Does acupuncture hurt?

The sensation experienced during acupuncture varies among our patients and may depend on factors such as the specific acupuncture technique used, the location of the needles, and your personal sensitivity. Overall, our patients find our treatments to be deeply relaxing and many fall asleep into a restorative nap.

Here are some common sensations associated with acupuncture:

When the acupuncture needles are inserted, you may feel a slight prick or tingling sensation.

Once the acupuncture needles are placed, many patients experience heaviness, warmth, or a tingling sensation around the needle insertion site or along the pathway of the acupuncture channel.

The majority of our patients report feeling deeply relaxed and calm during acupuncture sessions; this response can be attributed to the overall therapeutic environment, the release of endorphins, and the stimulation of the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system.

Occasionally, our patients may experience temporary sensations such as a mild muscle twitch or trigger point reaction.

Acupuncture treatments can sometimes trigger emotional responses. It’s not uncommon for our patients to experience a sense of emotional release, such as crying or feeling a surge of emotions during or after an acupuncture session. This can be a natural part of the healing process as the body releases pent-up emotions or stress.

What does acupuncture treat?

the World Health Organization lists the following symptoms, diseases and conditions to be treated effectively by acupuncture:

Musculo-Skeletal: arthritis, back pain, neck pain, muscle pain, muscle weakness, muscle cramping, sciatica

Digestive: abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion

Gynecological: premenstrual syndrome, menopause symptoms, infertility

Emotional: anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervousness, neurosis

Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat: cataracts, poor vision, toothache, gingivitis, tinnitus

Respiratory: asthma, bronchitis, common cold, sinusitis, smoking cessation, tonsilitis

Neurological: headaches. migraines, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, Parkinson’s disease, post-operative pain, stroke

Miscellaneous: addiction control, athletic performance, blood pressure regulation, chronic fatigue, immune system toning, stress reduction

What if I am already receiving treatment?

We often receive patient referrals from local MDs, including primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, and pediatricians. A primary care physician may recognize the value of incorporating complementary therapies like acupuncture to address the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of a patient’s health. As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, acupuncture may be considered as a viable alternative or adjunctive therapy for patients who cannot tolerate specific medications, procedures, or surgeries due to allergies, intolerances, contraindications, or high-risk factors. Likewise, acupuncture may be reccommended to help manage stress-related conditions, insomnia, anxiety, or to support patients in achieving a better work-life balance. Here are a few reasons doctors entrust us with your care:

Holistic Approach: Acupuncture is rooted in a holistic approach to medicine, considering the interconnectedness of the body and mind.

Pain Management: Acupuncture has been found to be effective in relieving pain in various conditions, such as chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, migraines, and postoperative pain.

Limited Conventional Treatment Options: In some cases, certain medical conditions or individual circumstances may limit the available treatment options.

Patient Preferences: Some patients may express a preference for non-pharmacological and non-invasive treatment options.

Well-being and Stress Management: Acupuncture is known to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.

Do I need to have pain, be sick, or have a condition to benefit from acupuncture?

Absolutely not!

While acupuncture can be incredibly effective at treating symptoms, the ideal acupuncture patient actually has no symptoms and wants to stay that way.

Acupuncture requires patients to look at health from a different perspective. Many use to conventional medicine, which focuses on what is sick, broken, or diseased. They go to the doctor when something is wrong, they put you back to how you were before, and health remains relative to the “bad thing.” It is great at this (I use it, and I am thankful for it!). However, there are other outlooks on what medicine can do.

Instead of health being relative to disease, consider health as relative to life. Making pain go away is only one part in the full arc of taking responsibility for our lives. We must also recognize that the fulfillment of our life’s purpose is entirely in our own hands. How do we pay better attention to what our bodies are asking for? How do we engage with the people, places, and things in our live with curiosity? How do we live more fully and deliberately? In addition to treating “dis-ease”, medicine also has the potential to support and encourage our ability to lean in, acknowledge, and learn, to encourage us along our ongoing path of self-discovery.