Acupuncture is the meticulous placement of hair-fine needles into certain areas or “points” on the body. These points are selected based on the individual condition or concern of the patient.
Acupuncture is a time-tested treatment for acute or chronic pain conditions as well as internal conditions that involve some kind of inflammation or imbalance in the body. Pain conditions can include back pain, neck pain, hand/wrist pain, hip pain or any kind of musculoskeletal injury or inflammation. Pain conditions may arise from acute injury, osteoarthritis (wear and tear of joints over time), chronic pain from old injuries as well as chronic pain manifesting from inflammatory illnesses.
Acupuncture is also a great tool to improve women’s health as it relates to hormones, fertility, regulating menstruation and peri-menopausal symptoms like brain fog and hot flashes.
Some other conditions that acupuncture can treat include:
The fact is, acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of conditions and disorders. The best way to know if acupuncture is the right option for you is to schedule a free consultation or an initial patient appointment.
Acupuncture acts as a catalyst that prompts the individual healing response and thus promotes the body’s own ability to repair itself.
Acupuncture is most effective when done in a series of treatments. Most people start with 4-6 treatments when addressing acute or semi-chronic conditions. Long-standing conditions may need between 8-12 treatments. Most people only need maintenance treatments after their series has been completed.
Acupuncture is painless but not sensation-less. The insertion of an acupuncture needle can create a sensation of slight achiness or pressure. Sometimes, there is a very faint sensation or absolutely no sensation at all. The initial insertion of a needle should never be painful, but at times there may be a very brief sensation of mild sharpness.
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Acupuncture needles are all sterilized and individually packaged in blister packs. The needles are sterilized most often via gamma ray or ethylene oxide gas. After the individual needle is used, it is thrown away using appropriate biohazard containers. Acupuncture needles are always sterile and never reused.
Licensed acupuncturists have spent thousands of hours understanding the anatomy of the body and how to carefully and safely select the points that are appropriate for each individual. A licensed acupuncturists knows the anatomy not only of the traditional channels, but also precisely where the nerves, blood vessels and arteries are located. The use of needles are done with thorough awareness of appropriate placement and depth based on this knowledge.
Absolutely. Acupuncture is a perfect complementary treatment to many Western medical treatments. Acupuncture is great at speeding healing and reducing swelling after surgery. It is also great at reducing nausea caused by chemotherapy or pregnancy. Acupuncture is also a great adjunct to pain management programs that involve physical therapy or chiropractic adjustments.
Acupuncture needles are hair thin and can range from shallow insertion (3mm) to a deeper insertion (1-2 inches). It depends on the specific condition and area of the body being treated.
At times there can be a little bit of soreness in the area where a needle is placed. This usually only last a few hours.
Possible side effects may include slight bruising or tingling for a day or two at the needling sites. There have been very rare instances of fainting, scarring and infection.
The average acupuncture session lasts about an hour. Sometimes, we will add manual therapy, massage or cupping to your session. This may increase your time in session time to about 75-90 minutes.