Are there different styles of acupuncture?
There are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and French styles of acupuncture which vary widely in theory and technique. The Japanese use very small (diameter) needles with shallow insertion, the Chinese use thicker needles and deeper insertion compared with the Japanese; the Koreans tend to use mainly acupuncture points on the hands and the French use the meridian pathways for much of their healing.
Chinese medicine is over 5,000 years old. During that time, many individual styles (off shoots or branches) have developed from the traditional, TCM style of diagnosis and treatment. These include Japanese style, Five Elements, Korean hand technique, French auricular (ear acupuncture), Daoist and Tibetan styles of acupuncture. The TCM style (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is the ‘granddaddy’ of them all: the source from which the other branches sprang forth. Kath Bartlett, MS, LAc, practices in the TCM style.
Yes, there are. Acupuncture originated in China but has spread to Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Europe, the British Isles, and America. In different countries, different styles have developed based on differing opinions as to theory and technique. Patients should talk to their practitioners about their particular style and learn as much as possible about the treatment being proposed.
