Acupuncture
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a form of therapy that’s been used for thousands of years to support the body’s natural ability to heal. It involves placing very fine needles at specific points to help improve circulation, reduce tension, and bring the body back into balance. Many people turn to acupuncture for relief from pain, stress, and a range of health issues. It’s a gentle, holistic approach to feeling better and supporting overall well-being.
How does acupuncture work?
While it might seem simple, acupuncture taps into the body’s own ability to heal and regulate itself. By placing tiny, sometimes hair-thin needles at specific points, it helps reset how the body communicates — calming the nervous system, easing tension, and encouraging better flow of blood and energy. People often notice a deep sense of relaxation during and after a session, along with reduced pain and improved overall function. It’s not magic — it’s your body doing what it’s meant to do, with a little extra support.
FAQs
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Yes - acupuncture is a clean technique that uses individually packaged, sterile needles. The practitioner cleans the areas in which needles will be inserted as well as his or her own hands before inserting needles. New developments in how needles are handled and made have greatly reduced the chance of needle breakage or injury.
Please, discuss any concerns you have about treatment with your acupuncturist. Make sure to make him or her aware of any blood thinners you take.
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This is one of the most common questions—and the good news is, most people are surprised by how gentle acupuncture actually feels. The needles are extremely thin—much finer than those used for shots—and often go in with little to no discomfort. That said, some points can be more sensitive than others, and it's possible to feel a brief ache, tingling, or mild pinch. These sensations usually pass quickly and are often a sign that the body is responding. Many even find treatments relaxing and calming, often drifting off during the session.
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Acupuncture needles are very thin—much thinner than the needles used for blood draws or injections. In fact, most are about the width of a human hair. They vary slightly in length and thickness depending on the area being treated, but they’re designed to be as gentle and comfortable as possible. Many people are surprised at how small they really are and how little they feel during treatment.
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Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat just about any condition you can think of. Some of its more common uses in the Western world are in the treatment of:
insomnia
back pain
neck pain
arm pain
leg pain
sinus blockage
neuropathy
insomnia and sleep issues
headaches
irregular menstruation
trouble conceiving
Bell’s Palsy
post-stroke symptoms
asthma
depression and anxiety
sciatica
muscle cramping
Parkinson’s Disease
arthritis
fibromyalgia
tennis elbow
nausea
side effects from cancer treatments
addiction
weight loss
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In Traditional Chinese Medicine, yin and yang are two opposing yet complementary forces that exist in everything—including the body. Yin represents qualities like rest, coolness, and nourishment, while yang reflects movement, heat, and activity. Good health depends on a dynamic balance between the two.
When yin and yang fall out of balance—like too much heat (yang) or not enough energy (yin)—it can lead to discomfort or illness. Acupuncture helps restore that balance by guiding the body back to a more harmonious state. It’s less about fixing one thing and more about helping everything work together smoothly.
Research and Around the Web
Hover over each title to access the link to the article being referenced
Acupuncture can help calm anxiety in patients with Parkinson Disease (PD).
This 2022 Randomized Clinical Trial published by the Journal of the American Medical Association Open Network “found acupuncture to be an effective treatment for anxiety in patients with PD. These findings suggest that acupuncture may enhance the wellbeing of patients who have Parkinson disease and anxiety.”
Fan et al. (2022), JAMA Network Open
More information from around the web:
These links provide more information about acupuncture as well as the plethora of conditions it is often used to treat. Each of these sites are highly refutable and full of great, evidence backed information.
Acupuncture can improve insomnia.
Published in 2021 by The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, this systematic review and meta analysis evaluated randomized control trials found across seven medical databases. It concluded that the results found “…suggest that insomnia patients may experience significant improvement in symptoms after more than three weeks of acupuncture treatment compared to pharmacological treatments.”
Kim et al. (2021), The American Journal of Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture can help improve post-stroke motor aphasia (difficulty speaking).
A 2024 Chinese study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association Open Network found that of the 231 patients included in this study, 115 receiving real acupuncture and 116 receiving sham (fake) acupuncture, the group receiving real acupuncture had significant improvements “in language function, quality of life, and neurological impairment from week 6 of treatment to the end of follow-up at 6 months after onset.”
Li et al. (2024), JAMA Network Open
Acupuncture can help improve chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
A joint German and Chinese randomized control trial published in 2022 by Phytomedicine, exposed that when compared to a control (untreated) group, those patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy receiving acupuncture reported improvements in “burning pain, cramps, numbness, frequency of symptoms and unsteadiness of gait. On physical examination, blind walking, heel-to-toe walking, distal pallhypesthesia, and the neuropathy deficit score were significantly improved.”
Friedemann et al. (2022), Phytomedicine: The International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology
Acupuncture can help improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis (allergies) in adults.
According to this 2022 meta-analysis and systematic review published by the European Journal of Medical Research, “Acupuncture may have an advantage over no intervention and sham acupuncture in improving nasal symptoms and quality of life for adults with AR. The effect of acupuncture and cetirizine or loratadine for AR may be similar.”
He et al. (2022), European Journal of Medical Research