Acupuncture’s overall aim is to re-establish a healthy balance of the entire body’s metabolism. So, it’s not surprising that, after having a course of acupuncture treatment, many patients report improvements in other aspects of their health, as well as the problem they originally came with.
This is not to suggest there is anything random about Chinese medicine. It has highly sophisticated methods of diagnosis, which will accommodate most conditions that are defined in Western medical terms (as well as some that aren’t), so you can be sure treatments will be focused on your particular symptoms.
Recently, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has tried to limit what practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can say on their websites about what Acupuncture can treat. Many feel this has more to do with the political agendas of certain organisations than any real concern for people’s health.
However, the dialogue between the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) and the ASA is ongoing, and until this is resolved, we are advised to refer people to The World Health Organisation (WHO), which has published a list of conditions a for which acupuncture has proved effective in clinical trials. There is also research by the National Institute of Clinical Effectiveness (NICE), which recommends up to 10 sessions of acupuncture for low back pain in the NHS.
These restrictions only apply to published information. So, if your condition is not listed on the WHO link and you would like more information on whether acupuncture can help with your particular problem, please give me a call to discuss the matter further.