Informative Essay On Acupuncture

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Recommended: Acupuncture as a form of alternative medicine

treatment or therapy that is applied alongside and in support of conventional medical methods. That means, the therapy complements the range of services provided by the NHS. In contrast, alternative medicine is defined as a form treatment used in place of conventional (i.e. orthodox Western medicine). This web site covers only complementary therapies. [(1)www.acupuncture.org.uk]
Acupuncture

1. The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture has been around for centuries and has steadily grown in popularity in the UK. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body's motivating energy, known as Qi, moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin. When Qi becomes unbalanced, …show more content…

Acupuncture practitioners or sometimes called acupuncturists, use acupuncture to treat a wide range of health conditions. It is often used to treat pain conditions such as headache, lower back pain and osteoarthritis, but is also sometimes used in an attempt to help people with conditions ranging from infertility to anxiety and asthma. Acupuncture is occasionally available on the NHS, although access is limited. Most acupuncture patients’ pay for private treatment. [(3)www.nhs.uk/ Conditions/Acupuncture]
Does it …show more content…

Some people experience side effects such as feeling drowsy or dizzy, but these are usually mild and short-lived.
Evidence for and against acupuncture
There is some scientific evidence acupuncture has a beneficial effect for a number of health conditions.
However, there is less clear scientific evidence about the benefits of acupuncture in the majority of conditions it is often used for.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic lower back pain, chronic tension-type headaches and migraine. [(4) www.nice.co.uk]

What are the regulation issues?
There are statutory regulation of acupuncture in England, but many non-medical acupuncture practitioners are required to register with their local authority. [(7 www.nhs.uk/Conditions/homeopathy)]
These organisations include:
• The British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS)
• Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP)
• British Acupuncture Council (BacC)
• British Academy of Western Medical Acupuncture (BAWMA)
• British Register of Complementary Practitioners (BRCP)

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