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Writer's pictureWinding Path Acupuncture

Is Acupuncture Right For Me?

From the Perspective of the Acupuncturist


Acupuncture: How does it work and what should I expect from a treatment?


At its core, acupuncture is a form of holistic medicine. This means that we look at the person and body as a whole, and how its systems relate to one another, feeding into each other and creating the delicate balance we know as homeostasis. When there is an imbalance in one part of a system - be it from chronic stress, overexertion, poor diet, lack of sleep, or some external pathogenic factor - disruptions may occur elsewhere in the body, and we may become sick, depressed, fatigued, or just generally "feel off." The longer the body lives in this state of imbalance, the more entrenched it may become, and the longer it may take to restore it to its true equilibrium - this is the root of most chronic illnesses. Our goal with acupuncture is to restore this balance to the body over time.


Acupuncture is a versatile tool that can be just as effective as its Western counterpart, and for certain issues, sometimes more so. Concerns like headaches and migraines, hormone regulation, stress, depression and anxiety, sciatica, and muscle tension are just a few of the many complaints I see in my clinic on a regular basis, and we have seen some amazing results. Oftentimes these same patients have had limited or no success with conventional treatments or pharmaceutical intervention, but by adding in regular acupuncture sessions to their self-care regimen, they begin to notice a significant reduction in their symptoms, creating a path for their elimination.


Another important part of my job as an acupuncturist is to follow up with patients, to see where they are at with their concern and what kind of relief they are seeing with our work. Are we continuing to see improvement? Does this last longer with each subsequent session? Are there exercises, stretches, or some other self-care or modality I could recommend for you to follow up with? Will we be able to completely clear an issue, or will our focus need to be maintenance and symptom management? As we track progress over time, we will have a better idea of what works and what doesn't, and then we may have a clearer picture of what we should expect from continued treatments long term.


Can you treat my personal health concerns? Will acupuncture work for me?


Everyone I treat has an individually crafted treatment plan based on their symptoms and presentation in the clinic at the time of treatment. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan, and the same issue may be addressed very differently from one week to the next.


While acupuncture does work for most people, it does not work for everyone and every illness and disease in the same way. An important part of the treatment is the discussion of potential and expected outcomes - in some cases a resolution of symptoms is possible, in some cases it is not. Every case is taken as an individual, so please reach out if you would like to start that conversation.

Closing thoughts

I hope this has answered some of the questions you may have had about acupuncture. It is simultaneously a powerful and subtle form of medicine, with a broad range of effects and applications. Whether or not it is right for you is impossible to know for certain until you try it! Or, if you have any remaining questions or concerns, I am always happy to discuss those with you directly over the phone or through email. Feel free to call or write to discuss anything I have not covered in this post.

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