Integrative Acupuncture Center

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine serving Ridgewood and Paramus, NJ

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How Acupuncture Helps – The Magic is in the Effects of the Needle

December 5, 2016 By Joshua Goldstein, Ridgewood Acupuncturist

The magic is in the effects of the needle!
The magic is in the effects of the needle!

How Acupuncture helps is a frequently asked questions that my patients ask me in my acupuncture office in Ridgewood, NJ in the Bergen County Area. I explain to the patients that there is nothing injected through the needle – no medications, no pain relievers, and no analgesic. It is a common misconception that acupuncture needling is similar to taking an aspirin or getting an injection as you would to alleviate pain. There are 3 “magical effects” of acupuncture to your body. Here they are:

 

Acupuncture increases the blood flow to the area of pain – One way how acupuncture helps is when the body is in pain, it constricts blood flow to the painful area. Without adequate blood flow, the body cannot heal itself quickly. By increasing the blood flow to the area, it helps to reduce this constriction, getting nutrients into the site of injury so your muscles and surrounding tissues can heal quicker.

Acupuncture increases nerve flow – Another way how acupuncture helps is by increasing nerve flow through neuro-vascular nodes, it can increase nerve flow to the area of pain. Stimulating an acupuncture point affects flow to the nerves of the body specifically to the area of pain. The acupuncture points actually connect to specific nerve pathways which can turn on or off nerves that are firing too much causing the pain.

Acupuncture causes the body to release pain relieving substances – The last way how acupuncture helps is as follows: Many patients ask me, is there any medication in the needles. This underscores the misconception that many people have about acupuncture. Unlike injection therapy, acupuncture sparks the body to heal itself. It stimulates the body to release substances that can reduce pain and act as natural pain killers. Acupuncture releases neurotransmitters, anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, and substance P. It does so by stimulating the endocrine system to release these substances so the body can get out of pain. Acupuncture needles attract natural steroids of the body to repair muscle tissues.

To get these results acupuncture must be used at a frequent enough intervals to get the body to self-correct. It is a lot different than taking an aspirin. In fact the number one reason people fail to see the results of acupuncture is that they get look at getting treated with acupuncture like they are taking a pain medication. Take two tablets and the pain is gone. Not so with acupuncture! Since acupuncture is making the body do the healing, it needs to be done regularly. Misguided patients simply don’t get the treatments long enough or frequent enough for a sustained push until the body recalibrates and settles back to normal so they give up. Remember, if you can reduce the pain with acupuncture and it keeps the pain down, the pain relief in the long run will be longer lasting than aspirin.

So in severe pain treating more is better. I usually recommend 3 times a week for 2 weeks then twice a week for 3 weeks. For more moderate pain, I recommend acupuncture twice a week until the pain is gone. The rule however for treating any type of pain is frequency. For stress relief or anxiety, acupuncture done once a week to twice a month is really helpful for maintenance.

So it is not the magic in the needle, rather it is the effects that the acupuncture needle has on the body that is magical!

Knowing how acupuncture helps the body makes it more understandable, but it does not diminish it’s magic abilities.

If you are interested in getting help for your specific health problem, we are here to help. Please call me for your 30 minute consultation so we can see if acupuncture is suitable for you. I am never too busy to help you.
Call now at 201-444-7150 or email me at integrativeacupuncturecenter@gmail.com



Filed Under: Acupuncture Tagged With: acupuncture, helps, how

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I returned to this office for pain related to a sports injury. I had pain in the upper body region from boxing and sparing and was not getting relief from the medications prescribed to me from the orthopedist. My most recent injury was preventing me from even raising my arm to brush my teeth as well… Read more
Donna, Haworth, NJ
I had an L-5 fracture in my back, a broken ankle and arthritis in both ankles. Pain also existed in my lower back and ankles. I was referred to Integrative Acupuncture from my brother, who is a chiropractor, and through his website. Since seeing Joshua, my sleeping is 80% better. My lower back pain … Read more
Jim, Ridgewood, NJ
I cannot begin to thank Joshua enough for his help. My experience and results with him were wonderful. He is not focused on just helping you ameliorate your specific problems, but he also looks at everything else going on with your body rather than just one piece of you. He genuinely wants to help y… Read more
Dee, Hewitt, NJ
When I first came into see Joshua, I had pain in my foot from running. Previously, I had tried icing, rest, and stretching. When I tried the services from Integrative Acupuncture Center, I noticed the results were incredibly helpful. After just two sessions all pain in the targeted area was gone and… Read more
Rosesann, Ramsey, NJ
I have suffered from headaches all of my life between four to five times per week. I have gone to physicians and have only been prescribed medications for my headaches. The results were always the same, and I always felt foggy due to the medication. I was referred to Joshua’s office through a frie… Read more
Anthony, Paramus, NJ
My experience with him was phenomenal. He [Joshua Goldstein] is very good at what he does and he has a very well rounded approach to helping. I would recommend him to anyone, especially if they suffer from stress or aches.
Anastasia, Fairlawn, NJ
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Integrative Acupuncture Center
69 West Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Phone: 201.444.7150

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