Acupuncture

Acupuncture is much more than the insertion of fine needles. Every treatment is a therapeutic encounter. The knowledge, skill and attentiveness of the practitioner matter, but so do the patient’s expectations, engagement and willingness to participate in the healing process. This important aspect of treatment is often overlooked. Seeing acupuncture simply as inserting needles makes patients passive recipients rather than active partners in their recovery.

In the UK, there are several different styles of acupuncture.

Traditional Chinese Acupuncture is the most widely practised. Five Element Acupuncture places greater emphasis on emotional and constitutional balance, while Western Medical Acupuncture explains acupuncture using modern anatomy and neuroscience.

Although they differ in theory, all use fine needles to relieve symptoms. Traditional Chinese Medicine, as it is practised today, was largely systematised during the twentieth century, drawing on older Daoist traditions of Classical Chinese Medicine. In the process, many of the philosophical and spiritual aspects were simplified or omitted, while greater emphasis was placed on diagnosis and treatment that aligned more closely with modern medicine.

Five Element Acupuncture draws heavily on the principles of Classical Chinese Medicine. It asks which of the Five elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal is most out of balance. The aim is to restore balance by treating the underlying pattern of disharmony rather than focusing solely on symptoms.

Western Medical Acupuncture deliberately sets aside traditional Chinese medicine theory in favour of modern biomedical explanations. Most patients who have received acupuncture within the NHS are likely to have been treated using Western Medical Acupuncture, which is commonly practised by physiotherapists and doctors. While many practitioners find this approach useful, I believe something important is lost when acupuncture is separated from its broader philosophical and theoretical framework.

In my own practice, I combined Alchemical Acupuncture with Dr Tan’s Meridian Balance Method Acupuncture. The Balance Method often produces remarkably rapid pain relief, sometimes within minutes of treatment. Alchemical Acupuncture complements this by addressing the emotional and spiritual aspects of healing. I found this combination particularly valuable for many of the people I treated with chronic pain, and those diagnosed with cancer.

No single treatment works for everyone, and acupuncture is no exception. Some people experience dramatic improvements, while others notice more gradual changes in pain, sleep, mood or energy. My advice is to approach acupuncture with curiosity rather than expectation. Find a well-trained practitioner you trust, become an active participant in your care, and give it enough time to see whether it is right for you.