What We Treat
Check out the information below on just a few of the most common ailments that we treat. Scroll to learn more about how acupuncture can help you!
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Acupuncture is widely used to alleviate musculoskeletal pain by targeting specific areas of the body to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and stimulate the release of natural painkillers.
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Here's how it works:
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Acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins, which are the body's natural pain-relieving chemicals. These endorphins bind to opioid receptors in the brain, reducing the perception of pain and creating a sense of well-being. This helps ease both acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions, such as back pain, arthritis, and joint injuries.
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By stimulating certain acupuncture points, the body’s inflammatory response can be regulated. Inflammation is a common contributor to musculoskeletal pain, whether from injury, overuse, or conditions like tendinitis and rheumatoid arthritis. Acupuncture helps modulate the immune system, leading to a reduction in inflammation around joints, muscles, and tissues, thereby reducing pain.
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Cancer Support
Acupuncture is increasingly used as a complementary therapy in cancer care, helping to manage side effects from treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Acupuncture offers supportive benefits that can improve a patient’s quality of life during treatment.
A 2018 study included 226 women with early-stage breast cancer who were taking aromatase inhibitors. The study found that the women who received 6 weeks of acupuncture treatment, given twice each week, reported less joint pain than the participants who received sham or no acupuncture.
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Click on the button below to take a deeper dive into how acupuncture can be supportive during cancer care.
Migraines/Headaches
Acupuncture is commonly used as a complementary treatment for migraine and headache sufferers. It works by targeting specific points in the body to alleviate pain, reduce frequency and intensity of attacks, and improve overall well-being.
Here's how acupuncture can help:
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Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters, which act as natural painkillers. These chemicals help block pain signals from reaching the brain, reducing both the severity and duration of headache episodes. In the case of migraines, acupuncture can help decrease the intensity of throbbing or pulsing pain by regulating the body’s pain response.
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Research suggests that regular acupuncture treatments may reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. By balancing the flow of energy (Qi) through the body's meridians and regulating blood flow to the brain, acupuncture helps reduce the likelihood of migraines. Patients often report fewer migraine episodes over time, especially when acupuncture is used preventatively.
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Cold & Flu Season
​Acupuncture stimulates the production of white blood cells and enhances overall immune response, helping the body fight off infections more effectively. Studies suggest that acupuncture activates the body's natural defenses, making it less susceptible to colds and flu.
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Acupuncture can also alleviate common cold and flu symptoms like congestion, sore throat, headaches, and body aches by improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and releasing endorphins that act as natural pain relievers. Specific acupuncture points, such as those on the face and chest, are used to open up nasal passages and ease breathing.
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By using acupuncture during cold and flu season, many people experience fewer symptoms, faster recovery, and increased resistance to future illnesses.
Digestive Health
Acupuncture helps regulate the nervous system, which plays a key role in digestion. The gut is controlled by the enteric nervous system, sometimes called the "second brain." By stimulating specific acupuncture points, practitioners can influence how the body processes food, reduces overactivity (as in diarrhea or hyperacidity), or promotes activity (as in constipation or sluggish digestion).
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Many digestive problems are linked to inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, such as in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or gastritis. Acupuncture has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects by promoting the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines and regulating the body’s immune response.
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Digestive motility refers to the movement of food through the digestive tract. Conditions like constipation or slow transit can result from impaired gut motility. Acupuncture stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" system), which promotes peristalsis — the wave-like contractions that move food along the digestive tract. This can help people suffering from constipation or sluggish digestion, speeding up the movement of food and waste.
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Women's Health & Hormones
​The HPA axis is central to the body's stress response and hormone regulation. Acupuncture stimulates this axis, helping to balance cortisol, the primary stress hormone. High cortisol levels, often triggered by chronic stress, can disrupt other hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone). Acupuncture calms the nervous system, reducing the production of cortisol and restoring hormonal balance.
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For women, acupuncture is often used to regulate reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which are essential for menstrual health, fertility, and pregnancy. Acupuncture influences the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, helping to regulate the menstrual cycle, alleviate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and treat conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which involve hormone imbalances. In men, acupuncture can help balance testosterone levels and support overall reproductive health.
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