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  • ARA is passionate about protecting and promoting the traditional acupuncture profession. Acupuncture has years of history of extremely safe and effective treatments underpinned by a huge evidence base.
    Our framework will support the highly skilled practitioner to work safely within clinic.
Introduction

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a system of medicine originating in Asia that typically uses very fine, sterile, single-use needles to stimulate specific points on the body. It is a holistic form of treatment and may be combined with techniques such as moxibustion, cupping, massage and electro acupuncture, all of which will be explained by the practitioner.

Acupuncture is believed to have originated in China and has been used to heal and maintain health and wellbeing for over 2,500 years. It is widely recognised as one of the oldest established forms of healthcare. There are estimated to be over 4 million acupuncture treatments given each year in the UK alone.

Why Use Acupuncture

Acupuncturists treat the entire person believing that both mental and physical problems can stem from an imbalance within the body. Acupuncturists often take a more holistic view considering any physical symptoms but also psychological and environmental symptoms too.

Acupuncture is widely used to help treat:

  • Cancer related pain and treatment side effects
  • Musculoskeletal pain and migraine
  • Depression and other mental health disorders
  • Fertility related issues and menopausal symptoms
  • Childhood ailments and developmental issues
Acupuncture Regulatory Authority

ARA Practitioners

  • Are all trained as highly skilled generalists
  • Many have trained further to become specialists 
  • We were upgraded in 2020 to the Professionals Healthcare group on the ONS alongside Physiotherapists and Osteopaths.
  • Abide by codes of professional conduct and safe practice that have been specifically written by regulatory solicitors which we believe are the most comprehensive and up to date in the industry
  • Often have additional training in many other disciplines and can offer a wider services such as phlebotomy, functional testing and prescribing of supplements
  • Are encouraged to have 3 yearly First Aid training and certification as well as DBS checks for those working with vulnerable patients
  • Advertise their services accurately
  • Have full insurance for the services they provide
  • Follow a step by step complaints policy backed by ARA

Is Acupuncture Safe?

receive acupuncture from a qualified and trained practitioner to ensure the highest standard of care

Acupuncture has been extensively studied, and the overwhelming evidence supports its safety. Numerous research studies have consistently demonstrated that reported adverse events following acupuncture are exceptionally rare. In the vast majority of cases, any side effects experienced are mild and transient, resolving quickly without causing any lasting harm or discomfort.

The Expertise Behind Our Acupuncture Practitioners

Comprehensive Training, Rigorous Standards, and Proven Results

Clinical trials have shown that acupuncture is very safe and effective when used by a well-trained, qualified acupuncturist. Acupuncture is used in Intensive Care Units, Cancer and Neurological departments. There is research showing its efficacy treating babies, children and adults. Our practitioners all have extensive training in acupuncture and abide by our professional standards and codes of safe clinical practice. By choosing a practitioner from ARA, you know that your practitioner is a highly skilled acupuncturist.

Acupuncture

Common Side Effects

Acupuncture, a time-honored therapeutic practice, is generally recognized for its safety and minimal side effects. While adverse reactions are infrequent, it’s essential to be aware of potential side effects.

  • Minor bleeding
  • Bruising
  • Mild pain at the site of needling
  • Sometimes aggravation of symptoms before improvement.
  • Drowsiness, tiredness, feeling relaxed
  • Fainting during treatment, although this is very rare.

The Evidence

 

Research shows that acupuncture can work just as well as conventional treatments for many medical conditions, sometimes even better.  Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment when provided by a well trained practitioner and there are very few side effects.  

A 2015 study comparing treatments in addition to exercise for shoulder impingement syndrome found that acupuncture was the most effective adjunctive treatment out of 17 interventions, outperforming all other adjuncts such as steroid injection, NSAIDs and ultrasound therapy.

A 2016 comparison of 20 treatments for sciatica ranked acupuncture as 2nd most effective after the use of biological agents, outperforming manipulation, epidurals, disc surgery, opioides, exercise and an invasive procedure called radio-frequency denervation which came last. 

From Evidence Based Acupuncture www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org

In 2003 the World Health Organisation published a report listing 31 conditions that are proven, through clinical trials, to be effectively treated by acupuncture (WHO 2003).  These ranged from diseases, symptoms and conditions as diverse as:- Adverse reaction to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, sciatica to morning sickness and induction of labour.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidelines for the NHS on the use of treatments and care of patients. NICE guideline 193 stated that “acupuncture reduced pain and improved quality of life in the short term”. It recommended that people with chronic primary pain should be offered acupuncture rather than strong anti-inflammatories and pain medication (NICE 2021)

 

Types Of Acupuncture

Scalp Acupuncture
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Electro Acupuncture
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Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Five Element Acupuncture
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Western Medical Acupuncture
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Musculo-
skeletal Acupuncture
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Auricular Acupuncture
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Japanese Acupuncture
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Korean Acupuncture
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Dental Acupuncture
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Veterinary Acupuncture
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Other Terms
More Info

What Can i Expect?

Before any course of acupuncture, your practitioner will conduct a full medical history. In addition to this, they may use other Traditional East Asian diagnostic techniques such as taking your pulse, looking at your tongue and palpating your abdomen. This provides your acupuncturist with the information they need to create an effective treatment plan that is tailored just for you. The consultation involves an element of physical examination, including any tender or problem areas. This diagnosis is relevant whatever your health issues may be, as it informs your practitioner about the way your individual system works and they can best help you.

It is important that you share with your practitioner if you:

  • Are taking any anticoagulants, immunosuppressants or any other medication
  • Have a damaged heart or any risk of infection
  • Have ever had a fit, fainted or felt dizzy
  • Have a pacemaker or any other electrical implant
Highly Qualified Practitioners Through ARA

Acupuncture Conditions & research

Conditions

There is an overwhelming body of research that has been reviewed by the Australian department of Veteran Affairs and the American department of Veteran Affairs and most recently by John McDonald and Stephen Janz (the authors of the Acupuncture Evidence Project). These reviews have shown that for 117 conditions – acupuncture is considered to be effective.

  • muscular skeletal pain
  • women’s health
  • mental health
  • paediatric issues
research

Acupuncture is an evidence-based medicine that can be used to treat a variety of ailments. It has been practiced widely in China for thousands of years, as an integral part of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In recent decades, the practice of acupuncture has become increasingly prevalent world-wide, including in the UK, where it is increasingly being integrated into mainstream conventional medicine, such as within the NHS, as well as being provided in private practice.

Acupuncture Near Me

Scalp Acupuncture

Scalp Acupuncture is one of the modern micro-system acupuncture techniques which combine Chinese acupuncture needling methods with western medical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology and particularly the elementary functional neurotically about representative areas of the cerebral cortex.

Electroacupuncture

Electroacupuncture is a style of acupuncture that involves the use of electrical stimulation. Practitioners of this style use needles that are connected to a device that generates electrical pulses. This style is often used for pain management and other conditions.

 

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a healthcare system based on ancient principles that originated in the East over 2000 years ago where it still features in mainstream healthcare, both as a stand-alone therapy and together with western medicine. TCM acupuncture concentrates on activating the body’s own healing mechanism and has been used historically to treat a wide range of conditions.

The theory behind acupuncture treatment is that the healthy functioning of the body is governed by the flow of “qi” (often translated as “energy”) through a system of channels under the skin. When this flow of qi is impaired, illness occurs. By inserting fine needles at various points along the channels, the body’s balance can be restored and the illness resolved.

The flow of qi can be disrupted in many ways: emotional upset, physical trauma, poor diet and overwork are all common examples. By examining the underlying cause and how it has affected the body, the most appropriate treatment for each client can be selected. Treating the client as an individual is at the core of an acupuncture treatment and is vital in successfully assisting the body to re-balance itself.

What makes this system so uniquely suited to modern life is the physical, emotional and mental elements, which are seen as interdependent, and reflect what many people perceive as the connection between the different aspects of life.

Five Element Acupuncture

According to Chinese theory, we’re made up of the five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

They are our creative and controlling energies and ideally should all be in balance. The Elements out of balance are known as the causative factor and become apparent in many ways.

Imbalance within the five elements become evident to the trained practitioner who will be diagnose problems within you by evaluating your colour, sound, odour or emotion enabling them to put together a treatment plan that will treat your causative factor or what Element you represent.

This ancient system enables the body/mind/spirit to heal itself as far as nature will allow.

This principle of five Element Acupuncture is important, because it means the underlying cause of the disease is being dealt with rather than the symptom merely being swept under the carpet, only to reappear in the future.

Not only dealing with your condition by restoring the overall balance of energy, five Element Acupuncture may help you to feel better in a general way, by promoting an improved your quality of life.

 

Western Medical Acupuncture

Medical acupuncture is based on the principles of Western medicine and anatomy, and is often practiced by physicians or physical therapists in addition to acupuncturists. Medical acupuncture uses the same acupuncture points as traditional acupuncture, but the treatment is based on a diagnosis using Western medical concepts.

Musculoskeletal Acupuncture

Musculoskeletal Acupuncture or “Trigger Point Acupuncture”. This is an effective and efficient technique for the treatment of muscular pain and myofascial dysfunction and often performed by physiotherapists. Dry needling or intramuscular stimulation (IMS) is a technique developed by Dr. Chan Gunn and is extremely effective for relaxing overactive muscles, which contain trigger points. The approach is based on Western anatomical and neuro-physiological principles using the same filament needles used by acupuncturists.

Auricular Acupuncture

Auricular Acupuncture is a specialised complementary therapy based upon the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture. It is a Microsystem of Acupuncture, which reflects the entire body on the ear, in a similar way to reflexology or iridology. Auricular Acupuncture was largely developed in Europe by Dr. Paul Nogier, a French neurologist and physician who is considered the “Father of modern auriculotherapy“, a version of acupuncture, an alternative medicine practice.

Nogier’s development was made through clinical trials based on mapping brain areas with localised, specific functions and the projection of a foetus on the ear for reference of complaints and points for treatment. Physical, emotional and mental conditions can be treated by stimulating points on the ear, either through needling, electronic stimulation or massage.

Auricular Acupuncture is widely used by medical doctors and other healthcare professionals as a therapy in its own right in France, Germany, Italy, Greece and the USA.

Although Auricular Acupuncture is most widely known within the field of substance misuse in the UK, the WHO lists 150 conditions for which Auricular Acupuncture is appropriate. In 1990 the Director General of the World Health Organisation proclaimed to an international gathering, that “Auricular Acupuncture is probably the most developed and best documented, scientifically, of all the Microsystems of acupuncture and is the most practical and widely used.”

Japanese Acupuncture

Japanese acupuncture uses very fine needles that are often only inserted to a shallow depth or with systems such as Toyohari they are not inserted at all (contact acupuncture). Japanese acupuncturists tend not to use Chinese herbs but will frequently refer a patient/client to a herbalist practitioner for such treatment. Japanese acupuncture places a lot of emphasis on the use of palpation (touch) before needle treatment. These practitioners rely on abdominal palpation to judge the insertion point of the needle. This practice stems from the many blind acupuncturists of Ancient Japan, and it goes hand in hand with the gentle needling.

Insertion Methods – The Chinese and Japanese practices differ greatly in their needling technique. Now a standard in the acupuncture field, guide tubes for needles were not part of the Ancient Chinese traditions, and in fact were developed in Japan for the use of very fine needles which needed support to pierce the skin. This was re-introduced when disposable needles became available allow quick painless puncturing of the skin without need for deep needling. Further, Chinese acupuncture tends to manipulate the needle when inserted into the body much more than Japanese acupuncture.

Korean Acupuncture

Korean Acupuncturists tend to use the 4 needle technique of acupuncture. Assume that meridian (acupuncture energy pathway) means road. When a single lane is blocked by a broken- down car, you can remove a car by pulling from the front and pushing from behind. In the case of acupuncture, the acupuncturist uses just 2 needles. When 3 roads meet, he must block one road and the other two roads then move freely. In this case he uses 3 needles. When 4 roads meet, he must block two roads and the other two roads move freely. In this case he uses 4 needles.

All the important concepts in the traditional acupuncture are included in special 5 points in each meridian. Korean Acupuncture calls these 5 elements and 5 transport points. All these locations are under elbows and knees. This provides extra safety. These points represent cold and hot, deficient and excessive on each meridians. The practitioner selects these points according to the patient’s symptoms.

Many famous practitioners in Korea use this technique. They used to use traditional acupuncture in the beginning but when they find good results using Korean 4 needles technique, they usually switch to this technique.

Dental Acupuncture

The primary aim of acupuncture in dentistry is increasingly about improving the quality of outcomes when linked with conventional routine dentistry. Acupuncture is not a replacement for conventional treatments, and is not a replacement for local anaesthetic injections. Whilst it appears that surgical anaesthesia can be achieved in some sites in the body, this is exceptionally difficult to achieve in the head and neck, probably due to the complex nerve supply.

The control of gagging during dental treatment is very important to improve the care that a patient can receive. Gagging can sometimes make it almost impossible to fully examine the mouth, or take X-rays. Acupuncture can quite easily control gagging (about 80% reliable) using needles around the mouth, or ears. Patients can then receive treatment comfortably, and with much less stress – to all parties!

Veterinary Acupuncture

Up until the Yuan dynasty of the 14th century, Chinese medicine was used sparingly on large animals. Much of the focus was on the treatment of horses since they were so essential to the military. In more modern times it has been used increasingly on pet animals. Acupuncture is one of the 5 branches of TCVM and can only be carried out by qualified vets in the UK.

Acupuncture is used mainly for functional problems such as those involving non-infectious inflammation, paralysis, or pain. For small animals, acupuncture has been used for treating arthritis, hip dysplasia, lick granuloma, feline asthma, diarrhoea, and certain reproductive problems. For larger animals, acupuncture has been used for treating downer cow syndrome, facial nerve paralysis, allergic dermatitis, respiratory problems, nonsurgical colic, and certain reproductive disorders. Acupuncture has also been used on competitive animals, such as those involved in racing and showing. Veterinary Acupuncture has also recently been used on more exotic animals, such as an alligator with scoliosis, though this is still quite rare.

Because of acupuncture’s effectiveness and lack of side-effects, it is widely used in the Veterinary field.

Other Terms

Microsystems Acupuncture

Microsystems Acupuncture is often used for areas of acupuncture that holographically reflect and map the body onto a specific body part. Reflexology which maps the body onto the foot can be classed as a microsystem and in acupuncture such systems include Auricular Acupuncture, Korean Hand Acupuncture, Facial Acupuncture and others. However we advise practitioners to be more specific and use their exact scope of practice reflected by their training and the correct specific titles above.

Contact Acupuncture

This is when needles are used to make changes within the body without the puncturing of the skin. The needle may touch the skin although often is very slightly above the skin moving the energy within.

Acupressure

Acupressure is the activation of acupuncture points via massage, specific pressure as well the use of other modalities such as cupping over acupuncture points. Shiatsu is a fully developed and complete Japanese based system of acupressure.