Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a health system that has existed and developed over thousands of years and involves the insertion of fine sterile needles (a painless procedure) into energy points along meridians in the body.

Energy (Qi) flows through the body in meridians which connect tissues and organ systems. Health is present when these energies work in harmony with each other.

Acupuncture is an adjunct used by many physiotherapists as part of the management of pain, inflammation and as a means of enhancing the body's own healing chemicals in order to aid recovery and enhance rehabilitation.

The insertion of sterile needles into the body stimulates the brain and spinal cord to produce NATURAL pain relieving chemicals, such as endorphins; melatonin to promote sleep, and serotonin to promote well being. These assist the body's healing process and offer pain relief as a precursor for other manual or exercise therapy.

Trigger point Acupuncture may also be used to facilitate relaxation in specific muscles following trauma such as whiplash injury; for longer term unresolving muscle pain such as repetitive strain injury (RSI) or as a means to obtain increased muscle length in order to aid stretch and rehabilitation such as sports injuries . Here the needle is placed into the affected muscle until it is felt to relax under the needle and then removed.

Members of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) are required to train to a minimum standard and are bound by professional codes of conduct through the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and Health Professions Council (HPC).