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What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a traditional ancient Chinese practice of gently placing thin needles along meridian points in the body that correspond to the harmonious balance of the yin and yang of the life force known as Qi (Chi). Inserting needles into these points with appropriate combinations will bring the energy flow back into balance.

It is suggested that many acupuncture points are at sites in the body where stimulation can affect the activity of multiple sensory neurons. These sites are known as receptive fields.

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Benefits Of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a common complementary therapy that can help people manage many different conditions.

Benefits of acupuncture include the following:

People can effectively combine acupuncture with other treatments.

Acupuncture carries a low risk of side effects.

Effective acupuncture can help manage chronic pain, migraine, and headaches, etc.

It is a flexible form of treatment that can target numerous health concerns at once.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) advises people not to use acupuncture as a replacement for conventional medical help.

Uses of Acupunctures

Acupuncture can be effective in the treatment of:

Lower Back Pain
Neck Pain
Allergies
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Headache/Migraine
Knee Pain

Peripheral Neuropathy
Fatigue
Nausea
Tendinopathy
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis

Dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain
Muscle spasms, tremors, tics
Phantom pain
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Premenstrual syndrome
Sprains and contusions

What to Expect on Your First Visit

PRE-TREATMENT

An acupuncturist will examine a person and assess their condition and offer advice.

DURING TREATMENT

Individuals will typically sit or lie down during the procedure. The acupuncturist should use single-use, disposable, sterile needles.

People may feel a very brief stinging or tingling sensation upon needle insertion. They may then experience a dull ache as Qi is moved.

Typically, the needles will stay in place for 20–30 minutes, although this will vary depending on the procedure. The practitioner will apply a heat lamp to warm the area being treated.

POST-TREATMENT

The number of treatments a person will need depends on their individual case.

Someone with a chronic condition may need one or two treatments per week over several months. An acute health issue typically improves after 8–12 sessions.

Things to Consider

Acupuncture is a complementary therapy and should not take the place of doctor-recommended treatments.

Before undergoing acupuncture to treat chronic pain or other conditions, a person should seek advice from a primary care physician. In some U.S. states, acupuncturists themselves can be primary care physicians.

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Did You Know?

Six Common Things Acupuncture Can Treat

SEASONAL ALLERGIES

One well-researched effect of acupuncture is reducing inflammation throughout the body. Acupuncture stimulates chemicals that reduce swelling and quiet unwanted immune responses and allergic reactions.

Acupuncture also helps strengthen the digestive system, which can be a source of unrecognized inflammation, making allergies worse. With just a few weeks of regular treatment, acupuncture can help eliminate the symptoms of seasonal allergies.

INSOMNIA

Insomnia can come in many forms. Some people have difficulty falling asleep while others feel tired only to find that as soon as they lie down, their brains become active. Others have no trouble falling asleep but wake up during the night—usually between 2-3 a.m.—and have trouble going back to sleep.

Some people struggle with both falling and staying asleep. Properly placed acupuncture needles coupled with herbal medicine can be life changing for people who need to get more ZZZs.

DIGESTIVES COMPLAINTS

Gas, bloating, constipation or bowel changes are signs that there is something wrong in your digestive system. Acupuncture is known to regulate digestive function.

In fact, there is an entire school of thought in Chinese medicine that treats the digestive system for any illness, based on the belief that when the gut functions properly, the entire system can maintain its balance.

ANXIETY, STRESS AND DEPRESSION

Maintaining a stable emotional state can be difficult, and for those people who all-too-often feel unsettled, acupuncture can help balance and regulate emotions.

It stimulates the part of your nervous system that promotes a calm state of being. It can help you feel settled, grounded and positive. It also relaxes the brain and muscles, which reduces stress throughout the body.

SCIATIC PAIN

Sciatica is a terribly painful disorder caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve—a very long nerve that begins in the low back and branches down into each leg, continuing all the way to the feet.

Those who experience it know sciatic pain is challenging to calm with over-the-counter medication. The pain can be felt anywhere along the nerve and keep you from enjoying daily life.

Acupuncture can be incredibly useful in treating sciatic pain. I have seen a patient pain-free for the first time in years after only a few acupuncture sessions. It is definitely worth a try.