raise the profile of acupuncture as a valid healthcare choice, used to help manage a range of conditions
highlight the role of the BAcC as the UK’s leading professional body for traditional acupuncturists, upholding high standards of training and safety in practice
encourage prospective patients to visit the BAcC’s website to find a BAcC acupuncturist near them (via the Find an Acupuncturist tool)
Acupuncture Awareness Week is here to help better inform people about the ancient practice of traditional acupuncture. With 2.3 million acupuncture treatments carried out each year, acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary therapies practised in the UK today. Yet despite its widely recognised health benefits many people only discover acupuncture as a last resort.
Today 2.3 million acupuncture treatments are carried out each year by British Acupuncture Council members and the therapy is widely accepted as an effective solution for a range of illnesses and symptoms. What’s more there is substantial body of evidence to support this. Click here to find research that has been carried out on acupuncture including low back pain, nausea and osteoarthritis knee pain.
A popular myth
One of the most popular myths surrounding acupuncture is the size of the needle used in treatment. In fact new research revealed that 21% of the British public think an acupuncturist’s needle is as large as that used in an injection. The reality is acupuncture needles are actually the same width as a human hair and some are just 0.13mm in diameter. Most people might feel a slight tingling sensation when the needles are used, but this certainly does not feel like the pain associated with an injection.
How can acupuncture help me?
Many people turn to traditional acupuncture for help with a specific symptom or condition. Others choose to have treatment to help maintain good health, as a preventive measure, or simply to improve their general sense of wellbeing. As traditional acupuncture aims to treat the whole person rather than specific symptoms in isolation, it can be effective for a range of health complaints.
Conditions which can be treated successfully with acupuncture are nausea, vomiting, dental pain, and the temporary relief of pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee (along with exercise and conventional medicine) and short-team relief of tension headaches and migraine-type headaches.
Take a look at the BAcC's research fact sheets to find out how traditional acupuncture can help.
Alison Savory is a member of the British Acupuncture Council and a graduate of the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine. Watch this video where Alison will answer all the questions you have always wanted to ask about acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncturist Andrew Jackson and Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington talk about using acupuncture to help maintain peak performance and aid recovery from injury.