What Is Acupuncture?
What is acupuncture, and how can it help you? Acupuncture is a traditional wellness practice grounded in thousands of years of knowledge and modern research, which has been shown to provide pain management, improve symptoms of chronic and acute disease, and relieve ailments resulting from modern lifestyles.
Acupuncture treatments take patients’ full body systems into consideration rather than just specific pains and symptoms. Because of this unique approach, acupuncturists can also provide an integrated picture when a patient has a combination of seemingly unrelated symptoms throughout their body and help resolve them in relation to each other.
Acupuncture is a safe treatment approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), and studied through research by The Mayo Clinic.
Ready to dive into what acupuncture is, how it works, and if it’s a good treatment option for you? In this article we’ll cover these topics and provide a picture into what you can expect before, during, and after your first acupuncture treatment.
How do you know if acupuncture treatment is right for you?
Most patients look to acupuncture as a solution to persistent health concerns or as a pain management option for chronic pain. Often they have been dissatisfied with the treatment methods of other healthcare providers or healthcare systems.
Healing methods such as acupuncture can improve people’s health by focusing on a patient’s individualized healthcare needs, helping them recognize the effects of lifestyle choices, and recommending wellness practices that benefit their unique situation.
Patients who tend to get the best results from acupuncture are those who express a clear desire for a more holistic experience around their health and wellbeing: they want more choices around their healthcare and seek holistic practitioners to be partners and experts who help them take charge of their own wellness journey.
What is acupuncture good for?
Acupuncture benefits numerous aspects of health and wellness. Key overall benefits of acupuncture include:
Treatment that acknowledges the mind-body connection.
Promotion of health and the body’s natural ability to heal.
Effective healthcare without the side effects of drugs or surgery.
Acupuncture benefits include reduction or elimination of symptoms that cause a person to seek care (such as fibromyalgia, back pain, neck pain, dental pain, infertility, migraines and tension headaches, and knee pain). But acupuncture can also provide a paradigm shift because it demonstrates the powerful natural healing abilities of the body, brings insight into the meaning of health and wellness, and renews patients’ ability to grow beyond their current limitations.
Click here to see some of the conditions we treat with acupuncture.
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture modulates physiological functioning of the organs and affects the interactions of the body systems. The practice is often categorized as complementary or alternative medicine. The concept of body Qi (pronounced “chee”) is broadly understood as “the energy of the human body” or “functional activity.” Qi flows through the body along meridians (pathways). Disruptions to, or deficiencies in energy flow can give rise to chronic pain and disease. This can be due to genetic conditions, poor diet, emotional factors, overwork, environmental factors, injury, infection and/or trauma. Acupuncture can improve the flow of body energy to affect the body's functional balance. When Qi flows appropriately, the person experiences better vitality and healing abilities. This, in turn, leads to more optimal health and wellbeing.
Acupuncture taps into the body's own innate ability to heal itself. From a physiological standpoint, acupuncture can help restore homeostasis. Acupuncture is proven to stimulate the release of endorphins and other chemicals that are the body's natural painkillers, anti-inflammatory, and immune regulating substances. This is one of the theories explaining acupuncture's effect on pain management and in facilitating healing. Acupuncture can also modulate neurotransmitter activity (serotonin, dopamine) in the brain, influencing mood and easing mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.
What to expect during an acupuncture treatment
Most new patients have questions about acupuncture. This next section will bring more clarity and familiarity to the typically quite pleasant and relaxing experience, so you can confidently step into your first session and enjoy all of acupuncture’s benefits.
Before the Session: Consultation
During the initial visit, you will have a thorough health history consultation. You will be asked specific questions about your symptoms and other signs so the practitioner can construct a complete picture of your condition. Your practitioner may take your blood pressure, test range of motion, or press on points to check for blockages in the meridians. They may also check your pulse or examine your tongue to expand their understanding of your health.
During the Session: Treatment
We intend for acupuncture to be as painless as possible, but some patients do experience some pain. Single-use acupuncture needles are sterile. They are inserted into specific points that are located all over the body. Points of insertion are strategically combined to create the best treatment for each case, and treatments may include just a few or quite a few points depending upon the style of practice and the goals of the treatment. You may feel a slight tingling, aching, heaviness, or warmth at the acupuncture points where the extremely thin needles are placed. This is totally normal and is interpreted as the body response to the treatment. Most people find that the treatments themselves are very relaxing and pleasant. Acupuncture sessions typically last thirty minutes to one hour.
After the Session
After your first acupuncture treatment, your practitioner will tell you if there is anything specific to pay attention to. It may be beneficial to avoid intense activities or exercise for the rest of the day and allow your body time to absorb and integrate the renewed flow of energy provided in the session. The effects from the first visit are sometimes immediately noticeable, but sometimes it takes time for the benefits to unfold and the changes to manifest. Though treatment may cause a few minutes of feeling tired or woozy after treatment, in general risks of treatment are very low and side effects are rare
For follow-up care, your acupuncturist will suggest the best treatment course for you based on their knowledge and experience. Individual responses to acupuncture treatment can vary widely, as can the recommended frequency or number of treatments. When selecting additional treatment options, your provider may consider other beneficial modalities such as Chinese Herbal Medicine, or home care such as baths, massage, supplements, exercises, or dietary modifications. With natural medicine, the best care is individualized and there are many methods to choose from. Since you are in charge of your healthcare journey, you can discuss with your practitioner and evaluate which of them are the best fit for you.
Want to learn more?
For more information on acupuncture and frequently asked questions, you may be interested in checking out this list from Emperor’s College.
At Larchmont Traditional Medicine we meet our patients no matter where they are in their healing process. Together, we chart a path towards improved overall wellbeing and health, fostered by the benefits of acupuncture and other modalities. Begin your journey to improved health and wellness today – contact us to get started!