KATY BRADSHAW ACUPUNCTUREEvidence for Acupuncture
Posted on November 9, 2018
There are around four million acupuncture treatments per year in the UK, of which around half are delivered by members of the British Acupuncture Council. Musculoskeletal pain is the most common condition that patients present with, but traditional acupuncturists see people with a wide range of conditions; mental ill health and infertility are the next most prevalent (Hopton 2012): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22240649
The best place to look at the evidence for acupuncture is at Evidence Based Acupuncture. I cannot rate this work highly enough.
You can also find out more via the British Acupuncture Council, who provide a series of fact sheets on a wide range of conditions and include summaries of research and how acupuncture may be beneficial.
But remember…
Measuring the efficacy of acupuncture from a Western point of view isn’t without its complications.
Chinese medicine is practised and understood in its own terms. Whilst Western science is based on facts and measurements, the classical Chinese worldview looks more at patterns and qualities; it is more about human sensory experience (Kaz Wegmuller 2015).
Also…
Acupuncture trials are usually carried out comparing real acupuncture vs sham (needles placed into non-points), but this shows little understanding of how acupuncture actually works and more often than not leads to less accurate outcomes. More work needs to be done on comparing acupuncture outcomes with other modalities of treatment.
Contact me for more information.
Acupuncture – an effective alternative to HRT?
Posted on May 5, 2018
The menopause can so often be a time that brings disruption and misery to a woman’s life. It can involve one or more of a range of symptoms, which are experienced to varying degrees and levels of distress. These can include night sweats and hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, headaches, aches and pains, palpitations and genital and urinary problems.
Read MoreWhat to expect
Posted on March 12, 2014
Before we get started on any acupuncture, I get you booked in for a free 30-minute consultation. We can do this via telephone or zoom.
If we decide to work together then the next step is to book an initial assessment and first treatment. Prior to that appointment, I’ll get you to complete a short health history form so I can get started on working out what’s going on for you.
When we meet in person I will ask lots of questions to make a complete diagnosis of your main complaint and to get an overall picture of your health. We’ll also talk a little about emotional experiences that may have contributed to your physical symptoms.
I am a ‘trauma-informed’ acupuncturist, which means that I understand that our emotions, traumas (big and little), past illnesses and current and past life experiences all contribute to our health.
I will then look at your tongue and feel your pulses before starting your treatment.
After we’ve done some acupuncture, I’ll go through which programme I think you need to be on and recommend lifestyle changes that you will need to make to ensure a quick and successful recovery.
