Have you by any chance noticed that during this blog challenge there is little, in fact no mention of exact health conditions/problems acupuncture actually treats? Hmm, thought you might!
Well if it was up to me I’d be on a soap box or building top shouting from the top of my voice all the conditions this wondrous medicine treats (OK, that just might be a slight exaggeration otherwise I’d be there for like forever).
As members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) we are bound to comply with the Advertising Standard’s Agency (ASA) guidelines for our medicine. Now that is not to say we agree with them in any shape or form but that’s another story for another blog on another day.
Rather than be negative about this strange predicament where we feel like we have been gagged about speaking out about our medicine, we have to be creative, proactive and positive!.
Some say we should count our lucky stars that we can mention and advertise about the following Four (that’s right the grand total of 4 conditions!)
- Dental Pain
- Migraine
- Nausea
- Pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee (when acupuncture is being used as an adjunct treatment)
Whilst other’s say it is pathetic to have restrictions about advertising what our medicine successfully treats. Now if you were a fly on the wall observer in an acupuncturist’s clinic I’m sure these 4 conditions would not necessarily be the most common ailments you would find attending for treatment.
Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, honestly now would it’s longevity have continued if it only successfully treated the above 4 conditions? or put another way could today’s UK acupuncturists sustain a living if they relied solely on treating these conditions? What do you think?
So how do we get around these restrictions?
The silver lining to this situation is that we encourage more dialogue between yourself and ourselves. This way we can directly answer your specific questions about your individual needs.We also rely on you to spread the word when you have had successful treatment, word of mouth travels far (I know that old chestnut, but it is true). Also we can direct you to search online on sites we deem reputable from our colleagues abroad who openly discuss conditions acupuncture successfully treats.
If there is one thing to take away from today’s blog it is to please not judge that the paucity of information on conditions is in any way a reflection on what this medicine can do for you.
Finally, why not ask around amongst your friends/relations/neighbours to check who has had acupuncture, and how they got on with it.
Initially I also felt like it was a gag order on what acupuncture could and could not treat (luckily we can still use the word treat), but I have found it a great way to be more creative and not actually limit myself to just pain relief. As you said, it helps to have a dialogue and this definitely encourages it.
Btw, there’s an ever so slight typo, it’s the BAcC
Agree wholeheartedly, lots of positive rather than doom and gloom. and thanks have corrected the typo
Excellent blog Colette. Inspiring and informative. Hope you keep going after the 30 days are up.
Mags x
Thanks Mags, alway nice to have praise from a fellow acupuncturist. Much appreciated my dear friend.