Does acupuncture hurt?

Most often, you do not feel the needles go in at all. Occasionally, you will feel a slight pinch or sting when they are inserted. And occasionally, they do hurt, and they must be adjusted. Mostly, people feel very relaxed during a session, and fall asleep or in and out of sleep, and lose track of time. Often people report feeling much more relaxed after a session, or shortly after the points are put in. Some people report the feeling of floating, or sinking deeply in to the table.

What are the needles like?

The needles are about the width of a strand of hair. They are flexible. They are meant to bend easily without breaking, and they are not hollow like a hypodermic needle. If this helps, I didn’t become a nurse, because I’m a big fat wuss when it comes to needles!!! But acupuncture needles are teeny and not scary. Alot of us refer to them as “pins”.

What can acupuncture treat?

The short answer is, anything! Acupuncture is one modality, or branch, of the larger medicine known as Chinese or East Asian medicine. As a system of medicine, it can treat anything. It is known for seeing the “Big Picture” and how all parts of the body and all systems are related. It is also known for correcting the root of the problem, so many related symptoms (or branches from the root) are resolved together.

Acupuncture is best known for treating pain, fertility, and digestive disorders. It is medically proven to be effective for pain and fertility, and nausea as well as many other issues. I commonly treat pain, fertility, allergies, the common cold, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, Bell’s Palsy, migraines, fybromyalgia, anxiety, depression, amongst many other things. Acupuncture is great for treating misunderstood conditions such as chronic, auto-immune type disorders.

Why did you become an Acupuncturist, Nancy?

My own chronic pain, and the misunderstanding of it was what led me to Chinese Medicine. I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, a painful bladder condition, at 22 years old, 2 years after suffering the symptoms of the disease, poor medical care, and severe side effects from medication. Finally a wonderful, caring doctor admitted that there was nothing else he could do for me, and he recommended a nutritionist, Renee Simon. (She’s wonderful - if you are in the NY/Westchester area, check her out!) When I saw Renee, she explained how lifestyle and diet changes would help, and she said “If this isn’t enough, try Acupuncture.”

This was around 2000. I had never had acupuncture before, I didn’t know anyone who did, and I hated needles! A few years later, I was making a career change and considering massage therapy schools. One school, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, kept popping up in my searches. I was intrigued, and decided to visit. They signed me up to sit in on a Chinese Medicine Theory class. I sat in on the class, and fell in love. I was home! I immediately got my first Acupuncture treatment an applied for school.

The diet therapy, acupuncture, meditation, herbal therapy all helped me manage my IC pain symptoms to a point where they are nearly gone. Most importantly, Chinese Medicine helped me understand my pain symptoms, how and why they have changed over the years, and how they are related to other digestive and emotional symptoms I experience. This knowledge and knew perspective empowered me to both understand my symptoms, and treat them effectively, without the side effects of medication. But with the “side effects” of better sleep, better digestion, better moods, and much more peace of mind.

What is AcuRolling?

What is AcuRolling? AcuRolling is Yamuna Body Rolling, infused with the wisdom of Chinese Medicine. The basis of the work is Yamuna Body Rolling, which I have studied for almost 20 years. Body Rolling is a combination of self-massage, body alignment, breathwork, bone stimulation, lymph drainage and myo-fasical release. Since the Body Rolling routines happen to follow the acupuncture channels very closely, I consider it a form of acupressure, and infuse my knowledge of East Asian into my classes. This helps my students more fully understand the connections in their own bodies, and all of the incredible things Yamuna Body Rolling offers!