My Experience

I’ve been seeing an acupuncturist for 10 years. I have acupuncture for many things, including pain in the knee, back/neck, sinuses, a bunion and for general relief.

The acupuncturist initially gave me an extensive medical questionnaire to complete and asked many questions. She also provided opportunity for me to ask questions.

For treatment, I go into the office, discuss the particular problem areas and then the procedure is started. In addition to the acupuncture needles, various other procedures are incorporated based on the particular problem. These may include cupping (cups put on muscles to affect deep tissue), direct moxa applications (moxa is a relaxing herb that is burned; the heat can intensify the treatment), electrode stimulation, massage with homeopathic oils, and what I call “happy beads” which are basically ear pellets that are taped to five pressure points in the ear to assist in relaxation. The beads stay on for a few days and when the tape starts to loosen, you just remove them. I do them monthly to keep relaxed amidst the “challenged” society of today.

I love acupuncture and find it relaxing as well as a fantastic pain management technique to be used in conjunction with other treatments. Acupuncture may not necessarily “heal” the problem. For example, my back/neck problems are a result of five bulging disks and two herniated disks. The acupuncture relieves tension in the muscles, helping to relax them and increase blood and oxygen flow for pain management, but it cannot heal those problems. So in addition to acupuncture, I get cortisone shots in the lower back and neck as needed. I also go to a chiropractor to adjust the spine as needed, and continue with physical therapy. Doing all of these treatments helps to manage the pain.