Acupuncture originated in China and other far eastern cultures where it still features in mainstream healthcare, both as a stand-alone therapy and in combination with conventional western medicine. It is now widely used and accepted all over the world, and in the UK more and more people are finding out what acupuncture can do for them.

Acupuncture works to help maintain your body’s equilibrium. It involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body to regulate the flow of ‘qi’, your body’s vital energy. For a number of lifestyle and environmental reasons, qi can become disturbed, depleted or blocked, which can result in symptoms of pain and illness. In certain instances, acupuncture can be an effective therapy to help restore balance and promote physical and emotional harmony.

Treatment is aimed at the root of your condition as well as your main symptoms which helps with resolving your problem and enhancing your feeling of wellbeing. You may notice other niggling problems resolve as your main health complaint improves.

Many people come to acupuncture for help with specific symptoms or to relieve specific pains. Some use acupuncture because they feel generally unwell but have no obvious diagnosis or condition. Others choose acupuncture simply to enhance their wellbeing. Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages including babies and children. It can be used effectively alongside conventional medicine.

Traditional acupuncture aims to treat the whole person rather than specific symptoms in isolation which means that it can be effective for a range of conditions. As acupuncturists treat the person, not just the condition which they have, each patient’s treatment plan will be different. However, you can always ask your practitioner about other patients’ experiences, to give you an idea of what to expect. Many people return to acupuncture again and again because they find it so beneficial and relaxing.

In 2009 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommended that acupuncture should be made available on the NHS, as a cost-effective short-term treatment for the management of early, persistent non-specific lower back pain. (You can get more information on current scientific research into the effectiveness of acupuncture by visiting the BAcC website at www.acupuncture.org.uk.)

To learn more about what acupuncture can do for you, please feel free to ring one of the acupuncturists based at the Birmingham Acupuncture and Chiropractic Centre.

What happens when I go for treatment?
The acupuncturist will use a number of different methods to get a complete picture of your health and lifestyle, including taking a full medical history, reading your pulses, and looking at your tongue. Based on this information, the acupuncturist makes a diagnosis and puts together your personal treatment plan. Acupuncture points are selected according to your symptoms as well as your underlying energy pattern.

Single-use sterile needles are used which come in sealed packs and should be opened in front of you. They are safely disposed of after each treatment. The acupuncturist may apply warmth to supplement the action of the needles by using a Chinese herb called moxa, which is burnt on or near the acupuncture points. The procedure will be explained in full during your treatment session.

Your practitioner may refer you to your GP or another healthcare professional if they consider it appropriate.

What does it feel like?
Acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections and blood tests. When the needle is inserted you may feel a tingling sensation or dull ache.

Is it safe?
The results of two independent surveys published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 (MacPherson et al, White et al, both BMJ September 2001) concluded that the risk of serious adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than 1 in 10,000. The needles used are single-use, sterile, and disposable. Responses to treatment can sometimes include tiredness or mild dizziness, and very occasionally minor bruising may occur. However, all such reactions are short-lived.

Should my doctor know?
If you have been prescribed medication we recommend you tell your doctor that you are planning to have acupuncture. Do not stop taking your medication. You should always tell your acupuncturist about any medication and supplements you are taking as this may affect your response to the acupuncture treatment. BAcC acupuncturists are trained to recognise potentially serious underlying health conditions and may refer you to your GP if they consider it appropriate.

How many sessions will I need?
Frequency and number of sessions will depend on your individual condition. Your acupuncturist will normally ask to see you once or twice a week at first. Some change is usually felt within five or six treatments, although occasionally just one or two treatments are sufficient. Some people choose to have regular acupuncture to maintain good health.

Who are the acupuncturists at the Baccentre?
We are MANJEET ARK and ANNA McGHEE. We each hold a Degree in Traditional Acupuncture awarded by Oxford Brookes University and a Licenciate in Acupuncture awarded by the College of Traditional Acupuncture. We are members of the British Acupuncture Council, the UK’s largest regulatory body for practitioners of traditional acupuncture.

The BAcC maintains high standards of education, ethics, discipline, and practice, and aims to ensure the health and safety of the public at all times.
By choosing to visit a BAcC member, you can be sure of:

• extensive training (minimum three years degree level), including anatomy, physiology, and other appropriate elements of western medicine
• adherence to the Council’s Codes of Safe Practice and Professional Conduct
• compliance with current health and safety legislation
• full medical malpractice and public/products liability insurance cover
• up-to-date practice skills maintained by mandatory continuing professional development.

Traditional diagnosis: £60
Traditional diagnosis for under 16's: £40

Subsequent treatment: £40
Subsequent treatment for under 16's: £25

I trained at the College of Traditional Acupuncture in Warwick and hold a Degree and Licentiate in Traditional Acupuncture, validated by Oxford Brookes University.

I am committed to continuing my study of acupuncture, and regularly attend training sessions to update my skills to fulfil the British Acupuncture Council’s requirements regarding Continuing Professional Development.

As a member of the British Acupuncture Council, I ensure that I comply with current UK health and safety legislation and the BAcC’s Code of Safe Practice and Code of Professional Conduct.

I am a fully qualified member of the British Acupuncture Council and also a fully qualified Pharmacist. Having tried and tested a whole range of western medicines to cure my constant headaches a friend suggested that I try acupuncture. I reluctantly gave acupuncture a try and to my amazement, it worked, almost immediately.

My fascination with the effectiveness of acupuncture lead me to explore this type of medicine further and I enrolled onto an extensive three year course of study.
I am always overwhelmed by the way in which acupuncture allows the body to heal itself, and for this reason I have committed myself to the practice of this art. Since graduating I have continued to update my knowledge by attending additional courses and consistent study of this fascinating therapy.

To find out if I am the right acupuncturist for you, give me a call and have a chat.

Tel: 07929 625 505
www.manjeetark.co.uk

Acupuncture.com - a general acupuncture website providing information for both the public and practitioners. This site is principally orientated towards "TCM" which is how acupuncture is taught and practised today in mainland China. Whilst this represents a slightly different way of practising acupuncture than what we practise at the "BAC" Centre, it remains an interesting and relevant website with plenty of information.

BAcC - the website of the British Acupuncture Council, the body which regulates standards of education, ethics, discipline and practice in "traditional" acupuncture in the UK. This is the professional organisation which we belong to.