Acupuncture FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Acupuncture FAQ

does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture has been proven time and again to have strong physiological effects on the body. Research has moved on from does it work and focuses more on how does it work? Ultimately, I suspect what folks really want to know is will acupuncture help XYZ? And that’s a question that needs to be discussed during a consultation.

how does acupuncture work?

One of the beautiful things about this medicine is that it works in different ways, on different bodily systems depending on how it’s done. Acupuncture can affect neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and cytokines. It can involve the body’s own opioid neuropeptides such as enkephalins and endorphins. It initiates purinergic signaling which is part of the regulatory process in all tissues and organ systems which explains why we don’t always have to put the needle exactly where the problem is. It has an effect on the brain and nervous system, too. It can decrease activity in the limbic system and modulate parasympathetic activity which is, in part, why it’s so awesome for stress related problems and tissue healing. If you want more information, a good place to look is https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-scientific-evidence/

do acupuncturists have to go to school for this?

In PA, all acupuncturists must have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture to practice. I happen to have gone longer and obtained a Doctorate as well as a post-graduate certificate in herbal medicine. That’s six years of graduate school for me, plus three rather hellish board exams. Please don’t assume that someone can watch a few YouTube videos or attend a weekend seminar and then go stick needles in people. If you want to do acupuncture, fantastic! Go to school and get your degree in acupuncture, you can do a lot of good in this world with the education.

how many treatments will i need?

That depends on the severity of your situation. Most people notice a significant improvement in three to six treatments. Some need continual support long after that while others may need a different type of care afterward such as physical therapy.

Do I need to take herbs, is it safe to take herbs?

Not everyone needs herbs although they can be the key to some people’s progress. All of the herbal products that I carry or order come from companies that follow the FDA’s GMP regulations. I can’t say the same for products ordered off of Amazon. I practice herbal medicine the way I was taught, which starts with making a diagnosis, following the associated treatment principle, and crafting an herbal prescription that accomplishes the intended effect. Sometimes we get lucky and a premade formula is exactly what the patient needs. Sometimes we need to compound a formula specifically for them. Either way, I carefully vet the suppliers that I use to ensure the best, safest, most effective herbal medicine for my patients.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Your appointment time is reserved just for you. Late cancellation or missed visit leaves a hole in the practitioner's day that could have been filled by another patient. As such, we require 24 hours’ notice for any cancellations or changes to your appointment. Patients who provide less than 24 hours’ notice, or miss their appointment, will be charged a cancellation fee.

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Acupuncture is NOT folk medicine

The mechanisms behind how acupuncture works have been extensively researched for over 60 years. There have been over 13,000 studies conducted in 60 countries, including hundreds of meta-analyses. Just because acupuncture originated in East Asia rather than the west doesn’t make it scientifically less valid. The terms and approaches may seem very different to an English as a first language person, but once one studies the fundamental theories, it’s evident that there’s really nothing new under the sun.

Acupuncture is NOT a metaphysical/religious practice

Acupuncture is a physical medicine. Needles go into muscles, affect nerves, and cause physiological changes. Don’t let the flowery language distract you. You may hear phrases like moving qi in the foot shao yang channel, but we also release contraction in the peroneus longus, deactivate trigger points (ashi points in EAM), increase circulation to the muscle and tendon, and restore proprioception to the lower leg, ankle, and foot. Confusion can come for some people because acupuncturists can, and do, specialize. Just as it’s impossible to compare an internal medicine doctor to an orthopedist, it’s impossible to assume that an acupuncturist who specializes in women’s health has the same daily vocabulary as one who focuses on sports injury. Whatever the approach, a patient’s religion has little bearing on an acupuncture or herbal treatment. Just as a bottle of ibuprofen doesn’t care if someone is Christian, Buddhist, Atheist, or Sikh neither do my acupuncture needles or my herbs. Acupuncture and herbal medicine is practiced globally by people of many religions, languages, and cultures.