4 Things You Need To Know About Acupuncture

Acupuncture is great for many conditions, not just pain.

When most people think of acupuncture, they generally associate it with pain management. While acupuncture is phenomenal at treating pain, it can also help treat many other conditions. According to the world health organization, acupuncture is effective in the treatment of:

• Respiratory System
• Gastrointestinal Disorders
• Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat Disorders
• Cardiovascular Issues
• Mental and Emotional Health
• Neurological and Musculoskeletal Issues
• Reproductive and Gynecological Issues 
• Substance Withdrawal

I have seen first hand how useful acupuncture can be in treating many of these issues as a stand alone therapy or in conjunction with other forms of treatment.

Acupuncturists go through several years of schooling to become an acupuncturist.

Many are surprised to learn that acupuncturists go through 3-4 years of schooling after earning an undergraduate degree.

My degree is a Master’s of Science in Oriental Medicine and my educational journey included segments of learning in biomedicine, clinical study, herbal medicine and of course acupuncture. After completion of school, national board exams are taken to become licensed. Additionally, to maintain national certification and licensure, we are required to take continuing education credits.  All in all, acupuncture school is a very rigorous program that requires a lot of mental energy and focus to complete.

Acupuncture needles are teeny tiny and they don’t hurt

Acupuncture needles are hair fine in diameter.

Many are surprised to find that they don’t hurt on insertion. In fact, most people can hardly feel the needle at all. In a typical acupuncture session, needles are inserted at acupuncture points all over the body and are very mildly stimulated.  Then the needles are left to rest for about 30 minutes before removal.  Acupuncture is very different from other methods of treatment like dry needling that require more vigorous stimulation to get the muscle to twitch and release to help reset the muscle.

You don’t need to sick or unwell to get acupuncture. It is a great preventative form of care.

In American culture we don’t generally do a lot of preventative care.

Typically, people wait until they have an issue before they seek out any treatment.  According to the National Institute for Health, it is estimated that only 8% of Americans get preventative care even though it is well documented that preventative medicine greatly reduces the risk for disease, disability and even death. Acupuncture enhances the body’s ability to fend off illness, recover from stress, and reduce inflammation. It is time that we put more focus on making the body stronger and more resilient by seeking out routine care.