DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACUPUNCTURE AND PRACTITIONER

You may hear about different styles of Acupuncture, provided by different kinds of practitioner.

Understand to make an informed choice

• Traditional acupuncture = Classical acupuncture

This practice refers to the Chinese Medical Classics, it is based on over 2,000 years of development and refinement in the Far East. It is an holistic approach to health, which means that the person is considered as a whole with physical, functional, emotional and spiritual aspects that have to be harmosided in consideration also of the person's environment (climate and seasonal influence, external stress) and constitution (idiosyncrasy). Symptoms and illnesses are considered as the manifestion of an initial disturbance in the natural flow of Qi-energy and Body Fluids which need to be balanced. This is the reason why it can help an illimited number of symptoms. As the general balance (Homeostasis) improves, the body's own healing response is restored.
This is the style practiced by most members of The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), the registering body for professional acupuncture in the UK.
>> It can be divided into 2 major categories (TCM & 5 element acupuncture).

• TCM-Traditional Chinese Medicine
TCM practice usually combines Traditional Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine. It tends to give more consideration to the symptoms, as it has been influenced for the last 50 years by Western Medicine.

• 5 element acupuncture = Constitutional acupuncture
Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, as taught by Professor J.R. Worsley doesn't palliate symptoms. It derives its remarkable effectiveness by treating the Causative Factor (CF) of an illness.
Relying on natural laws, it recognizes that the health of a person's entire body, mind and spirit must be taken into account in order to fully diagnose the cause of an illness. Only then can the most effective help be offered so that people can regain their balance and health on all levels.

• Acupressure massage
When practiced by members of the BAcC, acupressure is based on the same principle as Traditional Acupuncture, it uses finger pressure as opposed to needles on the acupuncture points, which makes it most suitable for children or people with a fear of needles.

Members of the BAcC have completed a first degree level in traditional acupuncture including appropriate elements of Western medical sciences, they abide by the Council's Code of Safe Practice and Code of Professional Conduct, are covered by full professional Liability Insurance.

• Medical acupuncture = Symptomatic acupuncture

This practice was recently developed by the Western medical world to treat very specific symptoms. The acupuncture points are chosen for their symptomatic effect as opposed to their general action on the Qi-energy and Fluids.
Some GPs, physiotherapists, nurses and midwives receive short training courses to enable them to integrate some acupuncture into their conventional practice.
I personally feel very happy that other health practitioners show an interest for acupuncture. In my experience, symptomatic acupuncture provides only short term benefit as it does not work on treating the cause of disorders but only its manifestation.

• Unregulated practitioners

It is not yet compulsory in the UK to be part of a professional organisation. By 2010, The BAcC has to fully regulate the profession. I think for obvious reasons that it is much safer for the public to consult a registered acupuncturist, though this is not to discredit practitioners who are not yet regulated.

Please note that this expresses my own knowledge and experience and may not represent the position of the British Acupuncture Council.

If you have any comments on this, please feel free to contact me.