Why Acupuncture?  Doesn't it hurt?

By Nayo Wills, M.D.

How does Acupuncture support healing?

As living beings, we are all made of energy.  For thousands of years, many scientists and practitioners have researched and described the energy channels that we today use for energetic healing.

Acupuncture makes use of well-defined points and channels to allow the body to restore the energy flow to a state of healing and wellness.  Like all energetic healing, acupuncture benefits the recipient without adding chemicals that alter a person’s biochemistry.  It is a gentle way of moving energy to promote healing.  The difference from western medical treatments is that it honors that your body intuitively knows how to restore wellness once the energy is moving.

So acupuncture is powerful in that it can assist you in your healing plan of complex medical conditions, but gentle in that it allows you (as a being connected to all wellness) to have control over this healing practice.

This works really well in most individuals, and it is even more effectively in those who want to be well, and align themselves with their inner/higher healing power.

What does acupuncture help with?

Across the world, there have been many prospective, randomized, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy (effectiveness) of acupuncture.  Acupuncture has been effectively used for:

• Substance Abuse Detoxification (including drugs, alcohol, and nicotine)
• Pain Management
  • Back pain
  • Headaches, Migraines, other head/facial pain
  • Perioperative pain
  • Osetoarthritic Pain
  • Neck Pain
  • Elbow Pain
  • Musculoskeletal Pain (Body aches)
  • Pain associated with Malignancies and other diseases
  • Shortness of Breath in Asthmatics
  • Nausea after surgery and with Chemotherapy
  • Gynecologic Disturbances
    • Painful Menstrual Cramps
    • Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
    • Amenorrhea (absence of periods)
    • Infertility
    • Hot Flashes associated with Perimenopause
    • Urinary Tract Disorders
    • Tinnitus (ringing in ears)
    • Bowel Function (studied in those with irritable bowel syndrome)
    • Depression^*

Doesn’t Acupuncture Hurt?

When performing acupuncture, very fine needles are used.  Most people who fear needles are recalling experiences with needles of a much larger diameter.  The experience of acupuncture needles is much more subtle.

Most recipients of acupuncture tolerate the needling very well, and continue to return again and again.

*Helms J.  Acupuncture Energetics: A Clinical Approach for Physicians, 42-56;1985.