Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of medicine, being first recorded over 3,000 years ago. Increasingly, many physiotherapists are finding acupuncture an effective complement to their skills as it assists the body to heal itself and it eases pain.

There are several theories as to how acupuncture works. The traditional Chinese view is that Qi (energy) flows freely when the body is healthy but stagnates when there is a problem, and that stimulation of acupuncture points frees this stagnation.

Certainly research has shown that acupuncture stimulates the brain to produce natural pain relieving and healing chemicals. So there is now increasing scientific evidence to support the traditional Chinese view.

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