Acupuncture is sometimes available on the NHS from GP practices and physiotherapists as well as in most pain clinics and hospices in the UK. Most acupuncture patients pay for private treatment. As the demand for complementary medicine increases, more private health insurance companies such as AVIVA and BUPA are beginning to offer cover for Acupuncture.
The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) recommends as a treatment option for chronic tension type headaches and migraines. In 2009, NICE also recommended that Acupuncture should be made available in the NHS as a cost-effective, short-term treatment for the management of early, persistent, non-specific lower back pain.
