Jeff Rippey

It's easier to list the conditions or issues where acupuncture is NOT a good choice:

1. If a person has severe, life-threatening infection (bacterial, viral, fungal), acupuncture and Chinese medicine are not a good choice.

2. If someone suffers severe, life-threatening trauma like a stab wound, gunshot or car accident, acupuncture isn't a good choice. Conventional medicine excels at the preservation of life in the face of severe trauma.

3. If someone has cancer, acupuncture can sometimes have a dramatic effect on 1 year and 5 year survival rates when used as an adjunct to chemotherapy, but Chinese medicine on its own is not a good choice.

4. If a person has pain due to severe degradation of one or more joints, acupuncture can help to manage things but joint replacement or fusion surgery is sometimes the best long-term answer.

For almost everything else acupuncture is an excellent treatment option. For some issues, acupuncture is a superior treatment option. There is something like 120 health issues where we have either strong or moderate evidence for acupuncture's effectiveness in treatment.

To get the best possible outcome, please make sure you're seeing a board certified and state licensed acupuncturist. If you're not in CA, start with the "Find a Practitioner" link at NCCAOM.org.

Acupuncture in the hands of a board certified and state licensed acupuncturist is very safe. There are a few side-effects and adverse events, but these happen very rarely. Acupuncture needles are solid (filiform), we are not introducing any substances to the body.

You may experience some light-headedness, dizziness or tiredness just after the needles are removed. Take your time moving/getting up after treatment. This usually goes away fairly quickly, and having a light snack just prior to or just after your appointment will help.

Sometimes the needle site will itch for a few hours after treatment. It happens because of a histamine response initiated by your immune system due to the needle.

Occasionally a patient will experience syncope while the needles are in. This is fainting or loss of consciousness due to the needles. It happens more often in people that have a strong fear of needles, but anyone can experience the issue at any time - and it's not just acupuncture needles that cause it hypodermics and blood draws can also result in fainting. Your acupuncturist shouldn't insert any needles until you're laying down on a treatment table and should stay in the room for a few minutes after insertion to make sure everything is ok.

Sometimes the needle may nick a capillary bed or small vein. If this happens, there may be some local swelling or bruising. This typically resolves in a couple of days.

Very rarely the needle may get a little too close to a nerve causing sharp pain. It's important for acupuncturists to solicit feedback as needles causing sharp pain need to be removed or repositioned. If you are experiencing sharp pain after the needle has been in for a few seconds, speak up and make sure your provider moves the needle.

Needling over the chest or abdomen carries a risk of organ puncture. The lungs are most susceptible.

Technically, infection is a risk. However, almost all US acupuncturists utilize single-use factory sterilized needles. These needles are used once on one patient and then discarded in an appropriate container.

For the best, and safest results, make sure you're seeing a state licensed, board certified acupuncturist. These are people who attended 3-4 years of school for Chinese medicine and acupuncture, been certified in Clean Needle Technique and passed a set of nationally recognized board exams. If you aren't in CA, go to NCCAOM.org and use their "Find a Practitioner" lookup to get some providers in your area.

Acupuncture does have some after effects like lightheadedness or tiredness, which can sometimes occur. Usually, having a meal either just before or just after treatment will alleviate those issues. Without knowing what you were being treated for and what you felt post treatment, it's hard to say, but generally, no, we don't expect people to feel worse after acupuncture. I have two suggestions:

1. There are a lot of providers in the US currently who are providing acupuncture-like treatments without having attended school for Chinese medicine. These people are well intentioned, but do not have a full grasp of Chinese diagnostics. If you happened to see someone who is not licensed as an acupuncturist in your state, I recommend you start with NCCAOM.org's "Find a Practitioner" look up and find a board certified, state licensed acupuncturist in your area.

2. If you did see a provider who is licensed as an acupuncturist, talk to them and give them feedback about how your treatment went and what you felt like afterwards. This may help them to adjust their diagnosis and make the next treatment more effective for you.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine do not work like conventional medicine. For an issue like anxiety, there are a variety of potential causes in the Chinese model and there are likely other factors which will make your particular presentation of this issue unique to you. Part of the Chinese diagnostic process is to figure all this out and come up with a treatment plan specific to your presentation.

In addition, there may be lifestyle factors like diet which may have an impact on how you experience your anxiety. Making lifestyle changes would therefore have an impact on how quickly you might notice changes.

A good rule of thumb is: for chronic conditions (something you've been experiencing for more than about 3 months or so), you're probably looking at 6-8 treatments. You might notice changes sooner, but that's a good ballpark.

Please make sure you're seeing someone licensed as an acupuncturist in your state. If you're not in CA, you can start with the "Find a Practitioner" lookup at NCCAOM.org.

Yes, acupuncture can help with migraine. I've treated several patients with migraines/chronic headaches and been very successful in those cases. For best results, please make sure you're seeing a licensed acupuncturist in your state. If you aren't in CA, you can start with the "Find a Practitioner" lookup at NCCAOM.org.

If you're seeing a licensed acupuncturist, yes, acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain.

If you're not in CA, you can find a board certified and state licensed acupuncturist in your area by using the "Find a Practitioner" link at NCCAOM.org.

Acupuncture will most likely be able to relieve your back pain. If you've not already had x-rays taken, it's a good idea to start with your primary care physician and have some imaging done. As long as there's nothing structurally wrong, acupuncture is an excellent choice for first line treatment of back pain (and endorsed by the American College of Physicians).

Make sure you're seeing a state licensed, board certified acupuncturist. If you're not in CA, you can find someone local by using the "Find a Practitioner" link at NCCAOM.org.

Acupuncture can be very effective in the management of arthritis pain - both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. There are a couple of good studies available:

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2018.0297?fbclid=IwAR2YHfKaMQaFz23rnZ0623NeFzOYuZSbivZuauwcSXk0RyL9aru2EZ61O68

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29198932/?fbclid=IwAR13kQ-RZxzAZOdSg6fK38fALMRf-lUqDf1NVYUHbWptMIKBeZS1Psp7-KY

For the best effect, please make sure you're seeing a licensed acupuncturist in your state. If you're not in CA, you can use the "Find a Practitioner" link at NCCAOM.org to find a provider local to you.

It's hard to say. Some people experience immediate results from an acupuncture treatment and some people have to receive a few treatments before they start noticing any changes.

For pain patients I'm typically able to get some reduction on an initial treatment. This reduction tends to last 24-48 hours and the pain will start to come back. Usually by the 3rd or 4th treatment, patients are able to go several days with either decreased pain or no pain.

Most studies show acupuncture has a dose dependency - meaning that, to a point, more treatment is going to yield better results. These studies show that, on average, around 8 treatments produces a pain lowering effect that can persist for roughly 12 months.

In other words, acupuncture is very unlikely to be a "one and done" type of treatment. It can and does happen, but it's unusual when it does. There are a lot of factors which can affect how quickly you might see results and how long those results will last. Those factors include: the specific nature of your issue, how long you've been experiencing the issue, whether there are lifestyle adjustments which can be made that will affect your issue and how well you make those lifestyle adaptations.

Yes, chronic fatigue usually responds well to acupuncture treatment. I've worked with several patients that have this diagnosis and I'm usually able to get good results for them.

For the best possible outcome, please make sure you're seeing a licensed acupuncturist in your state. If you're not in CA, you can use the "Find a Practitioner" link at NCCAOM.org to find a provider local to you.

There are lots of different systems of acupuncture and each one will have a slightly different approach to a given health issue. Generally speaking we can boil these systems down to two categories:

1. Systems that treat locally.
2. Systems that treat distally.

Local systems will place needles in the area where you are experiencing the issue - in this case, your neck.

Distal systems will place needles elsewhere on the body, mostly avoiding the area where you are experiencing the issue.

I practice a distal style of acupuncture and get great results on neck pain by needling at the ankle.

I have colleagues that practice local acupuncture and get great results by needling in the local area.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine differ from conventional medicine in many respects and one of them is: we utilize individualized treatments. Each patient is evaluated separately and a treatment plan is tailored to that individual. We do not have treatment protocols like conventional medicine where every patient with a particular complaint receives the same treatment.

The most important thing is this: for the best results you need to see someone who is licensed as an acupuncturist in your state. If you're not in CA, a good place to go to find a local provider is the "Find a Practitioner" link at NCCAOM.org.

I'm sorry to hear what you're going through.

The Chinese medical model recognizes a relationship between organ function and emotional state. We often do very well treating conditions like depression using this approach.

I've never personally worked with post-breakup issues and none of my local colleagues have worked with them either. Here's what I'd suggest: shop around a bit and find a psychologist/therapist you feel like you can work with. If you're not in CA, go to the "Find a Practitioner" lookup at NCCAOM.org and get some local acupuncturists. If you can find one, you're looking for someone who practices 5-element acupuncture - they focus on emotional aspects of health and illness.

The combination of therapy and acupuncture will probably get you where you want to be faster than either therapy or acupuncture alone.

Assuming both you and your husband have been through some conventional testing and there are no structural issues or sperm number/quality issues, then, yes, acupuncture can probably help.

Exactly what the mechanism of action is for acupuncture in fertility is still a little unclear. What we do know is that:

1. Acupuncture promotes the 'rest and digest' portion of the autonomic nervous system. This helps lower stress and associated stress hormones which can sometimes interfere with fertility.

2. Acupuncture dilates blood vessels and promotes blood flow. This helps to bring nourishment to internal organs which can also be a benefit with fertility issues.

When dealing with fertility issues, you really want to see someone who is licensed as an acupuncturist in your state and who specializes in fertility issues. If you're not in CA, I'd suggest starting with the "Find a Practitioner" look up at NCCAOM.org.

How acupuncture works in depression is still an open question. We have several studies showing acupuncture is as effective as prozac in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Some studies appear to show acupuncture having a regulatory effect on serotonin along with several other neurotransmitters. I work a lot with depression and anxiety patients. They usually get very good results without the cost or side effects of the standard medications. If you're not in CA, I'd suggest you start with NCCAOM.org's "Find a Practitioner" to look up some acupuncturists near you.

Yes, acupuncture can probably help reduce your back pain. In fact, acupuncture along with several other non-invasive treatments are now first-line recommendations for back pain according to the American College of Physicians. If you're not in CA, go out to NCCAOM.org and use their "Find a Practitioner" to look up a list of acupuncturists near you.

Acupuncture, when performed by a licensed acupuncturist, is generally very safe. Like any medical procedure though, there are some risks:

1. There is sometimes bruising or itching at the needle site. Light bruising or swelling typically resolves in a day or two. Itching goes away in a couple of hours.

2. Rarely there may be heavier bleeding or pain at the needle site. You should inform your acupuncturist of any needle that remains painful after the initial insertion so they can either remove or reposition the needle.

3. Very rarely, there is risk of organ puncture. The lungs are the most susceptible to this kind of damage. Licensed acupuncturists who graduated from the various schools of Chinese medicine are well trained in avoiding this particular issue.

4. Very rarely there may be longer lasting pain around the needle site. This pain may last a week or two. Again, feedback is important. Tell your provider about any unusual sensations so they can adjust the treatment if necessary.

5. Very, very rarely, there is a risk of infection. I've only ever heard of this happening one time, in Canada, before we all started using single use disposable, factory sterilized needles.

I've been practicing acupuncture for quite a while and have inserted tens of thousands of needles. The single biggest issue my patients report is short term itching.

Your provider should explain all the risks and benefits to you as part of their intake. They should also explain all the potential sensations you might experience from the needles so that you can provide feedback during and after the treatment.

A lot depends on the specific mental illness. For things like depression, anxiety and PTSD acupuncture has a very good track record and compares favorably against most of the prescription medications typically used in these conditions.

For things like schizophrenia, or other more complicated issues, acupuncture can be of benefit when combined with conventional pharmaceutical therapy and/or psychotherapy.

One of acupuncture's effects is to lower or normalize blood pressure. If you are a hypertensive patient, the combination of the drug and the acupuncture may have lowered your blood pressure too far which can result in some mild dizziness - especially when going from laying/seated to standing.

If you're not a hypertensive patient, then no, it's probably not normal. I suggest you have a discussion with your acupuncture provider and describe what happened after your treatment. It may help them to adjust their treatment in order to avoid future occurrences.

When it comes to pain management, the best evidence we have is that acupuncture is basically doing four things:

1. Stimulating the release of endogenous opiate peptides. These are opiate-like molecules that the body creates and releases when pain arises.

2. Stimulates the brain to build more opiate receptors. This provides more binding sides for the endogenous opiates resulting in faster and longer lasting pain relief.

3. Regulates a set of neurotransmitters which are responsible for transmitting pain signals in the brain and spinal cord.

4. Changes the way the pre-frontal cortex of the brain processes pain information.

When performed by a licensed acupuncturist, the procedure is usually very safe. That doesn't mean there aren't risks. Here are some of the potential problems:

1. Swelling, bruising or itching around the needle site. Swelling and bruising are generally very mild and resolve in a day or two. Itching is a very common experience and resolves in an hour or two.

2. Pain at the needle site. This happens occasionally and usually means the needle is a little too close to either a nerve or a capillary bed. If a needle remains sharply painful after insertion, tell your provider and have them either move or remove the needle.

3. When needles are placed over the chest or abdomen, there is a risk of organ puncture. The lungs are the most susceptible to this particular issue.

4. Very rarely, infection can be a concern. Most licensed acupuncturists utilize single use, factory sterilized needles and, in this case, infection risk is very low.

Anyone licensed as an acupuncturist has attended and graduated from a school of Chinese medicine, carries a clean needle certification (CNT) and, outside of CA, is NCCAOM board certified. We have a great deal of training in how to safely and cleanly insert and remove needles. We're also required to keep that training up to date through continuing education.

Where you're rolling the dice is with a non-acupuncturist provider like a PT or a chiropractor. They do not receive the same level of training, do not carry national board certification in the insertion/removal of needles and are not required to maintain these skills through continuing education.