So, you have been avoiding acupuncture because of the fear of needles. When you think of acupuncture, you probably picture your blood drawn. Sizeable needle, tourniquet on your arm, the needle searching your vein… urgh, ouch, right?

Wrong!

Acupuncture is nothing like it, not even close, not even on the same planet. If you have to compare it with something, then compare it to all the numerous times when you had a needle stuck in your body and you didn’t even feel it!

“What is he talking about? When did I have a needle stuck in me and without me feeling it?”

It usually happens when you are enjoying a beautiful summer day outside. Suddenly, a red, itchy welt raises up on your skin. You were bit by mosquito and didn’t even feel it until it was gone! The itch is not important for this explanation – it came because of mosquito saliva. The important part is that you did not feel the actual bite, when she (all biting mosquitoes are females) stuck its needle-like proboscis under your skin!

The secret – mosquito proboscis is very thin. That’s why you don’t feel it at all. The rule of thumb is –thinner the needle, less you feel it. Just for comparison, average blood test needle is about 0.8 millimeter (0.0315 inch) in diameter. The average acupuncture needle is 4 times thinner, about 0.2 millimeter (0.00787 inch). The average mosquito proboscis is 3 times thinner than the acupuncture needle – 0.06 millimeter (0.00236 inches). Here is how they compare:

Needle type	Millimeters	Inches	Compare to other needles
Blood test	0.80	0.03150	4 acupuncture needles, 13 mosquito proboscises
Acupuncture	0.20	0.00787	3 mosquito proboscises
Mosquito proboscis (also – normal human hair)	0.06	0.00236

You can see that acupuncture needles are closer to mosquito proboscis than to the blood test needle. So, what does it mean for you and what will you feel during the acupuncture? You pretty much feel nothing when the needle is inserted in you body, arms and legs. You may feel a minor pinch-like feeling when a needle is inserted in your hand, foot, or ear. I am the real wuss, so believe me when I say that it is nothing to worry about. To take even that pinch away, some acupuncturists tell patients to exhale when they insert the needle in the extremities. For whatever reason it completely takes care of any pinch sensations that may be there.

How about the safety of the acupuncture needles? First, as it was mentioned, they are pretty thin. What kind of damage can a human hair cause? But in addition to that acupuncturists must take lots of anatomy to make sure they know where and how deep they can insert needles. Also, there is a reason why acupuncturists spend years studying specific points, and why all acupuncture atlases include tendons and muscles. Acupuncture practitioners must have Master degree, and they spend much of their study time learning where to put the needles! Needles are disposable, so you are in safe hands.

So, please don’t let the baseless fear of needles stop you (of your loved ones) from trying acupuncture. It is a safe and relatively inexpensive method of dealing with many ailments, from migraines and pain to allergies and fertility.

Contact practitioner Julia Shengaout for more information.

The treatment of infertility with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dates back over 2,000 years. These ancient, time-tested techniques improve fertility rates and support woman’s whole body, unlocking unlimited potential for health, healing and childbearing.

There is scientific evidence (e.g. “Acupuncture and women’s health” research from the International Journal of Women’s Health) showing that many reproductive issues may be addressed using acupuncture and TCM. In another study researchers from Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York concluded that acupuncture helps to:

• Increase blood flow to the uterus, which improves the chances of an ovum implanting on the uterine wall
• Reduce anxiety and stress. The hormones that are secreted due to stress can significantly decrease fertility.
• Normalize hormone and endocrine systems that regulate ovulation, especially in women with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome.
• Positively affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which plays a key role in fertility.
• Regulate the menstrual cycle.

This means that  acupuncture may help with many fertility problems. Also, as indicated in the 2008 study  in the British Medical Journal, acupuncture significantly increase the success of the traditional treatments like IVF.

If you are like me (and most people!), you might have avoided acupuncture because of the fear of needles. Don’t let it keep you from helping yourself – here is an article explaining why there’s nothing to be afraid about.

Contact us for more information!

So, you (or someone you love) have severe headaches or migraines that Excedrin can’t help. Throbbing pain, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and so on – you know the symptoms. You have visited specialists, had blood tests, maybe even MRI or CT scan. Nothing seems to be broken. So, your doctor prescribes you “The Pill” (triptans, ergots, maybe even opioids). Unfortunately, “The Pill” has its own side effects. So, despite all treatments, you still are not well.

Have you tried acupuncture?

Scientific evidence proves that acupuncture is effective for the relief of migraines headaches. Multiple clinical studies in our country and abroad (e.g. publication in Canadian Medical Association Journal, also article on treating cluster headaches in BMJ Health Reports) show that acupuncture has been verified both effective and safe for treatment of migraines.

Typically, it takes between 6 to 10 once-a-week sessions to recover from migraines. However, patients start to experience improvement with less intense and less frequent occurrence of migraines after first couple of treatments. Regular acupuncture visits can reduce stress and relax muscles of neck, shoulders and face, help with vascular spasms, normalize cerebrospinal fluid and so on, all which helps to control migraines. It regulates the free flow of energy in the whole body, which leads to increased body’s potential to heal itself.

If you are like me (and most people!), you might have avoided acupuncture because of the fear of needles. Don’t let it keep you from helping yourself – here is an article explaining why there’s nothing to be afraid about.

Contact us for more information. Also, use discount code “MigraineJan2019” to get 20% off acupuncture treatments in January, 2019.