Frequently
Asked Questions
Acupuncture is one of the oldest healing modalities in the world and is currently used by millions of people around the globe. Below we try to answer the most commonly asked questions about acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture originated in China and has been used to relieve pain and other symptoms since at least 300 BCE. Today, we primarily use the same pathways and sites for acupuncture needling but incorporate modern knowledge of physiology and anatomy. Points on the ear and scalp are part of hybrid ancient-modern systems of acupuncture. The map of the body in traditional Asian medicine emphasizes the links between surface structures and internal organs. The channels and internal organs form a mind-body system that includes physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual well-being. The channel-meridian system can be used to effectively treat acute pain as well as chronic dysfunction in the digestive, nervous and endocrine systems.
Dry needling is using needles without considering the pathways of energy flow and the holistic map of the body that are the core of East Asian Medicine. Dry needling is much more limited in scope and is also generally much more painful. However, when patients report that it has been effective, we consider incorporating needling at the site of discomfort in addition to points that address the root causes.
Acupuncture is a therapy with cumulative effects. For acute conditions, the best use of your time and money is to get treatments 2-7 days apart until the symptoms significantly improve. Sports injuries may only take 1-3 treatments to relief the initial level of pain and swelling. Other acute conditions may require a series of 3-5 treatments once a week, followed by 3-5 more sessions every 2-3 weeks. Chronic conditions are best treated weekly, with an initial commitment to 3 treatments before we re-evaluate the results. Most conditions require 5-8 sessions followed by maintenance every 6 weeks as needed. Overall, acupuncture changes the bodies response to pain, discomfort, and dysfunction. We intervene to alter these patterns until the body-mind complex is able to hold the new, healthier patterns on its own.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are traditions of knowledge and practice that are now part of modern educational systems and licensing frameworks. Most acupuncturists have 2000-3500 hours of training, which makes them eligible for licensing in their state of practice. Most of us also continue to study and apprentice throughout our careers, accumulating hundreds more hours of training. Physicians can legally perform acupuncture without training. Some complete 300-hour courses. Chiropractors and others may have a few hundred hours of training.
Shelley completed about 3,500 hours of didactic and clinical training in the bilingual Masters’ program at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 2013, she completed a PhD degree from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing in 2013, making her the first non-Chinese student to graduate from the Institute for the History of Chinese Medicine and Medical Literature.
Acupuncture corrects the flows of substances and re-aligns tissues to allow the body to heal. Modern f-MRI studies show the effects of acupuncture on the central nervous system, establishing a partial explanation for why it works on such a wide range of conditions and symptoms. Here are some of the most commonly treated conditions:
- Addictions (use concurrently with other treatments)
- Anxiety, Stress Reduction & Depression
- Insomnia and Sleep Disturbances
- Women’s Health Including: Fertility, Menopausal Symptoms (Hot Flashes, Night Sweats), Menstrual Irregularities, Menstrual Pain, PMS, Pregnancy Support and Symptoms (Morning Sickness, Labor Induction)
- Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Pain and Injuries of Musculoskeletal System Including: Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Ankle Pain, Carpal Tunnel, Elbow
- Pain, Hip Pain, Sacral Pain, Sciatica, Shoulder Pain, Whiplash, Bursitis And Tendonitis
- Arthritic Pain Including: Osteoarthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Dental Pain
- Digestive Disorders Including: Acid Reflux, Bloating, Constipation, Crohn’s Disease, Diarrhea, Gas, GERD, Irritable
- Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Nausea, Abdominal Pain and Ulcerative Colitis
- Headaches and Migraines
- Immunity Boost: Common Cold Relief and Prevention
- HIV/AIDS Support
- Hypertension, High Blood Pressure
- Meniere’s Disease
- Post-Surgical Pain
- Respiratory Disorders Including Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, COPD and Sinusitis
- Stroke Rehabilitation