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Acupuncture Styles - Chinese, Western or Five Elements?

It is important to be aware of the differences existing between these distinct acupuncture styles, philosophies and depth of needling at present used in this country (UK). Without such knowledge, you will be unable to make an enlightened choice when choosing training courses.

A very small proportion of the British population know that there are different styles of acupuncture. The assumption is that acupuncture is "acupuncture" from who ever you receive it or wherever you train.

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This is misleading and unfortunately the terms 'acupuncture', 'traditional acupuncture', 'Five Element acupuncture' and 'Medical Acupuncture' are all used.

Traditional Acupuncture based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) could mean

• the much more gentle and very shallow acupuncture commonly used by those trained in most of Britain's schools, or
• the type of more powerful acupuncture using deeper needling performed in present day China

Five Element Acupuncture as well as 'Stems & Branches' acupuncture has been developed mainly in the West. It focuses on acupoints mainly located on the extremities of the arms & legs. Needle insertion is often very shallow & brief.

Integrated Acupuncture combines 'Five Element' with 'British style Traditional acupucture'

British Medical Acupuncture: the public should be made aware that doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, etc do a very short acupuncture training, mostly just 2- 5 days. They mainly perform acupuncture for pain relief relating to musculo-skeletal problems. They do not recognise Qi Energy or meridians and do not use Chinese diagnosis.

Microsystems Acupuncture is alternative to & complementary to traditional acupuncture. It comprises the following :

• Auricular acupuncture uses either needles, studs, seeds or metal balls on specific points which functionally and topographically represent the whole body.
• Korean Hand acupuncture “Sujok “ treats in the same way.
  Wrist and Ankle acupuncture based on 12 points which energetically links into all the body’s physiological systems.
• Scalp acupuncture affects the motor, sensory and associative areas of the cerebral cortex.
• Master Tung’s acupuncture system where needles are inserted into specific areas which correspond to specific and quite different parts of the body.

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