What is Acupuncture?

Everyone seems to have heard of the term ‘Acupuncture’ as a form of alternative medicine out there when suffering in pain. However, no one really knows or understands what Acupuncture actually is?

I hear people all the time here at The Physio & Sports Injury Clinic say to me - “How does it work and Will it hurt…?”

Here in the UK there are 2 types of treatment practiced - Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and Dry Needling. We are trained here at The Physio & Sports Injury Clinic in Rhos in the Dry Needling method. So have a read below to find out about what Acupuncture and Dry Needling is all about, and how it can help you.

What is Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been a huge part of traditional Chinese medicine for more than 3000 years, but it is only in the last 40 years that its popularity has grown in the Western world. Chinese Acupuncture is based on the idea that channels of energy, called Qi (pronounced Chi) flow around the body. When we are ill or injured this energy flow round the body apparently gets disrupted, and through inserting fine needles at specific points all over the body, the balance of energy can be restored again?

Research to date has shown Acupuncture does the following:

It stimulates the body to produce its own natural pain and stress-relieving chemicals (Melatonin for sleep and Serotonin - that happy feeling you get).
It blocks out pain signals up to the brain, (the pain-gate theory) which then helps to reduce the sensitivity of tender points in the body.
It increases circulation locally to the area to kick-start a healing process.

Acupuncture/ Dry Needling treatment at The Physio and Sports Injury Clinic in Rhos on Sea.

What is Dry Needling (and how is it different to Acupuncture)?

Dry Needling is basically the western medicine’s own version of Acupuncture!
Western medicine sadly doesn’t follow ancient Chinese principles & philosophy of restoring energy/Qi (as it can’t be measured). Other than using the same tool (sterile fine needles), that is where the similarity between the 2 types ends.

With Dry Needling, fine needles are just placed into specific tight/knotted bands of muscles to trigger a physiological response. Its as simple as that!

Researchers thinks the needles force tight bands of muscle (trigger points) to relax and reduce neurological tone, along with localised increase in circulation. Dry Needling treatment can often go in deeper than Chinese acupuncture to reach certain muscle areas (e.g. the glutes or deep lower back), but the effect doesn’t take as long to achieve (only 10 mins) and uses far less needles.