Western medicine is such a part of our culture that sometimes we need to prick the bubble we’re in to remind us that there are alternatives worth trying. Chinese medicine is multifaceted, but one treatment that intrigues many of us is acupuncture. Needles aren’t usually associated with comfort and relief, but acupuncture can help to deliver that—as well as much, much more.

The ancient practice focuses on the energy flowing within one’s body and mind. The Daoist perspective says that harmony with heaven and earth leads to a long life; in contrast, going against the laws of nature leads to imbalance. 

Acupuncture aims to create balance so that your mind, body, and spirit work harmoniously and efficiently. As Jennifer Niemeyer, DAOM, LAc, of The Root Wellness (therootwellness.com) tells me, “Acupuncture treats people rather than conditions.”

 Acupuncture is “anecdotal medicine,” which means it’s based on thousands of years of human observation. At your first appointment, your acupuncturist should ask you questions based on your medical history and then carry out their own observations of you—looking at your:

Tongue. Did you know your tongue is a microsystem of your entire body?  

Complexion. This reflects your organ system.

Eyes. How bright are the whites?

Voice. How much vibrancy is there, or is it quite flat and dull? 

Pulse. Your pulse is taken according to certain points and can reveal a great deal about your overall health. 

All of this combined will help your therapist know how to treat you, as well as potentially making you aware of other issues. They can’t provide something like a Western diagnosis of, say, cancer, but can tell you if there’s an issue. As Bradley Cimino, LAc, DNBAO, of ProActive Acupuncture (proactiveacupuncture.org) explains, “In the West, the approach is ‘Let’s fix,’ while in Eastern medicine, it’s ‘Let’s prevent.’”   

The 12 meridian lines in your body align with your organ system and are fundamental to acupuncture therapy.  Acupuncturists will place the needles on different parts of these lines, depending on your motivation to visit, which can include the following:

CHRONIC PAIN

As a child, Cimino studied martial arts and in college was a keen athlete, playing football and powerlifting. He weight-trained and watched his nutrition to make sure he stayed at the top of his game. One day he saw Andrew Weil, the “king of integrative medicine,” on Oprah and was inspired to study acupuncture. “Here was a Harvard Medical School graduate who was disappointed with Western medicine; he had a unique perspective on health,” Cimino tells me.  

Sports injuries or chronic pain can be treated with acupuncture, either alone or alongside chiropractors, physical therapists, and doctors. “Acupuncture is China’s version of physical therapy,” Cimino says.   

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health, including depression and anxiety, is a common reason for people to try this therapy. “Some patients come to me after enjoying a massage. Endorphins have been released and the acupuncture helps to promote the natural healing process,” Adina Robinson, LAc, Dipl. OM, of Adina Robinson Acupuncture & Wellness (edhacupuncture.com) tells me.

INSOMNIA

Being unable to sleep impacts many areas of people’s lives and is critical for health, both physical and mental. Acupuncture can help insomniacs, but a change in behavior might not happen overnight.

    “In China, for example, you will see your acupuncturist every day for 10 days, have two days off, and then return for another 10 days. That’s how they see the best results. That doesn’t fit most people’s Western schedules, generally, but I do recommend coming to see me regularly, perhaps twice a week,” Robinson advises.

WOMEN’S HEALTH 

Niemeyer specializes in women’s health issues, including fertility. “Acupuncture is treating imbalances and not putting limits on health. Chinese medicine looks through a different lens.” Depending on the reason for your visit and after some questions about your menstrual cycle, she’ll recommend certain herbs, as well as placing the needles on certain acupuncture points. 

“Western medicine diagnoses and treats disease states, which Chinese medicine doesn’t do—but our techniques, such as pulse diagnosis, mean that we can work in partnership.” 

DIGESTIVE ISSUES

All three therapists say they see a lot of people with digestive issues, such as IBS. Robinson—who became an acupuncturist after her boyfriend had health issues in his twenties and saw a therapist who advised he make some lifestyle changes, as well as undertaking some acupuncture therapy—can combine acupuncture with her health and wellness coaching. His health improved and the acupuncture, as she puts it, “kept calling.”

SKIN CARE

Robinson also uses acupuncture as a way of treating the skin. “Microneedling is a modern technique of acupuncture, but the ancient Chinese were using it for the same reasons.” Today’s method involves 12 tiny needles rotating very fast, painlessly causing tiny “canals” to be created under the skin. Chinese herbs and hyaluronic acid penetrate the skin via the canals and plump it up. The skin works to heal itself and in doing so produces collagen, which is fantastic for skin health.