Acupuncture
Use this page to find out more about acupuncture and physiotherapy:
Introduction
Acupuncture is one of the oldest recorded forms of medicine having been used for over 3,000 years in China. It refers to the insertion of a solid needle into any part of the human body for disease prevention, therapy or maintenance of health. There are other techniques often used with acupuncture to provide a complete package of health.
The traditional Chinese view of acupuncture is that Qi (energy) – pronounced "chee" - flows freely when the body is in a healthy state. If there is a problem, energy stagnates. The stimulation of appropriate acupuncture points frees this stagnation.
Chartered physiotherapists often combine different techniques to achieve the best treatment for their patients. Acupuncture is a treatment option, which complements other skills but can also be used alone. Treatment effects are 'holistic' in that the patient is treated as a whole. This means that pains that move around the body, or pains which cover the majority of the body, can be treated 'holistically'. Acupuncture is therefore a very useful skill in the physiotherapist's toolbox.
Pain relief through acupuncture is thought to occur by the nervous system being stimulated to produce its own painkilling substances. These substances are to be found locally around the needle site, in the spinal cord and in different areas of the brain.
The effects are cumulative and because so many areas of the nervous system can be influenced, good results are frequently achieved when more conventional medicine has failed. There is nothing spiritual about acupuncture and patients do not need to believe in it for it to be effective. Some patients can see immediate results whilst for others it may take more time before they see the effects. The latter is likely to be applicable to patients suffering from a chronic condition.
Conditions which can be relieved by acupuncture
- Acute and chronic injuries
- Arthritis and rheumatism
- Back and neck pains; muscle and joint problems
- Bell's palsy
- Bladder and bowel problems
- Breathing difficulties like asthma
- Bronchitis
- Dizziness
- Hayfever
- Headaches and migraines
- Neurological conditions - eg multiple sclerosis and stroke
- Nausea
- Pain
- Some skin conditions
- Sport injuries
- Stress related difficulties
- Women's health
and many more.
Acupuncture is often used to treat conditions that have not responded well to conventional medicine or it can be used as an adjunct to other techniques. Chartered physiotherapists will use sterilized single-use needles, which are disposed of after treatment. Special care is taken with patients who are diabetic or those who bruise easily. Chartered physiotherapists who use acupuncture can work in the NHS and the community, private practice or in dedicated acupuncture clinics.
Chartered physiotherapists will undergo a variety of acupuncture training such as completing an undergraduate module, a short or long postgraduate course, or a specific Master of Sciences course (MSc).
Further information
The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) monitors the standards of training and practise offered to chartered physiotherapists. The AACP has nearly 2,600 members and patients are likely to have contact with some members in their local NHS trust. Safe delivery of acupuncture is AACP's priority.
The AACP is a clinical interest group of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. The Society recognises and accredits clinical interest groups that represent a distinct field of physiotherapy clinical practice that may be specific to a client group, a clinical area or a particular treatment approach.
The option of treatment with acupuncture is discussed with the patient after assessment by a chartered physiotherapist for their suitability for this treatment. Members of the public can contact AACP for more information or for help in locating a chartered physiotherapist in their area. Please see the AACP website for further details.
Alternatively, see the Physio2u directory to locate a chartered physiotherapist in your area.
