I believe Traditional Acupuncture should be accessible to all and recognised as a valid form of healthcare

Traditional acupuncture promotes the smooth circulation of breath, blood, and bodily fluids through the body’s internal systems. When this flow is disrupted or diminished, it can contribute to imbalances that may manifest as physical or emotional symptoms, sometimes developing gradually, sometimes suddenly.

The foundational principles of acupuncture are based on clinical observations made over two millennia ago, when physicians documented how to adjust bodily rhythms, hormone imbalances, and circulatory patterns. These observations continue to inform my practice today.

Acupuncture involves the precise insertion of fine, single-use needles into specific points on the body to stimulate physiological responses that support the body’s capacity to repair itself.

Diagnosis considers symptoms and underlying functional patterns, individual constitution, lifestyle factors, mental health, and environmental influences. These patterns often relate to organ systems, emotional states, seasonal changes, or significant life events, therefore appointments are tailored accordingly and vary from practice to practice.

You may have come across the term “medical acupuncture”. This is a Western therapy sometimes used by GPs, Physiotherapists, Massage, Osteopathic and Chiropractic therapists. Despite the name, it is not a distinct form of medicine. Most clinicians who practice dry needling are taught through short courses, typically a few weeks, and apply needling to a limited range of musculoskeletal symptoms.

A “dry needle” is a fine, solid needle that does not inject or withdraw fluid. This contrasts with a “wet needle” (such as a syringe), which is hollow and used to put fluid into the body (for example, a vaccine) or take it out (for example, a blood test).

Traditional Acupuncture also uses dry needles, but in a very different way. Acupuncturists trained in Chinese or Japanese medicine often use thinner, finer needles with gentler techniques. In some cases, no needles are used at all. Instead, practitioners may work with adjunct therapies such as moxibustion, cupping, guasha, or palpation techniques to achieve results.

Dry needling itself is often confused with acupuncture, but the two are not the same. Dry needling focuses on inserting needles into muscle knots or trigger points to relieve tension. It often uses longer needles and stronger techniques, with the aim of reducing local pain.

Traditional Acupuncture, by contrast, is a complete medical system, rooted in Chinese medicine and underpinned by thousands of years of history and philosophy. It requires several years of in-depth training, combining Chinese medicine theory with modern biomedical and pharmacological study. This allows for an individualised approach that considers the whole person, rather than isolated symptoms, and can support a wide range of conditions affecting the endocrine, reproductive, digestive, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and nervous systems.

While traditional explanations often focus on acupuncture’s effects on energy flow or neural pathways, contemporary research highlights its initial action as mechanical.

The gentle insertion of needles stimulate connective tissue and cellular activity, which may explain acupuncture’s efficacy across multiple traditional styles including Chinese, Korean, and Japanese systems, all distinct from dry needling, which operates under different principles.

Functional MRI studies show that stimulating specific acupuncture points can activate correlating areas of the brain, for example, vision-related points have been linked with activity in the visual cortex.

Other research suggests that acupuncture can influence the autonomic nervous system, reduce inflammation, enhance circulation, and modulate the release of neurochemicals such as endorphins, oxytocin, and serotonin.

This evidence supports acupuncture as a safe and effective complementary approach for a wide range of people from new parents managing postpartum recovery, to manual workers addressing musculoskeletal pain, or anyone seeking safe and effective support for chronic or acute conditions relating to their physical or mental health.

Acupuncture is not statutorily regulated in England, so it’s important to choose a practitioner who is a member of a recognised national acupuncture organisation accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends acupuncture for managing chronic pain (NG193) and tension-type headaches or migraines (CG150). Read more about NICE and acupuncture research here.