Western viewpoint:
Traditional Chinese Medicine style acupuncture uses many terms that those of us who grew up in a western society may not relate to or understand. Briefly, specific points on certain pathways in the human body have demonstrated very specific effects on bodily functions, our nervous system, stomach and digestive fluids, hormones, uterine contractions, even the optic nerve, and some points have an immune boosting effect raising our white blood cell count. These examples help give us an idea of why acupuncture can help restore health simply by the insertion of needles.

Eastern viewpoint:
In Traditional Chinese Medicine style acupuncture, diagnosis and treatment is based on the Chinese concept of qi (energy) flowing through specific pathways in the body. Any imbalance or disruption in this flow can result in illness. An important point to this concept is that body and mind are intimately connected. Through a thorough intake, exam, pulse and tongue diagnosis, the acupuncturist can determine the nature of the disharmony. Very small disposable sterile needles are then inserted at precise locations to help the body restore its natural state of health.

Definition (for more information, click here)
Acupuncture literally means to puncture with a needle. However, the application of needles is often used in combination with moxibustion-the burning on or over the skin of selected herbs-and may also involve the application of other kinds of stimulation to certain points. The term "acupuncture" may include traditional body needling, moxibustion, microsystem acupuncture such as ear (auricular), face, hand and scalp acupuncture, and acupressure (the application of pressure at selected sites).

Acupuncture originated in China many centuries ago and soon spread to Japan, the Korean peninsula and elsewhere in Asia. Acupuncture is widely used in health care systems in the countries of this region; it is officially recognized by governments and well received by the general public.

Who can benefit from Acupuncture? (for more information, click here)

The World Health Organization recently listed four categories of diseases and disorders for which acupuncture may be considered to be effective. Click to download report: 'Acupuncture: Review and analysis of reports on controlled clinical trials'. Below is a list of the symptoms or conditions where acupuncture treatment proved effective.

Does it hurt?

Acupuncture does not hurt! Almost all of my patients find the treatments very relaxing, some even fall asleep during treatment. Now, that being said, there are different sensations that may be felt when getting treatment. These depend on the acupuncturist and his/her unique style of treatment and the individual being treated. These sensations range from heat, cold, tingling, numbness, heaviness, distension, and a feeling of floating. You may feel a sense of the energy moving along the meridians in the body. All of these sensations are considered good and acceptable, what we do not want, is the patient to feel as though they are being stabbed by the needle. This feeling can happen, it is easily resolved by a quick twist of the needle. Continuous open communication helps make the treatment process go smoothly.

Do I need to believe in acupuncture for it to work?

You do not need to believe in it, for it to be effective. Many acupuncturist's use the example of how effective acupuncture is in treating animals. I will tell you that I have had a number of patients that have come here as a 'last resort' on the advice of a friend. They came reluctantly, and still got better, though even after getting better, some still had trouble believing. While acupuncture is thousands of years old, there is much we still do not understand about how or why it works from a Western perspective.

How many treatments do I need?

This is a very difficult question to give a straight answer to. The rule of thumb is, that for acute problems you may only need a few treatments and for chronic problems you may need a few months of treatments. In China, 10 treatments constitutes one course of treatment. When treating women's health issues, related to menstruation, generally it is best to treat through 3 complete cycles. I generally tell my patients that if you do not feel some results after having 6 treatments, then either acupuncture is not right for your condition or perhaps you and I are not a good fit and you should seek out another acupuncturist.

Is it safe?

Yes! Acupuncture is very safe. The we only use pre-sterilized disposable needles. The needles are used only one time and then properly disposed of as bio-hazard medical waste.

Some Useful Sites:

New England School of Acupuncture
Acupuncture.com
Online Health Resources - directory of Alternative related websites.
Acupuncture Today
CityReview Nashua
Fertility Network

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