What is Acupuncture?

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Acupuncture is a safe and effective medical practice born in East Asia that has been used for millennia. Treatments involve the stimulation of specific points on the body with hair-thin, sterile, single-use needles to produce a physiological response that occurs at the cellular neuro-endocrine energetic level of our being. 

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Each acupuncture point has a unique name, location, purpose, and function. The points chosen for treatments are a prescription based on a person's individual presentation as a whole.  By stimulating these points in different ways, we can re-establish dynamic balance and homeostasis. 

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For all treatments in both community and private acupuncture, you can expect an inside-out,head-to-toe check-in of your signs and symptoms. We also look at your tongue, feel your pulse, check your abdomen for tender spots, and palpate some of the acupuncture channels from the elbows/knees down to the fingers/toes. These are our main diagnostic tools. Our findings guide the acupuncture points and modalities used in our sessions and allow to us to curate personalized treatment plans for each individual person based on what they need in the present moment. 

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The goal of acupuncture is to not have a person come in forever, but to get to a point where they only occassionally come in for "tune-ups" when a new issue arises or something stressful comes up in their life. Treatments are cumulative and as we reach a more balanced state of being, we can space treatments further apart. Acupuncture treatments are like tutoring sessions that train the body and enable it to take over the work of maintaining homeostasis on its own. After each treatment, the body learns and remembers how to return to balance.

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Acupuncture is for everyone.

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Needles do NOT need to be used in order receive acupuncture. For sensitive and needle-averse folks, we are able to use moxa, magnets, acupressure, essential oils, and/or laser to stimulate points instead of using needles so all people can enjoy and reap the benefits of acupuncture. Most people find treatments to be extremely relaxing and enjoyable. Acupuncture should not be painful or uncomfortable. We are always able to adjust based on your needs and comfort level. In order to make acupuncture more affordable and accessible, we offer both private and community treatment options.  

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My main goal as a practitioner is that you leave feeling better than how you entered the treatment room. Communication is always open during treatment and nothing during the session should ever be painful or uncomfortable. If it is, we adjust. Working within the comfort level of each person is of utmost importance to me and we will tailor sessions to ensure that we co-create the safest and most comfortable space possible.

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Click to learn more about the difference between private vs community treatments and some FAQs about acupuncture. 

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How does acupuncture work?

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The general theory of acupuncture is based on the idea that vital life energy known as qi (pronounced “chee”) flows through meridians in the body. Meridians are energy pathways that have specific trajectories and connections to different cells/tissues/organs/body areas. Acupuncture points are located along meridians and when stimulated are able to affect our physiology and internal workings. 

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Qi is the vital energy responsible for all of life’s processes – it is what holds us together and keeps our organs in place, it is what powers digestion, growth, development, our ability to think and assimilate information, immune responses, endocrine secretions, and our heart to pump blood through the vessels. The free and harmonious movement of qi and blood through the body ensures that all of our organs, nerves, and blood vessels are nourished and functioning optimally. Disruptions and blockages in the flow of qi and blood are believed to be the cause of disease. We are able to address these disruptions and imbalances directly using acupuncture, herbs, and bodywork.

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Acupuncture influences various biochemical responses via neuro-endocrine pathways and is involved in cellular regulating functions. It is thought to work by re-establishing homeostasis and rectifying the main factors that influence health in the body including blood and lymph circulation, oxygenation, and the integrity of the blood vessels, organs, glands, and nervous system. Acupuncture has a strong pain relieving effect on the body via the release of endorphins that activate the body's innate opiate receptors.

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An analogy

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Similar to how rivers flow through the Earth to bring us water and life, the acupuncture meridians are like rivers that carry energy and vital substances through the body. When a dam is put in a river, the flow of wa­ter is blocked and little water reaches the other side of the dam. Imbalance results as one side of the dam receives an excess of water while life downstream may become deficient and begin to wither if not replenished by fresh water.

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The same happens in our body - if there is a blockage of energy, flow is disrupted and the cells and tissues in certain areas will not be nourished adequately. These blockages and imbalances manifest in the various unpleasant signs and symptoms that we sometimes experience (e.g. pain, fatigue, poor digestion, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, asthma, etc.). Eastern medicine uses different methods to detect and treat these imbalances. It is thought that when we treat the root cause of dysfunction, the branch manifestations and symptoms will consequently resolve.

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Commonly Treated Conditions