The Wellness Doctor-Lifestyle Medicine & Western Medical Acupuncture
Western Medical Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine. Fine needles are inserted at certain sites in the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes.
How acupuncture works?
Western medical acupuncture is the use of acupuncture following a medical diagnosis. It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles.
This results in the body producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins. It's likely that these naturally released substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture. A course of acupuncture usually creates longer lasting pain relief than when a single treatment is used.
Uses of acupuncture
Acupuncture is often used to treat musculoskeletal conditions (of the bones and muscles) and pain conditions, including:
- joint pain
- dental pain
- postoperative pain
Currently, NICE only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for:
- chronic (long-term) pain
- chronic tension-type headaches
- migraines
Conditions suitable
Acupuncture is used mainly to relieve discomfort associated with a variety of diseases and conditions, including:
- Chemotherapy-induced and postoperative nausea and vomiting
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches, including tension headaches and migraines
- Anxiety & Stress disorder
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Endometriosis
- Menopausal symptoms
- Respiratory disorders, such as allergic rhinitis
- Tennis elbow
How is it done?
An initial acupuncture session usually lasts 20 minutes to 1 hour and involves an assessment of your general health, medical history and a physical examination, followed by insertion of the acupuncture needles.
Courses of treatment often involve several separate sessions, but this can vary.
The needles are inserted into specific places on the body, which practitioners call acupuncture points.
During the session, you'll usually be asked to sit or lie down. You may also be asked to remove some clothes so the practitioner can access certain parts of your body.
The needles used are very fine and are usually a few centimetres long. They should be single-use, pre-sterilised needles that are disposed of immediately after use.
Acupuncture practitioners choose specific points to place the needles based on your condition. Several points may be used during a typical session, depending on the number of symptoms you have.
The needles may be inserted just under the skin, or deeper so they reach muscle. Once the needles are in place, they may be left in position for a length of time lasting from a few minutes up to around 30 minutes.
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