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Published: 15 July, 2010
by JOSH LOEB

“JUST because we don’t know how acupuncture works doesn’t mean it doesn’t work,” says Huw Griffiths.

“After all, no one knows how aspirin works – ask any pharmacist and they won’t be able to tell you.”

An acupuncturist of 20 years’ experience, perhaps Mr Griffiths can be excused for sounding defensive.

The ancient Chinese therapy remains controversial.

Sceptics attack it as expensive and lacking scientific clout, while its defenders have long fought the latter charge.

Mr Griffiths is seeking to ­disprove the former by offering cut-price treatments in a new Hampstead clinic.

Together with fellow acupuncturist Ilana Pearlman, he has set up Metal Tiger Acupuncture – a centre that allows for several patients to be treated at once, thereby reducing costs.

“We have brought the price down by around one-third,” said Mr Griffiths.

“Normally the treatment would cost £65 to £75. We are offering it for £25.” 

The procedure, which involves inserting ultra-fine needles into various points in the skin, originated in China 3,000 years ago.

Mr Griffiths believes it works by exerting influence on the body’s autonomic nervous and endocrine systems (the latter is involved in regulating the amount of different hormones in the blood).

He believes it can be used to treat a range of conditions from back pain and allergies.

According to a recent study published in Nature Neuroscience, the efficacy of acupuncture may be attribu­table to the relatively strong presence of adenosine – a painkilling molecule – in tissues near to acupuncture sites.

“Really it is unbelievable what it can do,” said Mr Griffiths.

“I had a patient, a primary school teacher, who had migraines for seven years, and after three treatments they were gone.

“It alleviates the root cause – the tension which starts the migraine.

I compare being an acupuncturist to being an electrician.

It’s like re-setting an electrical circuit.

One of the problems for mainstream science is that you can’t carry out a dissection on what we call meridian energy.

My father was a leading colonic surgeon and he had a big problem coming to terms with acupuncture because it challenges the whole basis of western medicine.”

However, while the medical establishment is resistant to acupuncture, Mr Griffiths says people are voting with their feet.

“Word of mouth is bringing it into the mainstream,” he said.

“There has been a huge amount of coverage of the benefits of acupuncture in the Press and it’s rare to find someone who hasn’t heard of it.

The only drawback is that it is most often offered as a ­private therapy.

It is quite rare to find it on the NHS, and where it is offered, it’s a bit of a grey area.”

Mr Griffiths claims there is nothing acupuncturists would like more than to see greater use of acupuncture in the NHS.

But he says he fears resistance from big drugs companies who would have “something to lose”.

He says he hopes a reduction in the price of the treatment will allow a wider range of people to see for themselves whether it works.

• Metal Tiger Acupuncture is at 13-17 Rosemont Road, Hampstead, NW3.
Call 07850 463898 or 07787870841. Email: treatment@nwlca.com