ISSUE #19 • Summer 2005
P e r s p e c t i v e s o f I n t e r e s t i n N e e d l e T h e r a p y
EDITORIAL BY JULIAN C PRICE of health regulatory bodies. What may well happen at some point in
REGULATION the future, is the establishment of an over arching regulatory body
T he Department of Health published their report on the consultation for health professionals rather than the current situation where for
process for the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and example, nurses are regulated by the NMC, physiotherapists by the
acupuncture in February 2005. This set out a summary of the HPC, osteopaths by the GOC and so on.
responses received to the 29 questions in the consultation document
and also reported on issues raised by those responding. A copy of Looking at what we know so far about the regulation of acupuncture,
the document can be found on the Department of Health’s web site some important decisions have already been made. The Medical
www.doh.gov.uk/consultation Director Dr Mike Cummings and I attended a workshop in early March
addressed by Professor Michael Pittilo who chaired the Herbal
The report also contained a timetable for the next steps in the Medicine regulation group and Steve Catling, the senior Department
regulatory process and this is as follows: of Health official responsible for regulation.
Preparation of draft order under section 60 of the Health Act 1999 At that meeting we were told of a number of ministerial decisions that
Spring 2005 had been reached. The principle decisions affecting BMAS members
Clearance of draft section 60 order under Parliamentary Counsel are as follows;
Spring 2005
Publication of draft section 60 order for consultation There will be a single regulatory body for herbal medicine and
Autumn /Winter 2005 acupuncture. A statutory advisory committee for Western Medical
Acupuncture will be established.
The process has slipped partly due to the general election and partly There will be protection of title for Western Medical Acupuncturists.
to new ministerial responsibilities for health but also a change in The new regulatory body will hold a subsidiary list of Western
priorities at the Department. That is not to say that they view regulation Medical Acupuncturists, who are already statutorily regulated health
any less importantly than before, simply that following the election professionals based on their relevant educational qualifications.
there are major health issues that are using significant resources that For practitioners that are already regulated, their existing regulatory
would otherwise be used on regulation. It may therefore be towards body will continue to regulate fitness to practice.
the end of 2005 before any new activity on regulation begins. The The fee to register with the new regulator for Western Medical
longer term plan as we understand it will require considerably more Acupuncturists who are already regulated will be lower than the fee
time before regulation actually begins to operate. A more detailed charged to other registrants who are not already regulated.
explanation of the necessary steps is given below, but it is likely to These decisions are significantly better for BMAS members than we
be 2008 before the regulatory body is fully established. This is set had expected immediately after the consultation report was published
against the government’s declared objective of reducing the number in 2004.
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL 1 ON THE LIGHTER SIDE 12
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 2 TALES FROM THE SURGERY BY DR CHRIS BRIAN 13
NEW LONDON OFFICE AT ICMART 2004, SYDNEY -
THE ROYAL LONDON HOMOEOPATHIC HOSPITAL 3 XI WORLD ACUPUNCTURE CONFERENCE 13
REGIONAL GROUPS BY DR FIONA GARRETT RYAN 4 NEWS ROUND UP 14
EDUCATION UPDATE – BMAS FOUNDATION COURSES 2006 15
REPORT BY JO TAIT, BMAS EDUCATION ADVISER 6
BMAS STAFF 16
SPRING MEETING LEEDS 16TH – 17TH APRIL 6
The next steps are for the Department of Health to publish the draft venue, decide what you want to do at the meeting and we can do the
Section 60 order as indicated in the timetable above. A working group rest. We can even help with suggestions for meetings that have been
is to be established to oversee the preparations for a Shadow Council used successfully elsewhere. There are also some benefits for group
to be established. The Section 60 order will set out the broad powers leaders as you will read in the article.
of the regulator, but it will not provide the detail of how the regulator
will work. The working group will look into the detailed aspects and is The Society takes the view that our Regional Groups are a vital part
expected to bring the different strands of the acupuncture profession of our work to encourage the use of medical acupuncture in the NHS.
together. It is planned to set up a Shadow Council in April 2006 We want to support and encourage the groups so that members
although the timing of this may slip back depending on the resources can feel part of a like minded group where they can go to share
available. experiences and exchange ideas. Please do not feel the groups are
only attended by experts, far from it. All the group leaders are making
Initially, the Council will probably consist of 20 members who will be a special effort to welcome new members and make them feel relaxed
appointed by the NHS Appointments Committee. There will be some at the meeting. It really doesn’t matter if you have just completed the
lay members and a lay chair, although the proportion of these to the foundation course or you have been practising for years.
whole Council is to be decided.
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
The start up costs of the regulator are likely to be significant and It is now nearly four years since the Society changed the
the Department of Health is going to fund these until the regulator Memorandum and Articles to admit Allied Health Professionals as
is established. The BMAS continues to represent the views and Associate members. Since those first tentative steps to embrace the
interests of medical acupuncturists and new developments will be wider healthcare community and move with the gathering momentum
communicated to members on the website as soon as we have them. for multidisciplinary teams, we have recruited over 200 members.
Associate members must fulfil a number of key criteria in order to be
BUDDY SCHEME admitted, the most important of which is that they must be regulated
I recently wrote to all our accredited members asking if they are by a recognised statutory regulator such as the Health Professions
willing to join the BMAS buddy scheme. The idea is the brainchild Council for physiotherapists or the Nursing and Midwifery Council for
of the new membership committee under chairman Dr Chris Brian. nurses.
New members in particular can contact an experienced member for
reassurance or advice and gain extra support after their foundation The Membership Committee, which reports direct to the Council of
training. I am delighted to say that over 180 COA members have agreed the Society, has an important remit to look at ways in which we can
to join the scheme. Our research showed that significant numbers of improve our recruitment and retention of members. One of the things
members did not use their newly acquired skill after the initial training. which acts as a disincentive for AHPs is that they do not have the
One of the main reasons for this was lack of confidence and lack of same rights as full members. Associates may not vote or stand for
support. With the buddy scheme, if you feel unsure about the points election to the Council. Consequently, nearly 9% of the membership
to use in treating a patient or you would welcome some advice on does not have the opportunity to directly influence the work of the
treating a condition, we can put you in touch with an experienced Council. The Membership Committee has successfully recommended
member for advice. Just ring 01606 786782. to the Council at their June meeting, that the Society should amend
the Memorandum and Articles to abolish the Associate grade and
REGIONAL GROUPS thereby admit all qualifying AHPs as full members with full voting
Elsewhere in this issue, you will see a report of the Regional Group rights. Representation of AHP views will be temporarily catered
Leader’s meeting held at the Spring Meeting in Leeds. There is also a for by the co-option to the Council for one year of Helen Lane, a
list of the current groups with contact details. We still need volunteers physiotherapist. Thereafter any member of the Society is eligible to
to organise a group in some of the less well served areas of the stand for election to the Council and to vote in the election. An EGM
country, including parts of London. All you have to do is find a suitable will be called in October to make the necessary changes.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
W hilst I would not seek to draw comparisons between Alistair For me, the most important part, was the informal chatting at the end
Cooke and this piece of writing, I would like to try and emulate of the meeting and the discovery that there were a lot of like minded
his gentle tone and reflections. people keen to share experiences locally. Up to that point many of us
had been working in isolation, which I suspect is true for many areas
Recently we have formed a local regional group down here in the of the UK. I certainly felt quite energised by the meeting – enough qi
Peninsula after years of excuses and procrastination on my part. Finally flowing even to think about organising another meeting!
guilt gave way to action, which led to our first meeting a few weeks ago.
This was quite a revelation as 24 people turned up and contributed a lot In the council there has been a lot of discussion about regional groups
of enthusiasm and energy. In particular there was a mix of disciplines and how to act as a catalyst for their formation. Many of us feel that
with physiotherapists making up at least half of the group. this is a crucial way to keep enthusiasm for acupuncture alive as well
2
as supporting both experienced and new practitioners. One way to It really would be a huge achievement to set up a truly comprehensive
help on a practical level was to allow use of the admin team for the BMAS national network.
use of local groups.
There are obviously some very active groups in existence already,
but conversely there are still quite a few areas where contact is
sparse. Mike Cummings has done a huge amount to encourage
virtual communication through the e group network. The next task
really seems to be to set up a comprehensive national network of
local groups where we can share experiences. Ultimately there is no
substitute for human interaction.
Where am I going with this?
Well… if your area has no local group - why not set one up? There
may well be other people willing to share the responsibility. The
BMAS staff in Northwich will help with the administration and send
out any letters for you to local members. That eliminates a lot of the
effort and expense. Dr Jonny Rae, President
NEW LONDON OFFICE AT THE ROYAL LONDON
HOMOEOPATHIC HOSPITAL
T he Society has been at the RLHH since 1999 where we have been
able to rent some office and clinic space. By the time we had to
move out back in June 2002 to let the builders in, the 150 year old
hospital was really looking its age. The hospital is a listed building and
the façade had to be protected during the refurbishment. Inside, the
whole building was gutted from top to bottom.
We were in fact the last to leave the old building and our departure
was marked by an ‘interesting’ incident which, looking back on it
was rather amusing, although at the time I was struggling to see the
funny side of it. One lunchtime, I locked the office and went down to
a nearby café to pick up a sandwich. When I came back, a rather
The newly refurbished RLHH
red faced site foreman greeted me on the steps of the hospital with
profuse apologies about the damage. Damage, what damage?
ourselves packing the accumulated files, patient records and other
Whilst I had been out, some workmen had tried the office door and paraphernalia we had accumulated into plastic crates ready for
finding it locked, assumed it had been left like that when the hospital collection. Everything went amazingly smoothly and by mid afternoon
moved about two weeks previously. Nobody had told the contractors we had unpacked everything. As you can see from the pictures, we
the BMAS was still there. A very large sledgehammer had been used have bright, new airy offices and a reception area for clinic patients
to smash the door down and there were wood splinters, dust and a lot
of papers all over the floor. Luckily, my laptop escaped the impact of
the door as it came off its hinges! Within the hour, the door had been
patched up, the office secured and more apologies heaped on me.
Our temporary home in Greenwell Street where the RLHH shoehorned
itself into some prefabricated buildings, gave us only a 3½ metre by
4 metre room. On a busy day with Mike Cummings running the clinic,
my personal assistant and all the attendant books, filing cabinets and
other office furniture, it was quite cosy, to say the least.
After nearly exactly three years, the day came for us to move back to
the newly refurbished Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital in Great
Mike Cummings, BMAS Medical Director and Sally Munoz clinic receptionist
Ormond Street. On 10th June, Heather Innes my PA and I found
3
The building itself looks terrific and although it is not yet fully
operational, the RLHH is set to provide top class facilities for CAM-
seeking patients in a modern setting. In addition, there are conference
facilities, an information centre and a café. The formal opening of the
hospital is taking place in October when ‘a very special guest’ will be
doing the honours.
Julian Price, Editor Julian Price, CEO
REGIONAL GROUPS BY Apart from the warm glow of knowing they are doing something
DR FIONA GARRETT RYAN worthwhile, Regional Group Leaders attend an annual meeting with
T he Friday evening before the Spring Meeting, the Regional Group travel expenses, accommodation and an evening meal provided
Leaders had their annual meeting. The start was slightly delayed prior to the Spring Meeting. Those who organise four meetings a
by a couple of the Group Leaders apparently taking a wrong turn in year are also entitled to free attendance at both Spring and Autumn
the lobby of the Queens Hotel and finding themselves in the bar by Meetings.
mistake. However, it did give the rest of us plenty of time to talk about
them… The following areas are particularly in need of people to get involved:
We were particularly pleased to welcome Dr Louise McElheron from
Northern Ireland and Dr Fawzi Sharara from Scotland, who have both Bedfordshire Northamptonshire
had several meetings of their local groups which cover particularly Buckinghamshire Northumberland
wide geographical areas. Cheshire Nottinghamshire
Cornwall Shropshire
The local groups vary greatly in the size, type and frequency of Cumbria Staffordshire
meetings. Some are very successful in finding outside speakers for Derbyshire Suffolk
their meetings, while others meet more informally to discuss cases Durham Sussex
and problems. On average, the groups seem to meet three or four Essex Mid Wales
times per year, with anything from four to over a dozen members Hereford & Worcester North Wales
attending. Lincolnshire Warwickshire
South, West & East London N Yorks
The Society is extremely keen to Norfolk W Yorks
encourage contact and mutual
support between members at a local
If you would like any further information, contact the Regional Group
level – for seasoned acupuncturists
Co-Ordinator Paul Gray on pagray@doctors.org.uk
and those ‘fresh’ from Foundation
Courses alike. We would like to
The current Regional Groups list is shown below. Why not try and
encourage the development of a
attend one in your area? Details can be obtained from the group
‘mentoring’ system, where following
leader or from the BMAS office in Northwich 01606 786782.
on from the Foundation Courses,
new members can approach a local
contact for support in addition to the
REGIONAL GROUPS AND THEIR CO-ORDINATORS
Manchester & District (MADAG) Dr Paul Gray
highly valued Yahoo E-Groups. The
(0161 972 9999) pagray@doctors.org.uk
Group Leaders are the most obvious
Dr Fiona Garrett-Ryan
source of this kind of support, but
Bury & Rochdale (BRAG) Dr Mohammad Qureshi
there simply are not enough of us to cover the whole country!
(0161 766 6089) miq@gureshi.club24.co.uk
Have you considered getting involved in the Society at a local level?
North London (NLAG) Dr Selwyn Dexter
We would love more people to get involved either by starting new
(020 7624 2804)
Regional Groups, or as contact points for new members. We all feel
a bit professionally isolated with our acupuncture at times, and it is
South Wales (SWAG) Dr Alleyne Phipps
great to get to know other acupuncturists in your area for advice,
(01656 649715) alleyne.phipps@ntlworld.com
support and encouragement, or even just a moan in the pub’ once in
a while!
4
Hampshire (HAG) Dr David Anderson East Yorkshire Acupuncture Group (EYAG) Dr Eric Duodu
(01252 655880) drdr_anderson@hotmail.com (01964 612024)
Dorset (DRAG) Dr Mathew Brook Peninsula Acupuncture Group (PAG) Dr Jonny Rae
(01305 777937) matthew.b@medix-uk.com (01752 862118) raesrus@btopenworld.com
Scotland Acupuncture Group (SAG) Dr Fawzi Sharara REPORT OF KRAG MEETING 21ST FEBRUARY 2005
(01436 678826) Drfawzisharara.com By Dr Chris Brian
We were back at the Chaucer Hospital on Monday 21st February for our
Kent Regional Acupuncture Group (KRAG) Dr Chris Brian first meeting of 2005 but unfortunately the weather dumped six inches
(01227 742226) chris@hbay84.freeserve.co.uk of snow in Kent that day, blocking roads and resulting in no less than
15 frustrated apologies plus one from our guest speaker. However,
West Midlands (WMRAG) Dr Moin Subhani seven of us did make it through to the venue as did our Pfizer sponsor,
(02476 604793) and our reward was to enjoy a hot meal for twenty, plus wine, dessert,
cheese and coffee – definitely worth the journey!
Somerset & Area Regional Dr Max Forrester
(01984 618237) maxforrester@yahoo.co.uk It was good to welcome three new members, James, Ami and Ruth,
Acupuncture Group (SARAG) and with another 3 new members having intended to come but for
the weather, we now have a solid nucleus of about 20 members and
Cambridge Acupuncture Group (CRAG) Dr Geraldine Lockett rising.
(01223 811236) g.lockett@ntlworld.com
We had a very enjoyable meeting looking at current National and
Woking Acupuncture Group (WAG) Dr Fiona Garrett Ryan Regional BMAS issues, progressing with the planning of our GP-based
(01483 852746) fi@fiona-ryan.net research project under the direction of Tony Stellon. We discussed
what members new and old want from the BMAS, particularly in terms
Leicester Acupuncture Group (LAG) Dr Joseph Chan of the type and content of national meetings and continuing education,
(0116 289 5081) Joe@chan23.fsnet.co.uk and finishing with our usual ‘Open Forum’ where members bring along
& Dr Edward Lin problems, anecdotes, experiences etc for general discussion.
(0116 2563454) eslin@ukonline.co.uk The evening flew by but we finished on time as the huskies were
getting restless and I had to return the snow plough by 11.
Gloucestershire Acupuncture Group (GRAG) Dr Laura Patterson
(01285 770056) Laurapatson@yahoo.co.uk By the time you read this we will have had our next meeting on 23rd
(01453 883793) Dr Ann-Marie Marlow May, complete with guest speaker. For those of you in Kent who have
not come along yet, please do. The meetings are great fun and they
Oxford Acupuncture Group (OXAG) Dr Rachel Butler are what you want to make them. We try to move around the County
(01865 727323) rbutler.doc@virgin.net and are likely to be near Maidstone next time. We have also set up
an on-line KRAG Yahoo e-group with Mike Cummings as moderator.
Northern Ireland Regional Acupuncture Dr Louise McElheron This gives us all a good line of communication so even if you can’t
Group (NIRAG) (028 9083 2338) come to meetings you are welcome to join the e-group. Contact Jane
louisemcelheron@tiscali.co.uk at the BMAS office and she will arrange it for you. Please feel free to
contact me if you have any questions about KRAG.
Society of Acupuncturists in North Dr Mike Hawkins
Devon (SAND) (01769 572039)
Catherine.Hooper@gp-L830003.nhs.uk
Tyne & Wear Regional Acupuncture Dr Christine Tyrie
Group (TAWAG) (0191 281 4606)
cmt@doctors.org.uk
Miss Heather Williams
(0191 232 4412)
Heather.williams@nuth.northy.nhs.uk
Avon Acupuncture Group (AAG) Dr Philip Smith
(0117 956 3700) Phil@medicalacupuncturist.co.uk
5
EDUCATION UPDATE – REPORT BY JO TAIT, BMAS Each course also has its own workbook pages, which encourage
EDUCATION ADVISER delegates to focus on the aims for each lecture or practical session
M ike Cummings and I have been working hard to ensure that the and to note their questions and ideas for further learning. These pages
education and training offered by BMAS meets or exceeds any begin to form a personal Portfolio, which organises assessments
National Professional Standards (which may be adopted by the new and reflective notes in a way that can be revisited and used for
acupuncture regulator in the future). The excellent reputation of BMAS assessment, appraisal or CPD purposes. Delegates seem to appreciate
courses for good teaching and good value has been enhanced by a this structure and have a better sense of what is expected of them,
series of innovations that help delegates take more responsibility for although it’s difficult to evaluate in any formal way since they have no
their own learning needs and support lecturers in feeling confident to experience of our previous way of teaching and managing courses.
manage the complex tasks of demonstrating, teaching and assessing
delegates to a safe standard. To encourage lecturing and demonstrating staff to feel confident that
they are on track with their teaching, a staff portfolio has a general
From the beginning of this year, anyone starting a Foundation Course overview of teaching tasks and details the aims and outcomes as in
or any of the new Intermediate Courses will have a courses handbook. the delegates’ portfolio. It also includes suggestions for managing the
This tells delegates how we teach, how we expect them to learn and different sessions and has space for personal learning notes and peer
the different ways to progress through BMAS education. Recognising review of teaching.
that not everyone feels the need to take further training, the handbook
also discusses the professional responsibility to maintain skills This groundwork has enabled us to begin negotiating for university
and knowledge, at the core of appraisal within the guidelines of a recognition, so that BMAS courses should soon be able to offer post-
regulatory body. If you would like a copy of this Handbook and don’t registration or post-graduate awards from higher education. At the
expect to be taking a formal course with us in the near future please same time, we are trying to work with different professional bodies to
contact the Northwich office on 01606 786782 stating whether your take account of the educational and CPD needs of all our members.
next level of award is likely to be CoBC or Diploma. If you want to know more about the educational work of the BMAS or
have ideas that might help us, contact Jo at jotait1@mac.com.
SPRING MEETING LEEDS 16TH – 17TH APRIL not available. Valiant attempts to placate him using a limited French
F or all those of you who thought the Society never ventures further vocabulary were not entirely successful until a copy of the email was
north than the Watford Gap, here is proof that we most certainly produced, advising his secretary there would be no translation. His
do, although one delegate did ask where the castle was located. reaction didn’t really need an interpreter but sufficient to say that the
secretary may well have found alternative employment.
Car drivers who successfully negotiated the Leeds one way system
were not quite prepared for the somewhat tricky internal layout of The king of visual aids, Dr Colin Lewis also known as the ‘techno kid’
the Queens Hotel - venue for the meeting. In fact it took most people wowed the audience with his presentation reported on below. All the
the two days of the conference to get their bearings and work out supporting video and sound had been pre-recorded on to a CD and
how to get to and from the lecture hall. It seems that the architects Colin ‘voiced over’ with his usual flowing style. BMAS buffs will know
of this 1937 art deco building took the blueprint for the floor plan from that Colin is film director and producer of the BMAS Trigger Point CD
Hampton Court maze. Not surprising then that several of our members advertised elsewhere in The Point as well as the BMAS Meeting CD
were to be found sipping champagne at a Royal Mail reception when series.
they should have been at the BMAS event. This was of course quite
‘accidental’ according to those involved, but don’t worry your names Before you read the serious stuff, a big thank you to our team of
are quite safe. Soon after, Royal Mail announced increases in the reporters; Doctors Jonathan Freedman, Sunil Liyanage, Sally Watkin,
postal rates. Tony Stellon, Anthony Day and Christine Tyrie who all answered the
call to help out. We do appreciate the time and effort you put in taking
Speakers from France, Germany and the UK contributed to the notes during the sessions and writing them up for The Point.
programme of papers. There was even a panel session chaired by
that well known Welshman, Dr Hywel Watkin who donned a very loud
rugby shirt and an even bigger and louder hat for the occasion. This
was to remind us all of the great victory his countrymen had achieved
in a rugby match. As this is a comparatively rare occasion, we decided
to let him have his moment of glory.
All this seemed relatively trivial compared with the bombshell Dr Nogier
dropped on his arrival at the conference help desk. He was expecting
full simultaneous translation and was shocked to discover it was
6
MORNING SESSION SATURDAY 16TH APRIL own work in 2004 had shown better effect in vomiting than nausea.
ACUPUNCTURE FOR POST-OPERATIVE NAUSEA AND Best results were for patients undergoing gynaecological surgery and
VOMITING (PONV) - KONRAD STREITBERGER (MEDICAL interestingly there was no difference in efficacy whether acupuncture
UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA) was administered before or after induction of anaesthesia. Historically
REPORT BY DR JONATHAN FREEDMAN some positive studies had been excluded because acupuncture had
been used under anaesthesia where it was traditionally felt to be
Konrad’s first slide was of a beautiful sunrise over Vienna and this ineffective but this now seems to have been disproved and in fact
was a fitting opening to the first morning of our conference in Leeds being anaesthetised seems a very sound method of ‘patient blinding’!
on a day that had started for me at 5.30am in St Albans. PONV was
introduced as ‘the little big problem’, even more significant for many In terms of application, PC6
than postoperative pain. After a brisk stroll through the physiology we of course remains the most
were introduced to the Consensus Guidelines for the management of important (and studied) point
PONV (2003) and the concept that high risk patients could be identified for PONV but additional
before procedures. Being an anxious, non smoking woman, with a points have been used as
previous history of PONV undergoing breast surgery or laparoscopy is has ear acupuncture and
not good news! Happily, identifying those at risk may allow appropriate Korean hand acupuncture,
preventive treatment to take place and acupuncture has now been and acupressure in the
recognised as an option in the form of Seabands, laser
Dr Konrad Streitberger
guidelines either used alone or in and capsicum. We were
combination with a pharmacological reminded that in TCM the Pericardium channel serves to harmonise
approach (especially a serotonin the ‘Stomach’ and have a calming effect. The consistency of PC6
antagonist such as ondansetron). usage has been a great ally in the meta-analysis of trials although
We then focused specifically on there is yet to be proof of a specific antiemetic effect. Adverse effects
the history of acupuncture use in were discussed and it seems that these had only occurred with the use
PONV, looking at the evidence base of acupressure (interesting as generally regarded as a less invasive
culminating in the 2004 Cochrane treatment!) rather than acupuncture - these included cutaneous
review. Earlier meta-analyses had irritation, carpal tunnel syndrome like symptoms and swollen hands.
shown lack of effect in children Reassuringly there is no evidence of damage to the median nerve - a
but this seemed to be overturned recent and as yet unpublished ultrasound study demonstrated that the
by Cochrane with newer trials on median nerve had been penetrated in 14 out of 50 patients but this did
board. Dr Jonothan Freedman not result on additional pain or neurological complications.
There also appears to be no difference between invasive and non So what were the key take home messages? PC6 acupuncture
invasive methods and a build up in benefit as risk of PONV increases. is a well established safe procedure that can be applied before or
The all important NNT (numbers needed to treat) for acupuncture in during anaesthesia using acupressure or dry needling. It seems to be
patients deemed to be at significant (70%) risk of PONV was 5 and work best in patients at highest risk of PONV and perhaps better in
this is comparable to the most effective antiemetic drugs. Konrad’s combination with an antiemetic.
VIETNAMESE STYLE ACUPUNCTURE – DR COLIN LEWIS beds and good diagnostic facilities that
Colin Lewis was introduced to us as the Prof Winston of acupuncture we would recognize here in the UK. A
or possibly the ‘Steven Speilberg’! He had been fortunate enough variety of acupuncture related techniques
to have been invited to Vietnam as a lecturer and kept a fascinating are used including cupping, pinching,
audiovisual diary which he shared with us. We were told at the start steaming and use of herbs. Above all else
that this talk would be an ‘evidence’ free zone. We were not to be electroacupuncture is favoured. We were
disappointed. Our only task was to sit back and ‘enjoy’ and that we shown a ‘mama’ of an electroacupuncture
certainly did! device with more channels than the national
We were introduced to Vietnam as a proud country, keen to promote grid, being used to treat a patient with knee
itself to tourists and not just to be remembered for its recent and pain. We were led into the Acupuncture
bloody conflict. It is a country of some 83 million souls, the combined Analgesia department and watched a Dr Colin Lewis
size of the UK and Ireland. It is culturally very close to China and this fascinating video of a thyroidectomy under
was also largely reflected in the style and use of acupuncture. Ho Chi electroacupuncture analgesia. On the positive side this is relatively
Minh’s legacy was to integrate western and traditional practices. easy to perform and particularly useful in the elderly or inform who
may have anaesthetic related problems. Patients can be up and
We were introduced to the Vietnamese National Hospital of about far quicker that with a conventional anaesthetic and potentially
Acupuncture in Hanoi. This has 250 in-patient and 150 out-patient suffer less post- operative complications. The patient in our video
7
was clearly conscious and seemed relaxed. It proved difficult for rehabilitation is very big with the use of body and ear points and
Colin to get much detailed information from his hosts however about success quoted at over 80% which takes some believing!
their specific experience with this type of procedure. A subsequent
discussion amongst the audience drew on experiences of others who Colin’s talk then departed from medicine and acupuncture and we
had witnessed this in China. It seems that staggeringly large premeds were treated to a tour of the country including an underwater puppet
are often given and patient selection is also very important. Overall show (nice work if you can get it) the ubiquitous paddy fields and some
it is almost certainly being used less and less frequently in favour amazing footage from the sea and harbours around the coastline.
of what is seem as being the more predictable and reliable general
anaesthesia techniques that we are all familiar with. This left the Colin was thanked profusely by one member of the audience for the
‘romantic’ side of me feeling a tinge of disappointment. “most relaxing presentation ever” and I would certainly second that.
We must continue to seek the ‘Evidence’ and explore the ‘Science’
As previously stated, much of the acupuncture seemed of acupuncture but there is still room for the ‘Art’ just as in medicine
indistinguishable from that practiced in China with five elements generally.
featuring highly in theory and practice. Using acupuncture in drug
ACUPUNCTURE FOR SMOKING CESSATION
- DR ADRIAN WHITE
REPORT BY DR SUNIL LIYANAGE
Dr Adrian White has special expertise to review the subject as one Results of an RCT on Laser Treatment for Soft Tissue Injuries of the
of his research projects on behalf of the Department of Health is Shoulder - Jacqueline Oldham.
acupuncture treatment for the Most acupuncturists appear to have good results from acupuncture
cessation of smoking. Further, he needling of trigger points in musculoskeletal disease. Here is a study
is part of the review process to where case selection of what may be regarded as a localised single
update the Cochrane database disease entity, rotator cuff lesions of the shoulder, has been carried
on this subject. His familiarity out by musculoskeletal experts; and the characterisation of the laser
with the research studies came beam has been predetermined by laser experts. The design of the
through in his review of published study including the sham treatment control group is flawless. And
literature. How refreshing it was the results were striking. Laser (820nm, power output 100mW, energy
to have evidence presented at an density 32J/cm2) treated patients showed dramatic reduction of pain
Acupuncture meeting revealing a score immediately after the four week, 12 session, treatment period,
negative outcome from the use of and this was even better at three months. Other measures such as
acupuncture in a situation where pushing with the affected arm, the pressure-pain threshold, and the
acupuncture is widely used. range of movement, also showed striking immediate improvement,
Dr Sunil Liyanage
which were maintained at three months. There was no immediate
He concludes that the comparison of acupuncture with waiting lists has or late benefit from sham laser therapy. The mechanisms for such
been based on unreliable studies. Acupuncture has insignificant benefit over improvement were not known. The characteristics of the chosen
sham acupuncture though heterogeneous studies of doubtful quality may laser beam seem important. The thickness of subcutaneous fat may
skew the results towards possible benefit, but only in the short-term. There not be relevant to response, and it was assumed that obese patients
are too few studies comparing acupuncture with other therapies, which may have been evenly distributed in both groups, but this was not
have a low success rate anyway. Extrapolation of results suggests that any stratified.
benefit would be associated
only with continuous auricular Rarely has a well-
acupuncture, rather than with designed study shown
body acupuncture. Discrete such a clear-cut
sessions of acupuncture are difference between real
of no benefit, but continuous and sham treatment.
stimulation may be helpful. We need to learn from
Further research should this elegant study that
address the issue of whether in a clinical trial, the real
real acupuncture is more treatment needs to be
effective than indirect auricular specific, reproducible,
acupuncture, and if auricular and pre assessed to be
acupuncture is better than likely to produce benefit. Dr Jacqueline Oldham
other interventions.
Dr Adrian White
8
ACUPUNCTURE FOR SPORTS INJURIES The general feeling amongst the experts was that this condition had
PANEL DISCUSSION a gloomy prognosis, with pain relief aimed at treating trigger points in
REPORT BY DR SARAH WATKINS the gastrocnemius muscles as well as needling around and actually
Hwyel Watkin (HW) into the tendon. Caution was needed because of the degenerative
John Reynolds (JR) nature of the condition. It was important to look or feel for tears within
Steven Motto(SM) the tendon, and the clinician would also need to be aware of other
Mike Cummings (MC) standing in for Michael Gould who was unable associated joint problems.
to attend.
We then moved down the foot to consideration of tarsal tunnel
The session started with HW donning a Welsh hat & Rugby sweat shirt problems, and up the leg to anterior knee pain, then higher up to
(without Branes) – an extraordinary sight not helped by an awful joke hamstring problems, then down again to plantar fasciitis. As with
about a chicken farmer (Welsh) who had bred a three-legged chicken tendonitis, there were diverse approaches from amongst the experts,
which was just too fast for him to catch. who all admitted variable outcomes. Pecking the periosteum of the
calcaneum seemed generally effective. JR felt that a less painful
However, the general level of expert approach was to needle into the medial fat pad nearer the arch of
knowledge then displayed by the the foot, avoiding bone. JR was also a fan of searching out & treating
panel was impressive. The session trigger points. SM emphasised the need for early rather than delayed
was thoroughly informative and treatment. He (SM) had also tried shock-wave treatment with some
helpful. The format worked well. Hywel Watkin chairs the panel session benefit but such equipment would probably only be available in
specialised centres. From the floor there was a suggestion that
Although the number of questions posed was actually few, each question wearing dorsiflexion night splints could be helpful.
led to a remarkable personal display of knowledge & experience by
the experts. The first question on Achilles Tendonitis emphasised
the need to analyse any muscular dysfunction & imbalance before
plunging in with the needles – as expected, there was a considerable
range of possible sites of treatment, some with good outcomes, some
with disappointing ones. With the London Marathon due to take
place the following day, it was JR who had the realistic, but terribly
gloomy, approach of suggesting that a lot of would-be runners with
the condition should simply not participate. Incidentally, does JR ever
smile? Conversely, does MC ever stop smiling? We were also treated
to a fine display of his (MC) own well-balanced muscles as he gave a
nice demonstration of eccentric exercise – a new concept to some of
us! MC also drew parallels with a similar condition in horses where
red-hot pokers are used to cauterise the tendons. In MC’s experience
the condition was due to collagen degeneration and was seen more
commonly in ordinary Service personnel wearing RAF boots, rather
than in the elite athlete brigades. Dr Sarah E Watkins
9
Then on to tennis elbow – the experts universally seemed to go for as adverse events, but other more notable reactions included epilepsy
local treatment points (again with MC in demonstrative mode showing and partial paralysis. An explanation for some of the more serious
us his little known Anconeus, just below the lateral epicondyle). None reactions could be explained by the underlying pathology treated
of the experts seemed to favour the Chan Gunn technique of focussing ie lower back pain with weakening of one leg could have been
treatment at the neck, which some of us find very effective in many attributed to progression of a prolapsed disc. The epilepsy may have
individuals. Because of the biased nature of the experts’ client groups been a coincidence in that it happened to a 22 year old at a time when
(young, fit, sporting types) maybe the more localised management of idiopathic epilepsy is known to manifest itself. In the authors view
injuries is more appropriate to their style of treatment than Chan Gunn patients can be hyper-reactive to acupuncture due to personality,
advocates. sex and having a spiritualistic and artistic nature. She also suggested
that patients with ME, irritable bowel syndrome, hypothyroidism,
The next area of discussion centred on the possible performance and anxiety or depression were also likely to be hyper-reactors. It
enhancing effects of acupuncture. JR said that in Western terms the was also suggested that the development of cancer can transform
answer was NO, while in TCM terms the answer was YES. SM said a normal reactor into a hyper-reactor; as could those patients with
that needling ST36, bilaterally, helped in pain relief in weightlifters. In undiagnosed hypothyroidism and hypoglycaemia. A more rigorous
his experience also, horses that had been treated with acupuncture controlled study is required to verify these observations. The take
on a Friday were worth backing on a Saturday (or did I dream this?). home message would be that hyper-reactors have certain clinical
Someone from the floor volunteered to sell us the secret of his A1 and personality traits and if found the patient should be treated with
placebo point, and HW again flaunted his Welsh credentials by saying caution and if a reaction occurs should be given lighter and shorter
that a bit of needling prior to competitive sheep shearing was very treatments of acupuncture or manipulation.
effective.
UPDATE ON OPIOID GENETICS -
The debate then became a little more diffuse, with management RESPONDERS AND NON - RESPONDERS TO OPIOIDS
of trochanteric bursitis jostling for a place beside a philosophical - DR DEE TRAUE
discussion about the possible role of acupuncture in the prevention Dr Traue gave a presentation on the genetics of responders and non-
of footballing injuries and fractures. SM mentioned the importance responders to morphine. This presentation informed us that between
of training strategies, and JR emphasised the need for an integrated 1-30% patients do not obtain an adequate analgesic response from
approach to biomechanics and the use of acupuncture in the reduction morphine or suffer intolerable side effects from the drug in attempting
of pain thus speeding up of healing during the recovery phase, by early to obtain an analgesic effect.
restoration of muscle balance.
The reasons would appear to be genetic in origin and may occur
On which point I will finish – it was on balance an excellent session. through a variety of mechanisms: variable uptake of morphine across
Thanks go to the experts. the gut wall or blood brain barrier, uptake of morphine into the cell
by the µ-opioid receptor, the metabolism of morphine and even via a
ADVERSE RESPONSES - THE UNUSUAL RESPONDER - protein involved in the desensitisation and recycling of the µ-opioid
WENDY LONGWORTH receptor, to name but a few. Preliminary research carried out in her Unit
REPORT BY DR TONY STELLON demonstrated that patients who are intolerable to morphine can obtain
Wendy Longworth gave a benefits to a change of a different opioid; the best being oxycodone.
presentation on the ‘Unusual However methadone appeared also to be a good alternative, but
Responder’ ie those patients fentanyl the least successful. The take home message for all Doctors is
who experience unusual that patients should be transferred to either oxycodone or methadone
treatment reactions to in the first instance if you feel
acupuncture, electrotherapy or they have not achieved adequate
manipulation, and the definition analgesia or have suffered
of the characteristics of the from intolerable side effects to
person that this is likely to occur morphine.
to. She, and other workers, had
noted symptoms such as nausea,
Wendy Longworth dizziness, headaches, sleepiness Dr Dee Traue
10
SUNDAY APRIL 17TH 2005 L-glutamine and substance P are produced here. These cause
AN UPDATE ON THE NEUROPHYSIOLOGY OF CHRONIC ‘wind-up’ of the pain messages by increasing the excitability of the
PAIN AND IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE - DR WALTER nociceptors and also enlarging the ‘receptive field’ of the nociceptor
ZIELGLGÄNSBERGER neurones. In other words, the area of the body stimulating the neurone
REPORT BY DR ANTHONY DAY becomes larger, thereby increasing the pain messages being sent
Professor Walter to the ascending tracts. Even more fundamentally, these excitatory
Zieglgänsberger MD (Head of neurotransmitters alter the way the genes in the nerve cells work (‘gene
Clinical Neuropharmacology, expression’), causing long term enhancement and establishment of
Max Planck Institute the ‘pain memory’. In addition to these ascending pathways, there are
of Psychiatry, Munich, also ‘descending inhibitory pathways’ which counteract the wind-up
Germany) mechanism and are also mediated by GABA and glycine.
Professor Zieglgänsberger If the painful stimuli are removed or treated then the changes caused
warned us that he would in the pain matrix will gradually diminish. On the other hand, if the pain-
show no mercy! He would generating stimuli, be they physical, emotional or social continue, then
describe the neurophysiology the ‘pain memory’ becomes firmly established and leads to chronic,
of chronic pain in full detail ongoing pain which is associated with fear, anxiety and despair and
Dr Anthony Day persists long after the initial cause has been removed. Pain can
and by the end we would be
as exhausted as the runners in the London Marathon which was taking and should be treated chemically (magnesium) pharmacologically,
place at the same time. Indeed the lecture did last considerably longer physically (acupuncture, TENS, physiotherapy) and emotionally
than Paula Radcliffe’s run! The professor’s engaging combination of (counselling, CBT). The sooner the pain memory syndrome can be
science and philosophy, however, along with the use of some killer addressed, the more likely that chronic pain will be avoided.
graphics (I’m assured that this is a correct use of the word in the
modem parlance), ensured that the experience was enjoyable as well Acupuncture has effects at all levels of the pain matrix. Activation
as informative. of A-delta fibres causes stimulation of inhibitory interneurones at
the dorsal horn and enhances the descending inhibitory pathways.
Advances in brain imaging techniques such as MEG Acupuncture also stimulates the release of endorphins (the body’s
(Magnetencephalography), PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and own pain killers), ACTH and oxytocin, modifies the effects of the
fMR1 (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) enable us now to autonomic nervous system, deactivates trigger points and may help to
‘see the brain thinking’. Advanced neuropharmacology techniques promote nerve cell and blood vessel growth.
are also enabling more in-depth understanding of the neurochemical
basis of pain. However, research is limited by our inability to reproduce In conclusion, Professor Zieglgänsberger confirmed that pain
the patient’s own pain in the experimental situation. Such a practice memory exists and is now well understood in neuroanatomical
would amount to torture and is clearly unacceptable ethically. It is also neuropharmacological and neuropsychological terms. The more
not reproducible between individuals and we are therefore limited to actively and comprehensively we treat the patient and the sooner we
working with standardised experimental pain. treat, the more likely we are to avoid the establishment of the chronic
pain memory syndrome. Acupuncture has an important role.
We can now show that pain causes chemical, structural and even
genetic changes to our nervous system. We are far from ‘hard wired’, AURICULOACUPUNCTURE, DR RAPHAËL NOGIER
as was thought previously. The ‘Pain Matrix’ is a term used to describe REPORT BY CHRISTINE TYRIE
the structural chemical, hormonal and genetic system of pain
development, establishment and modification. Noxious stimuli cause Dr Rafael Nogier charmingly and very ably
the release of numerous chemical agents such as neuropeptides gave his lecture in English after Dr Adrian
and prostaglandins which activate primary sensory neurones in the White’s valiant attempt to act as interpreter
periphery. These ‘nociceptors’ have their nuclei in the spinal ganglia foundered at the first hurdle!
and synapse with ascending nerve cells in the dorsal horn of the spinal
cord. Other peripheral nerves called ‘inhibitory interneurones’ also Dr Nogier began with a historical perspective
synapse with the nociceptors at this level and inhibit their activity by on the theory and practice of auricular
releasing the inhibitory neurotransmitters gamma-amino butyric acid acupuncture mentioning in particular his
(GABA) and glycine. These inhibitory neurones can be activated by father’s work. He recounted how Paul Nogier,
various therapies including acupuncture and TENS. This is the basis of Dr Christine Tyrie who died in 1996, made the discovery of
the ‘gate theory’ of pain reduction. The ascending pathways then take auriculotherapy when he encountered sciatica sufferers whose pain
the signals to the limbic system (in particular the amygdala) before had been relieved by purposefully induced scars on the anti helix of
reaching the neo-cortex, where they are finally perceived as pain. The their ears.
amygdala is an important area for pain modification. The autonomic
nervous system inputs here and the amino acid neurotransmitters
11
Dr Nogier went on to explain the innervation of the ear and how each part
of the ear corresponds to a part of the body. To the by now fascinated
audience he went on to describe how to identify points of low sensitivity
on the ear using a laser device and the unique histopathology of these
points. He described two types of these points. Reflex points which are
used to treat pain in limbs and organs. These are painful in response
to pressure and are usefully punctured. Neurovascular points, on the
other hand can be used in auriculotherapy to treat functional disorder
and can be treated with infrared laser.
Dr Nogier then described a number of point formulae for the management
of a number of conditions including smoking cessation and migraine.
By this stage it was apparent to us all that Dr Nogier is a very hands
on clinician and was very keen to give a demonstration. An eager and
willing delegate was duly led out. Unfortunately the geography of the
lecture hall did not lend itself very well to this and only a fortunate few
could observe, at close hand, the demonstration. Should Dr Nogier
return a small group workshop format would be ideal. Dr Raphael Nogier
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE Moments later, Konrad finds himself
E very BMAS Meeting has a lighter side and the Leeds event lived airborne.
up to expectations as these photographs taken by the BMAS
paparazzi show only too clearly. Forget Hello magazine, forget those
Sunday newspaper scoops, you saw it here first!
No doubt spurred on by the talented
magician who amused guests at
dinner, Colin Lewis tries his hand
at the handkerchief trick having
commandeered Hywel Watkin’s tie as
an additional prop. Colin’s wife Susie
looks on, wondering if he will get it
right this time.
And now ladies and
gentlemen, for my final trick
of the evening………….
Ever the showman, Colin
prepares to launch into his
closing act.
This appears to be an attempt to recreate a story from the New
Testament. Konrad Streitberger a conference speaker, looks a touch
apprehensive as from left to right, Frankie Reid, Adrian White, Hywel
Watkin and Fiona Garrrett-Ryan try the laying on of hands.
12
TALES FROM THE SURGERY BY DR CHRIS BRIAN position safety would have won a Torville and Dean prize for artistic
W hilst being on post-op sick-leave for an unprecedented seven interpretation. A few seconds later, and after a speedy removal of the
weeks, I have had time to reflect on many things, including needles, he was feeling much better, and so was I!
the meaning of life and how it can take so long to put my socks on,
and my acupuncture practice was another of them. It is now 21 years He telephoned me several weeks later to let me know he had remained
since I first went on Felix Mann’s course and was diagnosed by him migraine free and he will definitely be staring up at my interesting
as a ‘strong reactor’, having fallen asleep approximately 30 seconds ceiling from a horizontal position next February!
after he had inserted a single needle at Liver 3. This apparently either
meant that I was of an artistic nature or just clapped out after a busy One of the great things I have found about strong reactors is that
weekend on call. whatever condition is being treated, they invariably do respond well
to acupuncture, and the possibility of your next patient being one is a
Over the years I have found that one of the most common strong reactor good reason to tread gently at their first treatment session. After all,
groups are males suffering from migraine. Besides needing minimal you don’t want to scare away a probable success do you?
needling, they have also tended to become vaso-vagal and even pass
out during the treatment. I long ago learnt to lie them down before I should be back to work by the time you read this. I’m glad my needles
needling starts. However, we all occasionally become slightly blasé are stainless steel; otherwise they’d probably be rusty by now, like
with the passage of time. …… Back in February one of my cluster their owner. Now, it is the sharp, pointy end that goes in the patient
migraine patients came to see me for his annual top-up treatment that isn’t it…?
had prevented the return of his attacks for the past 5 years. In previous
years he had always laid down for the treatments at my request but
this year he had developed a slight migraine the day before and said
he was actually more comfortable sitting on the side of the couch.
I duly needled him and he duly became vaso-vagal a minute later:
pale, sweaty, feeling faint, a full house! The way I managed to spin
him round on the couch so he was able to gently collapse to recovery Dr Chris Brian
ICMART 2004, SYDNEY - XI WORLD ACUPUNCTURE My introduction to the conference, in the luxurious surroundings of the
CONFERENCE grand ballroom, was the lecture from Professor Z H Cho, a radiological
BY DR VAL DUDGEON scientist working in the USA. He gave an astounding presentation on
General practitioner neuro-imaging using functional MRI and PET, as a way of elucidating
e-mail valdudgeon@hotmail.com. the mechanisms of acupuncture. Work by this team points towards
H aving taken a one year post working as a GP in New Zealand, the neurally-mediated but not point specific effect, along the HPA
the temptation to fly across ‘the ditch’ to Oz and my first ICMART axis. This lecture would probably have been well received by any
conference was irresistible. How was I to know that the usually three medical audience, not just those interested in acupuncture, in view
hour flight from Christchurch would become five, and that I would miss of its objectivity, use of audiovisual material which is clearly state of
the opening ceremony and first lecture...? Nonetheless, my tardiness the art, and the intelligent presentation of fact in the interpretation of
was rewarded by the warmest of welcomes by the Australian the research.
organising committee, and this generosity of spirit was evident for us
all throughout the conference. A similar approach was demonstrated by Professor J S Han, introduced
as ‘Mr Acupuncture’ by Thomas Lundeberg. A physician from Beijing,
he talked about opiate addiction in China (a huge problem, it seems)
and the use of electroacupuncture in treating withdrawal and
preventing relapse, with some success. He made what he felt was a
crucial distinction between the low-frequency Rx required for acute
withdrawal and the higher frequency for relapse prevention. He also
The magnificent Sidney Harbour Bridge and Opera House alluded to the relatively long time required for each single Rx. Most
interestingly of all, I thought, was his parting comment that he was
The theme of the conference was ‘education, research and practice’. soon to begin work with one of the big universities in the USA looking
The first two issues were largely dealt with in lecture format, usually at this very issue. I look forward to hearing more about this research.
with a discussion afterwards. The practical side of things was
approached by way of workshops running alongside this program, Other lectures worthy of note included one by Dr Ian Relf, an
where the subject choice was wide, and opportunities abundant to Australian physician and acupuncturist, on the subject of pitfalls in
learn of new and rather less mainstream treatments, especially in the interpretation of acupuncture reviews, especially reviews with an
Chinese medicine. Education, as an entity in its own right, was given apparently negative outcome which may actually not be appropriately
less coverage overall. examined. Professor Tom Lundeberg, ex-Karolinska, talked about
13
rehabilitation and within this referred on numerous occasions to
the same issue with a broad, academic and objective insight. Dr
Mike Cummings from the BMAS did well to stand in for Dr Jackie
Filshie at very short notice, and provided an excellent anatomical/
safety perspective on practical acupuncture which had them ooh-
ing and aah-ing with how to do pterygoid needling, real time. Most
of these principal speakers demonstrated an extensive, sometimes
encyclopaedic, knowledge of the literature, mainstream medical, not
just acupuncture.
One of the high-points of this conference, I felt, was the point at
which the lecture format changed to that of a ‘round table’, where
20 or so experts discussed their specialty for a time with the plebs. It
was an excellent learning opportunity, conducted in the most informal
but well-structured mode, where many ideas and experiences were
exchanged, as well as e-mail addresses. I just about fell off my seat
when Professor Cho gave us all his business card and said to contact
him if he could help explain any aspect of his work further, but it just
about outlined the ambience of ICMART 2004, Sydney. Well worth the
effort. Calling the delegates to dinner! – no, this was part of the spectacle at the opening ceremony.
NEWS ROUND UP
BMAS QUARTER CENTURY – NOT OUT
M embers will have read Peter Baldry’s excellent history of the Regards, xxxx
Society in the March issue of Acupuncture in Medicine. Such a
detailed and well documented account of the founding of the Society Dear xxxx
in 1980 and the many developments and achievements since then is a
most valuable and lasting tribute to those who had the foresight and Thank you for your email and for
enthusiasm to promote acupuncture within medicine. sending information about your
own acupuncture experiences.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Society we are holding a buffet
reception at an appropriately futuristic new building, the British I am very pleased to hear that your
Library, in London on 14th October. This is immediately before the treatment appears to have had a good
Autumn Meeting of the Society which this year is being held at nearby effect on your blood pressure - very
BMA House. Full details will be sent to members in due course. interesting. My own experience of
Dr Ruth Livingstone treating patients is a bit disappointing
WEBSITE QUERIES - despite some initial improvement, the reduction in blood pressure
Ruth Livingstone, the BMAS web master answers many hundreds of seems hard to maintain and blood pressure does appear to creep back
questions posed by patients on the Society’s website. Here, Ruth gives up. I would suggest you continue to monitor yourself and make sure
an interesting example of the sort of question she receives. your blood pressure stays under control. However, so far so good!
BY EMAIL Regards,
I recently read a remark about the fact that acupuncture is not Ruth
recommended for high blood pressure.
MEDICAL INDEMNITY
By profession I am a pharmacist and I have been taking a A member recently reported that his indemnity insurance with the
hydrochlorothiazide for months without it doing very much. Medical Defence Union had been approximately £6,000 but exactly the
I started with a beta 2 blocker about three weeks ago and, same cover with the Medical Protection Society is £2,600.
although there was a small reduction in systolic pressure from
150 to 144, I decided to start with a course of acupuncture on Now that’s what I call a saving! Editor
the basis that it could not do much harm if not much good.
All I can say is that within one day of starting treatment, my systolic
blood pressure fell to around 130 and continues to read that or lower.
I check my BP every day. I am continuing to check but it really seems
to me that it has had a significant effect.
14
PASSES AT COBC AND COA ELECTION TO THE COUNCIL APRIL 2005
COBC Passes The results of the ballot are published below. Three new members
have joined the Council, Dr Jonothan Freedman, Dr Fiona Garett-
Ryan and Sam Lindley who is a vet.
Edward Lin Anand Nadgir
David Kirk Peter Hardy J Filshie 341 Elected for 4 years
Clive Patterson Kate Abbott A Campbell 298 Elected for 4 years
Paul Evans Barry Graham C Lewis 272 Elected for 4 years
Jagadish Muthu Jon Craig J Freedman 268 Elected for 4 years
Gerhard Esser Michael Smyth F Garett Ryan 251 Elected for 4 years
Maria Belivani Graham Leng K Prasad 234 Elected for 3 years
Kiran Kharat Marion Richardson S Lindley 199 Elected for 2 years
D Pardhanini 134 Not elected
Diploma pass for Anthony Day.
BMAS FOUNDATION COURSES 2006
OTHER COURSES
VENUE DATES Gunn Intramuscular Stimulation Introductory course:
Pt 1 04/02/06 – 05/02/06
YORK October 7, 8 and 9 and November 12 2005, King’s College Hospital,
Pt 2 04/03/06 – 05/03/06
London
Pt 1 11/02/06 – 12/02/06
BRISTOL
Pt 2 11/03/06 – 12/03/06 Please contact Mandy DeAth, Therapy Suite, GJW, King’s
College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London. SE5 9RS, Tel 020 7346
PALLIATIVE LONDON 13/02/06 – 17/02/06
8206 or e-mail: mandy.deAth@kingsch.nhs.uk
EDINBURGH 03/04/06 – 07/04/06
ERGONOMICS AND THE UPPER LIMB
Pt 1 29/04/06 – 30/04/06 Monday 26th – Friday 30th September 2005, Wharfedale General
WYBOSTON Hospital, Otley, W.Yorks, LS21 2LY
Pt 2 27/05/06 – 28/05/06
Pt 1 17/06/06 – 18/06/06
MANCHESTER Contact Deena Harris, British Institute of Musculoskeletal Medicine,
Pt 2 15/07/06 – 16/07/06
34 The Avenue, Watford, WD17 4AH. E-mail: info@bimm.org.uk
Pt 1 02/09/06 – 03/09/06
GLASGOW
Pt 2 30/09/06 – 01/10/06
Pt1 09/09/06 – 10/09/06
ABERDEEN
Pt 2 07/10/06 – 08/10/06
ICH LONDON 11/09/06 – 15/09/06
Pt 1 28/10/06 – 29/10/06
BIRMINGHAM
Pt 2 25/11/06 – 26/11/06
Pt1 04/11/06 – 05/11/06
SLOUGH
Pt 2 09/12/06 – 10/12/06
BMAS AUTUMN MEETING - 15TH OCTOBER 2005
The Autumn meeting is being held at BMA House on 15th October.
Speakers confirmed so far are Dr Peter Dorsher who will be speaking
on his work correlating traditional acupuncture points with trigger
points and Dr Becker-Witt who will present the final results of a
randomised controlled trial on acupuncture.
Full details will be sent to members in due course.
15
BMAS STAFF
T he staff are very grateful for the opportunity provided by the Society I don’t actually remember
to meet up and enjoy a social occasion together. Last Christmas what I was saying to Jane
was no exception and although it is rather a long time ago, readers and Dianne, but they seem
will see from the pictures below that a good time was had by all. to have found it amusing.
‘Not like that – like that’.
Jane Llewelyn, General Manager of our Northwich office, Dianne With apologies to Tommy
Hough, Administrative Assistant and Pauline Boll our receptionist Cooper.
together with Mike and Sally Cummings and yours truly all met up in
London on 8th December.
Just before curtain up and looking forward to
First stop was Incognico’s restaurant in Shaftesbury Avenue. In fact, the show.
it was so Ingognico that we were the only people there until about
1.30pm! Anyway, the food and wine were good even if the photography
did not exactly reach the realms of David Bailey.
From left to right: Julian Price, CEO, Pauline Boll, Dianne Hough and Jane Llewelyn All good things come to an end and here we are outside the theatre
plus the finger of Mike Cummings.
after the show.
After lunch we trotted off down
Julian Price
Shaftesbury Avenue to The Queens
Editor
Theatre to see a performance of
Les Miserables. Mike decided it
would all be too melancholy for him,
so Sally Cummings took his place.
Les Miserables is probably one of the
most successful musicals of the post
war era and has been playing in London
and around the world for over twenty
years.
Here, Sally Cummings soon to star in the BMAS Trigger Point CD
production, explains the finer points of method acting to Jane Llewelyn
and Pauline Boll.
16