to a private clinic I would recommend talking to people who have been there and asking them about their opinion. When you go to the clinic ask them what qualifications they have and if they are registered with any of the acupuncture societies. You can check these on the internet. With acupuncture you need to be sure they are properly qualified and following safe practice especially where needles are involved.

Some Points To Try

Before I leave you here is a point you can use on yourself and the wonderful thing is you don’t need to use needles. There is a point in your hand which is a major point for pain relief. If you hold your hand in front of you, for this we will demonstrate with the left hand but you can do it on both. Hold your thumb out to the side to you make an L shape with your thumb and index finger. Then pinch the web of skin between the finger and the thumb, not right at the edge where there is only skin but right in at the fleshy part between the two bones. Pressing on this for a few minutes helps relieve pain. If you have a headache then you are supposed to press on both hands at the same time, I have tried this but you really need another pair of hands!