Acupuncture

How Does Acupuncture Work?

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

Pain and illness develop when the body's internal mechanisms aren't working correctly. Often this happens when the body is burdened by too much of something (inflammation, tension, mucus, blockages...) or has too little of what it needs (energy, blood, hydrating fluids, rest) to run efficiently and maintain a state of health. 

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Each organ has a channel or internal pathway that connects it to the surface of the body. Along these channels are a collection of acupoints, small "points" on the map that we can locate by palpation and anatomical structures. Each point has its own "flavor" and a special ability to affect the body in a certain way. Some can calm the nervous system, others can clear sensations of heat or nausea, others affect intestinal movement or bring blood to the reproductive organs, for example. The knowledge of how each acupoint can affect the internal landscape of the body has been gathered from thousands of years of experience and informs the way we practice today.

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From a Conventional Medicine or Western Perspective

The insertion of needles at certain points of the body have been known to release endorphins, enhance blood flow and circulation, decrease cortisol levels, trigger a healing immune response, and calm the nervous system enough to enter a rest/digest state (away from a fight/flight/freeze stress response).​​​

What Can Acupuncture Help Me With?

Acupuncture has effectively treated: acute and chronic tension and pain, including issues like carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, TMJ, and plantar fasciitis, digestive issues like IBS and constipation, depression, anxiety, stress, fertility issues and irregular menses, period pain, helping to prep your body for labor and reduce labor pain, menopause and perimenopause, low libido, insomnia and nightmares, treating addictions and quitting smoking, PTSD, hypertension, headaches and migraine, Bell's Palsy and post-stroke sequelae, acne, eczema, and skin issues, Long Covid... the list goes on!

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Traditional Chinese Medicine is its own system of medicine and can work to address a very wide range of issues (barring life-saving emergencies and surgeries). We view health and the body's inner workings from a different perspective than Western Medicine. Chinese Medicine typically shines when conventional medicine and pharmaceutical options aren't working or result in unwanted side effects.

What Does Acupuncture Feel Like?

While you might feel the initial pinch of the insertion, the placement of the needles should be comfortable and nearly painless. Sensations you might notice around the points could be a heaviness, tingle, a feeling moving to another part of your body or "down a channel" on the same limb, a warmth, or a deep ache. Many patients feel close to nothing and even fall asleep with the needles in!

What Can I Expect After an Acupuncture Treatment?

Most people feel very relaxed and refreshed after a treatment. You do not need to skip exercise or do any sort of after-care protocol, however, we invite you to "ride the wave" of your relaxed, open state by minimizing vigorous exercise and caffeine and alcohol use in the hours following treatment.

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The timing of results can definitely range:

• Some patients immediately get off of the treatment table and feel 100% better than how they felt a mere 30 minutes ago.

• Others feel about the same and need time for the effects of the treatment to kick in, either later that day, the next morning, or as the week progresses.

• It's rare, but especially when treating chronic or deep-seated issues, there are some patients who don't feel much of a difference until after a few treatments.

It's important to stick to your treatment plan and come in for a handful of appointments in close succession to achieve the most effective and long-lasting results.