What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a part of Chinese medicine which originated thousands of years ago in China. Because acupuncture is not invasive like surgery and because it does not cause side effects like pharmaceutical drugs, it is becoming increasingly popular in the USA. Very fine, very thin acupuncture needles are inserted into specific points on the body called acupuncture points. Your brain and body release natural chemicals called endorphins, which help decrease your perception of pain. Your circulation and blood flow increases with acupuncture and acupuncture helps the nerves of the body function better. The goal of acupuncture is to restore balance and harmony to the body and mind, by creating a stress free, pain free life. 

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

One of the most common misconceptions about acupuncture is that it is painful. By far, the most common comment I get from people who are afraid of needles is” “I thought this would hurt but it doesn’t.” Acupuncture needles are not like the needles you get shots with at a doctor’s office, they are much smaller and thinner and don’t have holes in the tips to administer medicines or vaccines.

What’s the purpose of acupuncture?

The purpose of acupuncture is to restore your body and mind to balance, and that includes decreasing pain, and helping with any mental or emotional problems. Acupuncture treats more than just symptoms, the deeper purpose of acupuncture therapy is a happy peaceful, symptom free life.

How many acupuncture treatments do I need?

In some cases patients get results in the first few visits, but more often, multiple visits are required for adequate results. Acupuncture treatments are cumulative, and the more treatments a person gets, the more helpful and effective the treatments are. We might start with one or two treatments per week depending on the case. We will evaluate you at your first office visit and come up with a treatment plan and frequency that will best serve your health care needs. After we resolve your health care issue, we typically suggest a maintenance plan, often once a month, to keep you stress and pain free.

What illnesses are treated using acupuncture?

We treat both acute and chronic illnesses with acupuncture. We commonly treat all types of pain conditions, but many other health conditions can be treated with acupuncture. We commonly see patients with anxiety, PMS issues, hot flashes, night sweats, infertility, headaches and more. Because everyone responds differently, the number of acupuncture treatments can vary for each person. But, I like to remind people that acupuncture is not a “one hit wonder.” Often multiple treatments are required. We often start with one or two treatments per week, and evaluate our progress after ten visits. You can see more about what we treat with acupuncture on this page…

I would love to try acupuncture, what do I do now?

You can schedule online immediately, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. or call us at (828) 254-4405. We are happy to answer all your questions with an introductory free consult.