Dr. Carol Revak, NMD

Your acupuncturist will likely needle points on the belly and back. Points on the lower leg may be used as the meridians that travel to the pelvic area start there. Points on the lower arm can be used to balance the lower leg points. Points on the head may also be included as they promote relaxation and lower stress.

The exact points used will be determined by your acupuncturist when s(he) identifies the pattern imbalance that underlies your fertility issue.

Acupuncture helps to relieve the chronic pain of neuropathy, as well as stimulates blood flow to help tissues recover from nerve damage. A small study published in 2007 in the European Journal of Neurology showed acupuncture to be more effective for improving symptoms of peripheral neuropathy than traditional medical care.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), one main function of acupuncture is the circulation of qi (energy) and blood throughout the body.

This claim was supported by a 2015 study using photoplethysmography (PPG), a technique used to detect blood volume changes in small blood vessels. The results published in Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits demonstrated that acupuncture induces “significant elevation of peripheral blood flow.” Modern studies continue to confirm the many positive benefits of acupuncture recognized by TCM for thousands of years.

An updated meta-analysis (data from 39 different trials) published in the Journal of Pain that included almost 21,000 patients concluded that “acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain, that the effects of acupuncture persist over time, and that the benefits of acupuncture cannot be explained away solely by the placebo effect”.

The mechanisms of pain relief with acupuncture continued to be studied and I have seen many people experience significant pain relief by using acupuncture.

Yes. Most health conditions can be treated at the same time with acupuncture, even if they seem unrelated. Arthritis, back pain and shoulder pain are easily treated at the same time. Local points may be used directly in the areas involved and points remote from the areas may also be used to treat any imbalances at the root level.

An achy feeling after the needles are inserted if often an indication that qi (energy) is doing its job of releasing stagnation in the acupuncture channel. Often the most tender points can give the best benefit.

However, if a blood vessel, nerve or tendon is punctured with a needle, there can be temporary discomfort from the irritation but this is usually experienced as a sharp pain or tingling sensation.

Often mild redness around the needles is a sign that the qi is doing its job of clearing out what is called a "pathogenic factor". However, if the rash is more than a temporary redness at the needle sites, it's possible that you had a reaction to the metal and you can certainly request different needles to test this.

Actually that's an important question and you are smart to be informed of this before your first session. All acupuncture needles are sterile and single-use only. Needles are disposed of in sharps containers after their use.

Acupuncture can be done throughout the entire pregnancy. Be sure to choose an acupuncturist who is familiar with treating pregnant women, however, as certain acupuncture points are forbidden during pregnancy as they can stimulate uterine contractions

There are a variety of different acupuncture protocols used for weight loss. A popular one recommends 2 to 3 sessions a week for 4-6 weeks. However, it is possible that you could reach your weight loss goal in fewer treatments. After your weight goal is achieved, sometimes it is helpful to return for maintenance sessions at 1 or 2 per month.

Typical sessions can last from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on the condition being treated, the style of acupuncture being done and the vitality of the person receiving acupuncture.

I have seen the same needle placement energize a person after a treatment and cause fatigue in that same person after another treatment. That is because the body needs something different in each session. Acupuncture moves qi and blood, cleanses the body and helps eliminate toxins and waste. Depending on the body's needs, fatigue can be part of the normal healing process and a positive sign that acupuncture is working.

When treating a chronic condition, results can happen more quickly, go deeper and last longer when a person commits to a series. This could be 1-2 sessions a week for 4-6 weeks. After the series has ended, then once a month could be part of a maintenance program.

Sources disagree on this 'point'!

While traditional Chinese practitioners consider there to be as many as 2,000 acupuncture points, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified 361 acupuncture points in a report developed in 1991. That being said, there is a smaller subset of points traditionally used by acupuncturists as many of these very important points have multiple actions in the body.

Both acupuncture and daith piercing involve puncturing the skin, but there are some notable differences. In a typical acupuncture treatment, sterile, stainless steel needles are inserted to a depth of 1/4” to 1”. In a daith piercing, metal jewelry perforates through the ear cartilage.

For relief of migraines, several studies provide positive evidence for acupuncture, while that for daith piercing is purely anecdotal. A review of 22 trials involving almost 5,000 people revealed that acupuncture reduced the frequency of migraine headaches with effects similar to preventive medications. Headaches were reduced by more than half in almost 60% of participants.

Including lack of studies in daith piercing, medical professionals cite issues such as successful point location without the extensive training received by acupuncturists and the potential for infection. That being said, some migraine sufferers have reported benefit with daith piercings, but please keep the potential risks in mind.

There is a long tradition in Chinese medicine of treating joint pain and fatigue.

Lupus along with other arthralgias belong to the category of ‘bi syndrome’. The goal of acupuncture in treating bi syndrome is to restore qi and blood flow in the channels to relieve pain, numbness, swelling of joints. Acupuncture can also improve energy to relieve fatigue.

You have taken an important first step in determining the source of your son’s shoulder pain. His pediatrician helped to eliminate the likely causes - problems with the shoulder joint, or muscles, ligaments, or tendons around the shoulder. Since this provided no clear answers, it may be time for some extra detective work so your son can return to playing the sport he loves!

Has the pediatrician considered other causes besides the obvious ones? Sometimes the cause of shoulder pain can be referred pain from something else going on in the body. The Mayo Clinic website lists over 20 potential causes of bilateral (both sides) shoulder pain.

If no physical cause can be found, are there any challenges, like bullying for example, that your son has encountered outside the house that would cause him not to want to venture outside?

Maybe a more comprehensive physical/emotional health exam with blood work would be helpful. If the pediatrician defers further exams, then perhaps seek out another GP.

Acupuncture shouldn’t be received be someone with a pacemaker or seizure disorder. It is not recommended to receive acupuncture if a person is intoxicated (drugs or alcohol). Also, avoid with a skin disorder, skin infection or bleeding problems from a condition such as hemophilia or on blood thinners.

Although there are great acupoints that can be needled in pregnancy, there are several points contraindicated in pregnancy.

Yes, there is a very long and successful history of using Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, herbs, body treatments such as cupping, etc) to treat the common cold and flu.

Acupuncture can be used along with other medications (natural supplements, herbs or pharmaceuticals) in treating a cold. There are acupuncture points that build the body’s resistance to disease and boost the immune system. Other points direct their action in relieving symptoms such as congestion, cough, headache, body aches, sore throat and fever.

Some of the points that treat the common cold are contraindicated in pregnancy, so it is important for a woman to inform the acupuncturist if she is pregnant.

I am assuming that before your acupuncture sessions for tight tendons, you had pain and restriction but no numbness. From your question, it seems that the numbness occurred after receiving the acupuncture sessions.

It is not uncommon to initially feel slight discomfort (numbness, tingling, spreading, heaviness) during acupuncture treatments. This transient sensation is a signal that the qi is doing it’s job of clearing away stagnation in the channels - a therapeutic response.

Sometimes needling into a tendon, blood vessel or nerve can produce discomfort as a result of the needling technique and is not a part of the therapeutic qi response. This is usually minor and resolves when the needle(s) are withdrawn.

Because the discomfort you describe has persisted over a week after your last session, it is possible that there was some mild irritation caused by needling. Numbness is most often caused by damage, irritation of compression of nerves.

Your description of the sensations are not severe (mild pain, almost numb), so it is likely no serious damage was done. You can try the following to help accelerate the healing process.

There are several essential oils that possess anti-inflammatory properties and also relieve nerve pain. Some of these include lavender, sweet marjoram, peppermint and many, many more (Check the internet for more options). Be sure to do a skin test patch of the oil you choose before applying it to your arm and dilute it in a carrier oil. Do once a day or every other day.

Hot and cold hydrotherapy could help. Plunge your arm into a basin containing hot water (don’t burn yourself!) and leave for 3 minutes. Then immediately plunge your arm into a basin containing cold water. Leave for 1 minute. Immediately repeat the process two more times. This will stimulate circulation and promote the repair process. Do this once a day.