Medical Acupuncture / Dry Needling
Acupuncture
Acupuncture combined with osteopathy works really well for pain relief and healing. Katie and Francesca who are trained in Medical Acupuncture, considers it one of their most useful ‘tools in their tool box’ to help release deep musculature/trigger points and decrease inflammation in joints and tissues. It is particularly useful in stubborn tendon injuries such as Tennis Elbow, arthritis and both acute and chronic back pain.
Medical Acupuncture/Dry Needling
- Largely or completely ignores ancient Chinese ideas of meridians/energy channels.
- Based on medical anatomy and physiology.
- No element of mysticism.
- Physiological diagnostic methods are used such as trigger points and muscle tightness.
- Generally fewer needles are used and for shorter periods of time – often 2 minutes or less. This makes it easy to combine with osteopathic treatment within a treatment session and also leads to fewer adverse treatment reactions.
Traditional/Chinese Acupuncture
- Follows ancient Chinese ideas based on meridians/energy channels.
- Based on pre-scientific ideas.
- Practical rather than mystical but appeals to westerners interested in mysticism and energy flow.
- Traditional diagnostic methods are used, such as the pulse and the appearance of the tongue.
- Generally more needles are inserted and for a longer period of time compared to Medical Acupuncture.