Acupuncture is a thousand year old medicine which is part of the broad umbrella of TCM. Because it’s part of TCM, its ultimate goal is to bring the body back into balance.  

The particular way that acupuncture does this is by using needles to precisely stimulate specific points on the body in a certain way that triggers the right response in the body to resolve the symptoms you’re experiencing.  This encourages you to heal, moving you back towards the state of balance or equilibrium where you’re in perfect health.

There are hundreds and hundreds of particular points on the body that can be stimulated in virtually endless ways to trigger the specific response your body needs to be activated to heal itself.

The way that the medicine works is that, as your practitioner, I’ll first listen to you talk about everything going on in terms of your physical, mental, and even spiritual health — so I can try to understand the full context of what’s causing your symptoms.  And I’ll use that context to provide clues to help lead to a diagnosis, which lets me choose the points that are most appropriate to help you heal.  Addressing your symptoms from this holistic perspective is part of what makes acupuncture so effective.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a broad umbrella of healing modalities that bring the body back into balance.  In TCM, the meaning of health is for the body to be in balance.  Any symptom that we have is saying that the body is out of balance in some way. 

TCM has been around for more than a thousand years and is aligned with the body’s incredible ability—proven by science and over centuries—to heal itself.  It is a full-scope medical tradition that can be used to safely and effectively treat a wide range of health conditions, including fertility & women’s health. It is also a safe and effective way to rejuvenate the skin and hair, from the inside out. Beyond acupuncture, TCM includes a range of modalities: acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, tui na, and dietary theory, among others.

Western medicine is wonderful for treating acute conditions. For example, if you have a broken bone, or an illness such as pneumonia that can be treated with antibiotics, or some type of emergency situation, then Western medicine is the right choice. 

But Western medicine often doesn’t have a satisfying way to respond to chronic conditions, or recurring pain, or ambiguous symptoms that don’t have a clear diagnosis. 

Acupuncturists are particularly skilled at using the contextual clues they get from observing and interacting with the patient and prompting the body to heal itself.  Acupuncture is a catalyst that encourages the body to begin moving in the right direction.

Acupuncture supports the body in healing holistically, whether as a complement to Western medicine or as an independent modality.

It is particularly beneficial to women’s health at all stages of life.  It can support the body through IVF or other fertility treatments, as well as provide relief from intense experiences of menstruation, menopause and perimenopause, as well as conditions such as endometriosis and support during pregnancy and after giving birth.

Acupuncture also can be useful in treating chronic conditions such as pain, and can often work when other treatments such as physiotherapy or even surgery have not provided enough relief.  

And, acupuncture can support the body’s natural ability to protect and regulate itself—bolstering the immune system, replenishing the skin and hair, and soothing the nervous system to help support mental health and overall resilience.

A wide range of conditions respond to acupuncture:

PAIN:  Sports injuries, back  and neck pain, migraines, TMJ

WOMEN’S HEALTH:  Fertility, pre- and post-partum, menopause, PMS, endometriosis 

PSYCHOLOGICAL:  Insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression
EENT:  Vertigo, tinnitus, TMJ, headaches
DIGESTIVE:  Constipation, IBS, indigestion, ulcers
RESPIRATORY:  Allergies, asthma, common cold and flu
ENDOCTRINE:  Autoimmune disorders, Hashimoto’s, hypothyroid disorders, hyperthyroid disorders
OTHER:  Post-COVID Syndrome

To many people, watching acupuncture in action for the first time can look pretty different from what we’re used to in Western culture. But it is not at all the intense or painful feeling you might associate with other interactions you may have had with medical needles, such as an injection. 

Acupuncture uses a different kind of needle than injections do.  And because of the precise way the needles are placed, you barely feel them. If you do feel anything, it may be a slight “sensation.” 

Of course it’s different for everyone, but most people do feel good getting off the table after the first appointment.  

The thing is, you want the results to last, so you need the effect to build over time. 

Of course this is very general, but to heal a chronic condition, it often looks like once a week for 4 to 6 weeks.  Then after that we'll reevaluate and try to stretch out—so come every 2 weeks, then every 3 weeks, then for maintenance every once in a while. 

The idea is that acupuncture results are cumulative, and each treatment builds on top of the last. So you get more results each time, and it lasts longer. The effect builds. 

Consistency is so important because we can really make a lasting change that way. 

To put it another way, I don’t know of any example of only one treatment being all someone needed to fully heal.  But I do know so many people who have committed to a full course of treatment and found lasting healing or relief.

For acute conditions, most people require a minimum of 6-8 weekly treatments.  Chronic conditions usually require 8-12 weekly treatments.

For those on a fertility journey or with OBGYN concerns, I recommend weekly sessions for 3 months.  This is because each week of our monthly cycle has different treatment needs, and because our fertility and menstrual cycles reflect our health during the past 90 days.

Trigger point therapy is a type of massage that focuses on relieving tight, sensitive areas in muscles—known as trigger points—that can cause pain locally or in other parts of the body (referred pain). By applying direct pressure to these knots, the therapy helps release tension, improve circulation, and reduce discomfort. It’s commonly used to treat chronic muscle pain, tension headaches, neck or back pain, and restricted movement. While it may feel tender during treatment, many people experience lasting relief and improved mobility afterward.

Acupuncture can treat just about any chronic medical condition – I have seen it all!  

Acupuncture is not for you, though, if you’re someone who is not willing to be a partner in your healing.  I give a lot of recommendations and lifestyle guidance, along with, of course, your treatment.  Your part is to at least try to comply!  Healing happens in the office and out.  

And remember that, while acupuncture is a powerful catalyst for change, it doesn’t all happen in just one session.  It does take time for the effects to build, and it’s a bit different for everyone.

Acupuncture is also not the right choice for an acute emergency condition.

You can learn more about what to expect from your first appointment here.