ACUPUNCTURE

1. ACUPUNCTURE Presented By JULIA HART BSc(HONS)MBAcC

2. The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) represents professional acupuncturists who have extensive training in acupuncture and the biomedical sciences appropriate to the practice of this medicine.

3. Complementary Medicine • Complementary Medicine is a term that broadly describes a number of differing health approaches.

4. What do all of these Complementary Medical Approaches have in common? • Complementary Medicine – or ‘Natural Healthcare’ as it is sometimes known - aims to help people achieve their highest levels of health and wellness using an ‘holistic’ approach. • This means that when a practitioner works with a client, the practitioner takes into account the client’s ‘whole being’.

5. Put simply, this means that all of the client’s disparate ‘elements’ such as their physical, mental and emotional states, their lifestyle, medical history and so on are all taken into account. • This is so that the practitioner can assess what makes this person an individual – from a health point of view - and how he or she can be treated in a highly individualised way to help them return to a state of wellbeing.

6. How does this approach differ from Conventional Medicine? • Conventional Medicine, by and large, treats people in a very ‘segmented’ way. • For example, if a person goes to a doctor with migraines and eczema, the doctor may refer the patient to both a neurologist AND a dermatologist.

7. Otherdifferences between Complementary and Conventional Medicine • Complementary Medical practitioners aim to understand what lies underneath the person’s symptoms, i.e. why the person’s body is producing a particular set of symptoms. It is a very logical approach. • This is why Complementary Medical practitioners often spend a long time with clients – asking them lots of questions – in order to gain an in-depth understanding of them.

8. More Differences….. • Conventional Doctors on the other hand – through no fault of their own – have very little time to spend with patients. • It is interesting to note that many doctors are strongly in favour of referring their patients to Complementary Medical practitioners.

9. GPs increasingly welcome the contribution complementary therapies can make. • In fact, 70% feel they should be freely available on the NHS (according to a survey in ‘GP Magazine’ the weekly magazine for General Practitioners ) • So – why do we sometimes hear that doctors are often ‘against’ Complementary Medicine?

10. The fact is that in general they’re not! • Remember that the media love to blow the facts up out of all proportion! • Complementary Medical approaches are becoming increasingly popular – and the evidence base for these is increasing.

11. This – coupled with the fact that sensible doctors realise that they do not have all the answers - means that doctors are increasingly keen to refer patients to Complementary Medical practitioners. • AND more doctors than ever are also training in Complementary Medical techniques.

12. Acupuncture

13. Acupuncture was once looked down upon by Conventional Medicine – and was considered to be more a branch of “magic” – a ‘mumbo jumbo’ kind of medicine • But it is now becoming a far more understood – and accepted – form of treatment and is now available on the NHS – as well as through a number of qualified practitioners in the UK. • So, does acupuncture really work?

14. Acupuncture as “Battlefield Medicine” • The US Air Force has been training their doctors in what they call "Battlefield Acupuncture“ since 2009 when it was pioneered in Iraq. • They use acupuncture on the battlefield to relieve severe pain.

15. ..... Acupuncture is now so ingrained in the US Military ..... • ..... that the 'Medical Acupuncture Journal' gave over its entire January 2012 issue to explore the use of acupuncture by the US Military. • The Editor of the Journal explained: • “The use of acupuncture for helping wounded warriors suffering from pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and mild traumatic brain injury is growing rapidly”

16. Acupuncture as “Battlefield Medicine” The US military are very excited by the fact that what they describe as a “NEW” approachwill save on the need for pain medication - and all the side effects they might cause, such as addiction or adverse reactions - as well as be easy to use in battle situations.

17. So, does acupuncture work? • This recent evidence that acupuncture works is quite compelling and there are also many thousands of scientific studies that have been conducted – with more on their way. • But, as with many Complementary Medical therapies - although it has been known for many years that they do work – we are only just beginning to understand how they work – in scientific terms.

18. So what is acupuncture? • An essential part ofTraditional Chinese Medicine which is a comprehensive system of health care with a continuous clinical history of over 3,000 years • Founded on a different paradigm of the human body – “Qi” - sometimes referred to as ‘vital energy’ • Illness is believed to be a result of an imbalance or blockage in this Qi • Acupuncture uses fine needles inserted into specific points on the body to release and stimulate this qi to bring the body back into balance.

19. The Meridians • Qi is said to flow throughout the body in channels or meridians and collaterals circulating through tissues, muscles, organs, skin and bones • There are 12 main meridians in the body, six Yin • and six Yang (paired), each relating to one of the main organs: • Heart and Small Intestine • Pericardium and Triple Warmer • Spleen and Stomach • Lungs and Large Intestine • Kidneys and Bladder • Liver and Gall Bladder

20. The Rediscovery of Acupuncture Meridians……… • Threadlike microscopic anatomical Structures found inside blood and Lymphatic vessels. • Correspond with the layout of • Traditional acupuncture meridians. • First discovered in 1960’s by a Korean scientist but discounted • due to him never revealing how he discovered them. • Recently rediscovered by the use of stereo-microscope photographs showing these almost transparent tubular structures.

21. Acupuncture Points • There are some 365 points on • the human body • Each point has a specific set of • functions • Usually, several points in different • places are used to meet the treatment • principle • Points on the foot may be used for • headaches for example

22. ADifferentConceptualBasis • Interior / Exterior • Cold / Hot • Deficiency / Excess • Yin / Yang (energies of the body) • Stagnation, dryness, damp

23. A Different Diagnostic LanguageAn Example • Western Medicine • Peptic Ulcer • Eastern Medicine • Yin Deficiency affecting the • Stomach • Excess Cold-Damp affecting • Spleen & Stomach • Liver Invading Spleen • Blood Stagnation in Stomach • Damp-Heat affecting Spleen • Imbalance in Fire element • affecting Earth element

24. Similarly, for the same human body Western Medicine Anaemia Amenorrhoea Vertigo Insomnia Hypertension Eczema Heart arrhythmia Depressive neurosis Eastern Medicine Blood Deficiency

25. Clinical Research Demonstrates that Acupuncture… • Stimulates bone regrowth • Stimulates the production of cortisol • Stimulates production of dynorphin, • endorphin and enkephalin (pain modulators) • Regulates blood pressure • Regulates serotonin • (spinal cord pain modulator) • Increases red and white blood cell count • Stimulates the clotting factor • Regulates the sympathetic nervous system • Regulates the peripheral blood flow • Enhances the immune response • Reduces the allergic response • Modulates the immune system The Body Electric by Robert Becker, MD The Vital Meridian by Alan Bensoussian Acupuncture, A Scientific Appraisal edited By E Ernst and A White

26. For a Variety of Health Needs • Immune enhancement/prevention • Infectious diseases • Acute conditions • Chronic, degenerative conditions • Pain management • Rehabilitation • Chemical dependency • Mental and emotional well being

27. Other Beneficial Side Effects • Patients reported that most of the time they: • Feel better (76%) • Miss fewer work days(71%) • Get along better with others (69%) • Have less pain (64%) • Have more energy (58%) • Are more focused (58%) • Can work better (64%) ‘Health Visions 2000’ by Claire Cassidy

28. Conditions Acupuncture Can Help • Allergies • Asthma • Back pain • Carpal Tunnel • Colds & Flu • Constipation • Depression • Gynaecological • conditions • Headaches • Heart problems • Infertility • Insomnia • PMS • Sciatica • Sports Injuries • Stress • Tendonitis (But there are many others) List of conditions cited by World Health Organisation

29. What GI conditions are commonly treated with Acupuncture? • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) • Acid Reflux / GERD • Spastic Colon • Colitis • Constipation • Diarrhea • Food Allergies • Ulcers • Gastritis • Abdominal Bleeding • Hemorrhoids

30. The Research……… • Acupuncture has been found superior to sham acupuncture (placebo): • (Joos 2006; Joos 2006; Schneider 2007). • Chrohns Disease • Ulcerative Colitis • In comparisons with Western drug treatments acupuncture has been found beneficial for a variety of gastrointestinal diseases: • Dyspepsia (Chen 2005) • Gastritis (Ren 2009; Gu 2009) • Ulcerative colitis (Mu 2007; Lee 2009) • Reflux (JNMA 2008; Zhang 2010) • Pancreatitis (Wang 2007)

31. Acupuncture may help in the treatment of GI tract disorders, by: • Inhibiting and increasing gastric and duodenal motility. • Altering acid secretion, • and visceral pain • Improving delayed • gastric emptying • Reducing inflammation • Stimulating areas in the • brain that are involved • in gastric perception • Inhibiting stress-induced • pro-opiomelanocortin expression in the hypothalamus • Decreasing permeability of intestinal mucosa and reducing accumulation of endogenous inflammatory mediators and vascular active substance in intestinal mucosa • Increasing vasoactive intestinal peptide and nitric oxide in plasma, gastric and elevating expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide in antral smooth muscle.

32. Acupuncture for Functional Gastro-Intestinal Disorders • 20% of people in the UK have functional gastrointestinal disorders such as functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome (Jones 1990; Jones 1992). • Characterised by persisting gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. pain, bloating) in the absence of any identifiable underlying structural or biochemical explanation (Drossman 2000). • Conventionally treated with drugs or with psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, brief psychotherapy and gut-directed hypnotherapy (DTB 2005). • Acupuncture assists in pain relief and deals with underlying issuesi.e: Stress and lifestyle.

33. CONTRAINDICATIONS OF ACUPUNCTURE • Drug or alcohol intoxication • Use of a pacemaker • A seizure disorder • Bleeding disorder such as • Hemophilia or use of blood • thinners • Infectious skin disorders or • disease

34. Cost Effective Health Care • In a study of patients in six clinics in the USA • 70% of those who said they had been recommended for surgery had avoided surgery • 84% reported seeing their GP less • 58% reported seeing a psychotherapist less • 77% reported seeing a physiotherapist less • 79% reported reduced use of prescription drugs • 77% reported they were asking for fewer reimbursements from their insurance company ‘Health Visions 2000’ by Claire Cassidy

35. Is it safe? • All members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) observe a Code of Safe Practice that lays down stringent standards of hygiene and sterilisation for all equipment • These procedures provide protection against the transmission of infectious diseases

36. Adverse Events Survey 2,000 BAcC members were asked to record patient reactions to treatments A total of 574 practitioners responded (31% of members) providing data on 34,407 treatment sessions showing that professional acupuncturists deliver approximately 2 million treatments per year in the UK NO serious adverse events were reported. However, 43 minor adverse events were reported Adverse Events Survey (BAcC 2000)

37. Acupuncture Needles • Unlike hypodermic needles • acupuncture needles are not • hollow but solid • They vary in size (gauge) and in length • Only sterilized, disposable needles are used

38. Who has acupuncture? • Acupuncture is a safe treatment for most people including young children and babies • Many people use it as preventative care • It can be used alongside conventional medicine for both chronic and acute diseases

39. Methods of Diagnosis LOOKING:Appearance,behaviour, tongue LISTENING:Voice, respiration, cough ASKING: Full medical and personal history, pain, appetite, thirst, sleep patterns,headache, perspiration, urination, stool, medication etc. PALPATING: Palpation of meridians and areas of pain or tension, pulse diagnosis

40. Does it hurt? • Acupuncture needles bear no resemblance to those used for injections or blood tests • When needles are inserted, the sensation is often described as a ‘tingling’ or a ‘heaviness’ called deqi which is a necessary part of the treatment • Acupuncture is not painless, but neither can it be described as painful • As treatments can be very relaxing, patients are advised not to drive directly afterwards or do anything that can cause risk or injury

41. Needle Techniques There are several different needling techniques used in acupuncture Needles can be inserted and left in for a duration or they may be inserted, turned and removed immediately Different techniques are used to either ‘reinforce’ the Qi or to ‘sedate’ it, whichever is applicable at the time

42. How many treatments are needed? • In the theory underlying traditional acupuncture, each person is unique, so the number of treatments required varies • Some change is usually seen after 6-8 treatments • Depending on the complaint, treatment may be required regularly (perhaps once or twice a week), sometimes several times a week, every two weeks or monthly

43. Why see a BAcC member? BAcC members undergo extensive training (minimum 3 years full time) in traditional acupuncture BAcC members abide by strict Codes of Conduct and Safe Practice and undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Members of the public (patients) are assured that their treatment is covered by full liability insurance

44. Acupuncture is: • Safe • Effective • Cost Effective • Increasingly • Popular

45. “Thank You!” I hope you enjoyed this talk and found it useful and informative. Julia Hart BSc(Hons)MBAcC www.acumend.co.uk julia@acumend.co.uk 07775 60 66 59

46. Any Questions?