Acupuncture Association

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Acupuncture Association The Acupuncture Association is the association for all student or qualified Acupuncturists in the UK.

A member organisation of the British Acupuncture Federation

Our code of practice, explained 📋Every Acupuncture Association member follows a Code of Professional Conduct, set by the...
15/10/2026

Our code of practice, explained 📋

Every Acupuncture Association member follows a Code of Professional Conduct, set by the Acupuncture Regulatory Authority. It sets out what you can expect when you see one of our members, and here are some of the main points:

- Your care comes first. Your practitioner will listen to you, explain what they find, and tell you clearly what treatment they're proposing and why.

- You're in control. Your practitioner needs your explicit consent before treating you, and you can change your mind at any time, even partway through a session.

- Your information stays private. Everything you share is confidential, including the fact that you've visited, and your notes are kept securely.

- Your dignity is respected. You'll only be asked to undress as far as treatment needs, you'll have privacy and a gown or blanket if required, and you have the right to a chaperone if treatment involves sensitive areas.

- Honest advertising. Members can't claim to cure conditions or make unrealistic promises about treatment.

- Working alongside your GP. With your consent, your practitioner can keep your GP informed if you are happy with that, and they'll encourage you to seek other medical help if acupuncture isn't the right approach for you.

- Care for children. Under 16s can only be treated with a parent or guardian's consent unless using the Gillick Comptence guidance.

- A way to raise concerns. Your practitioner must tell you how to make a complaint if you're ever unhappy with your care.

Find a qualified acupuncturist near you on our clinic locator: https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk/clinic-locator/

Is there anything else you'd want to know before your first appointment? 💬

A lovely five-star review from one of our members ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I have found AA to be a really great resource both when I was a ...
13/10/2026

A lovely five-star review from one of our members ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I have found AA to be a really great resource both when I was a student and as a licensed practitioner, useful resources and always very quick to respond to any queries I may have, thank you!"

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this. Supporting practitioners from their student days through to running their own clinics is a big part of what we do, and it's good to know the resources and help are making a difference.

If you're an acupuncturist or a student looking for a supportive association, you can find out more about membership here: https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk/join-now/

Are you an AA member? What do you find most useful about your membership? 💬

How do you know an acupuncturist is properly qualified? Part 2: what good practice looks like in the treatment room 🩺In ...
08/10/2026

How do you know an acupuncturist is properly qualified? Part 2: what good practice looks like in the treatment room 🩺

In part 1 we looked at the checks you can do before booking. Once you're in the clinic, here's what you can expect from a qualified acupuncturist:

- A full consultation first. Before any needles go in, they'll take a case history, including your health, any medication you take, and whether you're pregnant or trying to conceive.

- Clean, safe needles. They'll use single-use, sterile, pre-packed needles, wash their hands before treating you, and dispose of used needles in a sharps bin.

- A clear explanation. They'll tell you what they plan to do and why, what you might feel and any possible side effects, and check you're happy to go ahead.

- Honest expectations. A good acupuncturist won't promise a cure. If you're on several repeat prescriptions, they may recommend asking your GP or pharmacist for a medication review, and they'll suggest seeing your GP if something needs medical attention.

- Openness about cost. They'll give you an idea of how many sessions they'd expect and what each one costs, without pressure to book a big block.

- Keeping up to date. Qualified practitioners keep training throughout their careers through continuing professional development (CPD).

Find a qualified acupuncturist near you on our clinic locator: https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk/clinic-locator/

What helped you feel at ease at your first acupuncture appointment? 💬

How do you know an acupuncturist is properly qualified? Part 1: the checks you can do before you book 🔍Acupuncture isn't...
05/10/2026

How do you know an acupuncturist is properly qualified? Part 1: the checks you can do before you book 🔍

Acupuncture isn't regulated by law in the UK, so it's worth doing a little homework first. Here are four things to look for:

- A recognised qualification. Ask where they trained and what qualification they hold. A qualified practitioner will be happy to tell you.

- Membership of a professional association. Associations set standards for training, conduct and hygiene, and give patients a way to raise concerns if something goes wrong. Ask which association they belong to and check they're listed with it.

- Local council registration. Most acupuncturists need to be registered with their local council for skin piercing. In London, practitioners who belong to an association the council recognises can be exempt, so feel free to ask which applies to them.

- Insurance. They should hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance that covers acupuncture.

The Acupuncture Association is open to practitioners who have qualified from a recognised training establishment, and you can find one of our members near you on our clinic locator: https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk/clinic-locator/

In part 2, we'll look at what a qualified acupuncturist does once you're in the treatment room.

What did you check before booking your first acupuncture appointment? 💬

Is acupuncture safe during pregnancy? It's a common question, and here's the approach we recommend 🤰- First trimester: w...
29/09/2026

Is acupuncture safe during pregnancy? It's a common question, and here's the approach we recommend 🤰

- First trimester: we recommend no acupuncture, unless your practitioner is working with specific points using fertility methods and has been trained to support the early growth of the baby.

- After the first trimester: your practitioner should check the contraindications of every point they plan to use, and make sure they aren't using any points that are contraindicated in pregnancy.

- The lower torso: unless a practitioner has specific training and experience in pregnancy care, we recommend no needling around the lower abdomen and lower back, because of the risk that many points in this area could cause things to shift too early.

Some points are traditionally forbidden in pregnancy, including SP6, LI4, GB21 and BL60. They're listed as contraindicated in A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman, Mazin Al-Khafaji and Kevin Baker, a standard point reference in acupuncture training, and a properly trained acupuncturist will know to avoid them.

When it's done carefully, acupuncture later in pregnancy can help with back and pelvic pain. A 2022 review of 10 trials in BMJ Open found it improved pain, day-to-day function and quality of life: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056878

If you're pregnant or trying to conceive, always tell your acupuncturist before treatment, and don't be afraid to ask which points they'll be using and why.

Find a qualified acupuncturist near you on our clinic locator: https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk/clinic-locator/

Did you have acupuncture while you were pregnant? What did you find it helped with? 💬

Can acupuncture help with migraines? 🤔A clinical trial published in The BMJ in 2020 set out to test exactly this. Resear...
27/09/2026

Can acupuncture help with migraines? 🤔

A clinical trial published in The BMJ in 2020 set out to test exactly this. Researchers in China followed 150 people with episodic migraine without aura, who were split into three groups: 20 sessions of real acupuncture over eight weeks, 20 sessions of sham acupuncture using non-penetrating needles away from acupuncture points, or their usual care alone.

By weeks 17 to 20, the acupuncture group were having on average 3.9 fewer migraine days a month, compared with 2.2 fewer in the sham group and 1.4 fewer in the usual care group. They also reported bigger improvements in quality of life, and no severe side effects were recorded.

The researchers suggested acupuncture could be an option for people who would rather not take preventive medication, or who haven't found it helpful. It's one trial in one type of migraine and the wider research is still developing, but the results are encouraging.

You can read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m697

If you'd like to try acupuncture for migraines, you can find a qualified acupuncturist near you on our clinic locator: https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk/clinic-locator/

Have you tried acupuncture for headaches or migraines? We'd love to hear how you got on 💬

New research on acupuncture and knee painA study published this week looked at electroacupuncture for knee osteoarthriti...
24/09/2026

New research on acupuncture and knee pain

A study published this week looked at electroacupuncture for knee osteoarthritis, and the results are worth a look.

Researchers in Shanghai worked with 480 people with knee osteoarthritis, giving half electroacupuncture and half a sham treatment over six weeks. Neither the people assessing the results nor the participants knew who'd had which. By the end, almost 93% of the acupuncture group had a meaningful improvement in pain and movement, and the difference was still there six months later.

It's one study, from one part of the world, and more research always helps build the picture. But it's a well-run trial, with real numbers behind it, and it adds to a growing body of evidence for acupuncture and joint pain.

Have you tried acupuncture for knee or joint pain? We'd love to hear how you got on.

22/09/2026

The Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture course is available from our website in the courses section.

What does NICE actually say about acupuncture for pain?Here's the useful version, not just the headline.In 2021, NICE pu...
22/09/2026

What does NICE actually say about acupuncture for pain?

Here's the useful version, not just the headline.

In 2021, NICE published new guidance on chronic primary pain and included acupuncture as a treatment to consider, alongside exercise and psychological therapy. It also advised against several common painkillers, including opioids and NSAIDs, for this type of pain.

The recommendation came from reviewing 27 studies showing acupuncture reduced pain and improved quality of life. Think of it as support for the pain itself while you and your practitioner or GP work out what's causing it, rather than a fix for the cause.

For back pain, NICE's guidance takes a different view and doesn't specifically recommend acupuncture there. Other research has found short-term benefit for chronic low back pain, so it's a conversation to have with a practitioner. Back pain can come from all sorts of places, poor posture or referred pain from somewhere deeper in the body, so getting to the root of it matters alongside any pain relief.

Have you tried acupuncture for pain while you looked into what was behind it?

Ever wondered what those round marks are after someone's had cupping, or caught a whiff of something unusual during a tr...
15/09/2026

Ever wondered what those round marks are after someone's had cupping, or caught a whiff of something unusual during a treatment and wondered what it was?

Acupuncture, cupping and moxibustion often get lumped together, but they are actually three different techniques.

Acupuncture uses fine needles at specific points on the body. Cupping uses suction from cups placed on the skin, no needles involved. Moxibustion involves warming the skin with burning dried mugwort, often to ease cold or stagnation.

Many practitioners offer more than one, and combine them depending on what you need, but you can have any of these without the others.

Have you tried cupping or moxibustion alongside acupuncture? Tell us about your experience.

https://acupunctureassociation.org.uk

Address

Riverside, Sunderland House, Sunderland Road
Macclesfield
SK116JF

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

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