Acupuncture Comes to East Linton.

Acupuncture Awareness Week 27^th February – 4^th March 2012

 Julia Edmonds is an Acupuncturist who has worked in Edinburgh for the last 14 years. Julia is pleased to announce that she will be opening a practice from East Linton in March and goes on to tell us that her clinic has opened just in time for Acupuncture Awareness week. Have you ever wondered about having acupuncture but have been concerned about needles? Well you are not alone, research out today has revealed that over 21% of the British public think an acupuncturist’s needle is as large as that used in an injection, proving that despite the ancient Chinese medicine’s rising popularity and hundreds of years of practice, there are still a host of common misconceptions surrounding the treatment.

Julia Edmonds, local acupuncturist and member of the British Acupuncture Council, comments on the research: “2.3 million acupuncture treatments are carried out each year by traditional acupuncturists and this figure is rising, yet this research shows myths surrounding the therapy still remain strong.  The first myth to dispel about acupuncture is the size of needle used in treatment. Needles are much smaller than you may think; they are in fact the same width as a human hair and some are just 0.13mm in length”. The research, in which 3,000 UK men and women were questioned, also found that over a quarter of people (26%) think an acupuncture needle is similar in size to a sewing needle.

Julia goes on to stress not only are the needles used very fine but also acupuncture is very safe and an Acupuncturist who is a Member of the British Acupuncture Council must have first-degree level qualifications and adhere to codes of safe practice and professional conduct in order to be registered and insured by the British Acupuncture Council. The Council guarantees excellence in training, safe practice and professional conduct so patients are advised to look for a practitioner who has British Acupuncture Council membership.

Other Popular Misconceptions about Acupuncture

• Three quarters had no idea that children and pregnant women can safely be treated with the therapy
• According to two studies published in the British Medical Journal (2001) the risk of serious adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than 1 in 10,000. This is far less than many orthodox medical treatments.
• 26% of people surveyed say they are put off having acupuncture as they think it will be painful.  However most people who go on to have acupuncture find acupuncture to be very relaxing and not painful. Patients often describe the needle sensation as a tingling or dull ache.