Restore, Rehabilitate, Reintegrate
Medical Acupuncture is a skill that many Physiotherapists may use within their Integrative treatments to support healing, reduce pain and promote tissue repair. The benefits of Acupuncture in Physiotherapy are based on grounded, science-based clinical research.
The ancient concept of Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and dates back to 1000BC and based in the underlying philosophy that each body has the ability to return back to its natural balanced state of health when it is given the right support, stimulus and conditions to do so.
The body has in’s own innate inner ‘healer’ which supports repair, regeneration and renewal and Acupuncture is one of the modalities which offers support for this.
How does it work?
The body has a network of energy lines called Meridians, which ‘Qi’ or energy circulates though. When one of those lines become ‘blocked’ then the channel stops flowing which can result in dis-ease in some way, whether that is a pain in the low back, a sprained ankle or deeper issues such as bladder or bowel issues.
Needles are used to stimulate the flow of energy in the meridians and eliminate the blockages to allow the Qi to flow again effectively.
The needles used are fully sterilised and very fine, about the width of a human hair. When working with musculoskeletal pain the Acupuncture needles are inserted into points along the energy lines and also in local points around the injury or painful site. They are left in place for approximately 20 to 30 minutes and then removed. Some people may not really feel the needles being inserted or may feel a tiny prick. Once they are in place again some people may not feel them at all, some feel some discomfort which reduces throughout the session.
‘Acupuncture is used by Physiotherapists, against a background of sound research and evidence, as a means of enhancing pain modulation via the stimulation of the brain and spinal cord to produce NATURAL pain-relieving chemicals, such as endorphins; melatonin to promote sleep, serotonin to promote well-being, to name but a few. These assist the body’s healing process and offer pain relief as a precursor for other manual or exercise therapy.’ www.aacp.or.uk (Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists)