Acupuncture is a form of healthcare that (mostly) is not offered on the NHS, though a few GPs do offer it (either as they have trained themselves or they refer to an acupuncturist – the same happens in some hospices). Unlike (say Germany), ‘alternative medicines’ are not as regulated in England, so this gives rise to quacks (and different organisations, causing confusion) whereas having one national body would be better. We do kind of have one which any GP can refer to if wished, especially for patients with chronic pain, as NICE endorses there is clinical proof that it works, for up to a year. And is far cheaper than doling out drugs that have bigger side effects.
For private treatment, enter your postcode at British Acupuncture Council to find one of 3000 members, who belong to an accredited register that is regulated and approved by the Professional Standards Agency for Health & Social Care (for high training standards, safe practice & professional conduct). In other words, these are the acupuncturists to book!
Unfortunately, often the information online is not coming from those who know. There is one Catholic blog in the USA (written by a Trump supporter) who suggests there is no clinical evidence that acupuncture works (there is) and even suggests that ”spiritual harm’ may come from receiving acupuncture, as the patient would be putting hope in ‘false Gods’ who may be serving to hide Satan!’
what is acupuncture?
Traditional and western medical acupuncture both stem from China (variations on a theme) and have been practiced for around 2000 years. In the Far East, most clinics treat many people at one time, placing in some needles then visiting some else in the room (behind privacy screens) to make it more affordable (there are community acupuncture clinics across England that offer the same, bringing the price down to around £20 rather than £4o to £80, depending on where you live).
Eastern philosophy of how our bodies work is very different from western philosophy (and that’s okay, oranges are not the only fruit, we can all learn from each other). Buddhists, Hindus and Jains all believe that to ‘cure’ an illness means looking at how our bodies work in sync with our mind and spirit. A western GP may dole out a drug for an aching leg, but a holistic practitioner is likely to also look at lifestyle, diet, sleep and how you walk etc. And if your stress is causing lactic acid, to make your leg hurt.
To be fair, many western doctors do include lifestyle advice too, but too many ‘dinosaur doctors’ just ‘stick a plaster on a volcano’ rather than looking at cause. Having said that, you’ll want an orthodox doctor if you get hit by a lorry. This is where ‘integrated medicine’ comes in (use holistic where needed, and orthodox for more serious issues). If someone is depressed, try lifestyle advice and holistic medicine first – then and only then, get them on anti-depressants.
That’s why we have a huge issue with medical waste in England, with millions of people never taking tablets they are doled out, perhaps realising that sometimes they are not needed? Ask your GP for a yearly medication review (circumstances change) to see what tablets are needed and not). Then give the rest to your pharmacist to recycle (never flush them down the loo).
Qi is the energy that acupuncturists work with. It’s got different names in different forms. You’ve likely heard of feng shui (an earth science that most westerners don’t know how to harness properly – proper feng shui involves skilled practitioners using compasses and mathematics – you don’t house poor fish in tiny tanks to generate ‘good energy’. In fact, painting your door red can do more harm than good. Classically-trained expert Kartar Diamond writes that to place ‘remedies in each room’ is like ‘taking everything in the medicine cabinet, because you don’t know what’s wrong with you’. Other familiar forms of this energy are ta’i chi (the gentle exercise used by older people in China) and yoga (‘prana’ is simply another word for the same kind of energy).
According to Chinese medicine (and we’re not talking about dodgy versions that use bear bile and rhino/tiger horn), our bodies contain lots of small meridian points which if blocked, can cause ill health. This is similar to the holistic medicine of reflexology, where ‘blocks’ are caused by calcium deposits, which the practitioner presses to release, which are then released in urine, after treatment.
what happens at an acupuncture session?
On arrival, a trained acupuncturist (like any medical practitioner) will take your medical history, take your pulse and ask you to stick your tongue out! The needles (which are pre-sterilised and disposed of after use) are left to rest under the skin or sometimes in muscle for a few minutes to 30 minutes, depending on what you need. Most people feel a light tingle, a few people get mild pain, bleeding or bruising (and very rarely there are serious side effects like punctured lung or infection, a risk in any kind of medicine). Most patients receive a course of around six treatments, and then sometimes treatment is no longer needed, or can be reduced to less frequent sessions.
Acupuncture is often not given to people with pacemakers/implants, bleeding disorders (including those on medication) and those at risk of infection. And nobody with a metal allergy!
why is acupuncture not available on the NHS?
As mentioned above, there is strong clinical evidence that acupuncture helps chronic pain for up to a year (endorsed by NICE that advises NHS), as well as helping other conditions short-term like prostate problems, jaw pain, side effects and pain from surgery and cancer treatment – and chronic hiccups!
No doubt private practitioners would like to offer their services on the NHS, but at present the organisation does not appear to wish to offer it en-masse. But know that if you GP wishes, he or she can legally refer you to a member of British Acupuncture Council (as an accredited register with the Professional Standards Authority).
Critics say there are not enough trials to prove acupuncture. But unlike drugs (that are legally tested on innocent animals) and then in human trials, you can’t ‘prove’ holistic methods in black-and-white. If you have neck pain and you’re givne a pill, it works or it doesn’t. But an acupuncturist may tell you to change your pillow, get a decent pair of shoes (that improves your posture, and hence your neck) and asks you to sleep more and drink more water. That’s never going to ‘show up’ in a trial result. Sticking needles in you, is just part of the equation!
Some studies show that acupuncture can even work for tension headaches, migraine and even temporomandibular joint pain and knee osteoarthritis. So why not offered on the NHS? Some believe pressure from drug companies (who would lose profits) may be one reason. But NHS regulation would ensure that acupuncture was safely practiced by people who knew what they were doing, and would also cut out confusion (and religious dogma, as mentioned above by those who have no medical knowledge whatsoever).