Acupuncture
Does it Hurt?
The simplest answer to this question is ‘no.’ There can be a slight twinge upon insertion of the needle, but it usually subsides within a few seconds and the overall experience is very relaxing.
How Should I Prepare?
For your first visit, please arrive about 10 minutes early to fill out the necessary paperwork.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing that can easily be rolled or pushed up over your knees and elbows, as we often need to access these areas.
Be sure to eat a couple of hours before your appointment. Receiving acupuncture on an empty stomach can leave you a little lightheaded.
What Should I Expect?
Your first treatment will last about 90 minutes. We will do a medical history so that I can better understand your condition as well as a new patient interview to establish what your expectations are for treatment and how many sessions I think it will take for you to see results. Generally speaking, I think it takes 4-6 treatments to see significant change, but this number varies by individual case.
Many people feel a difference after the first treatment.
If you have any questions before or after your appointment, do not hesitate to call me at 919.376.5271 or email. I will get back to you quickly as your comfort is my first priority.
What Does Acupuncture Treat?
In 1988 the World Health Organization released a list of health conditions for which acupuncture is beneficial.
Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders
Sinusitis, ear infection, laryngitis, ear ringing, swollen glands, tonsillitis, toothache
Respiratory Disorders
Asthma, bronchitis, colds and flu, pleurisy, chronic cough
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, spastic colon, colitis, constipation, diarrhea, food allergies,
ulcers, gastritis, abdominal bloating
Women’s Reproductive Issues
PMS, cramping, endometriosis, menopause, fibroids, infertility, chronic bladder
infections, complications in pregnancy
Male Reproductive Disorders
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, prostatitis, kidney stones, impotence and infertility
Psychological Disorders
Anxiety, insomnia, depression, somatic complaints with abuse recovery & post-
traumatic stress
Musculoskeletal & Neurological
Arthritis, bursitis, tennis elbow, Bell’s Palsy, numbness, neuralgia, postoperative pain,
headaches, migraine, fibromyalgia, all types of pain
Addiction
Smoking cessation, detoxification from alcohol, drugs, or sugar.
How Does Acupuncture Help?
Acupuncture balances the body’s overall energy. Where there is too little, it builds you up, where there is too much, it moves that excess energy to places where there may not be enough. The needles are much like road signs, pointing your body in the right direction. Acupuncture affects nearly all of the body’s systems: neurological, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory and musculo-skeletal. With regular treatments, your body will be much more efficient; you will think more clearly, sleep more soundly and digest your food more effectively. As a result, you’ll have greater immunity against things like the flu and common cold and more energy to do the things you love!
Do you suffer from headaches? Insomnia? PMS? Seasonal allergies? You don’t have to! Acupuncture is proven to help these and many more conditions, and most people feel improvement in just a few treatments.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture works by affecting the flow of Qi (chee) in the many channels or meridians that run through the body. Acupuncture supplements Qi where it is deficient and disperses it where it is in excess or stuck, thereby restoring balance. There is an old Chinese saying that when translated states “If there is pain, there is no free flow; if there is free flow, there is no pain.”
Acupuncture is the gentle insertion of thin, sterile needles on strategic points of the body to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself. An acupuncture needle is much finer than the familiar hypodermic needle – in fact, 15 acupuncture needles fit into the opening of a hollow needle used for injections. Many think acupuncture may hurt, but soon discover that treatment is actually a relaxing experience.
Acupuncture needles come in individual sterilized packages, are used only once, and disposed of.
Through thousands of years of experience, Traditional Chinese Medicine has created a map of the body that includes pathways called meridians, through which blood and oxygen flow to nourish the organs. Think of this as a roadmap to your health – when flow is interrupted (like a traffic jam) symptoms occur. Major factors that lead to symptoms are: chronic stress, injuries, environmental toxins, and poor diet.
The meridian pathways have specific points for healing that are stimulated by an acupuncture needle. Though it seems mysterious, acupuncture has a scientific explanation and does not require a patient’s belief in order to work.
The brain is signaled when the needle is positioned. The brain responds by increasing blood cell counts and various other immune system elements, and lastly, by activating neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters (or messenger molecules) are responsible for sending information to all cells in order for the body to function.
Endorphins and enkephalins are well known neurotransmitters that stop pain and increase a feeling of well-being. Acupuncture causes the release of these natural, morphine-like substances from the brain.
Aside from the well-studied effect on pain, researchers are still exploring exactly how acupuncture aids the immune system. We know that certain blood counts and immune enhancing chemicals stay elevated for at least 3 days following an acupuncture treatment.
Modern research has described other various physiological shifts following acupuncture as well, such as beneficial changes in the body’s anti-inflammatory agents and hormonal activity.