Acupuncture Origins

At the Bodyworks Clinic, we use a range of treatment methods to get you results. Medical Acupuncture, also known as dry needling, is just one of these treatment methods but why do we choose to use it?

Acupuncture is part of a series of disciplines used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). There are texts describing acupuncture in its summarization as early as the second century BC, then later describing channels, acupuncture points and needling techniques in more detail. We can see by this, that acupuncture is not a fad, instead a trusted method of bodywork which has withstood the test of time and been researched many, many times. What we use today is the refined end-product of millions of practitioners’ work that came before us.

Dry needling is a form of acupuncture without any addition of herbs or oils. We use a sterile, single use needle made of surgical steel to create an effect in the local area around the insertion point. There is a lot of research that supports the main effects of acupuncture as reduced pain and increased function of the area.

How does it work?

When we insert an acupuncture needle into the soft tissue of the body, it has an immediate effect on the surrounding area. By manipulating the needle with rotation or push/pull movements, we can create an effect in the collagenous layers (connective tissue) and allow them to realign via mechanical signals.

By needling a trigger point, you stimulate the nervous system which generates a lovely pain-relieving effect caused by releasing chemicals (neurotransmitters) across the whole pathway. They essentially settle/calm the nerve endings. These chemicals are all naturally occurring ones that circulate in your body anyway, but acupuncture enhances their effect.

 Who can have it?

Anyone can have acupuncture with a few excepts. You cannot have acupuncture if you are on any blood thinners or if you have uncontrolled diabetes which has resulted in numbness. In order to keep you safe, we need you to feel a needle going into you. Other contraindications are in line with general treatment.

As with all treatment, there is the risk of system overwhelm. In this case we call it needle shock and can happen to anyone where you break out in cold sweats. In this case, we stop treatment altogether, care for you and do not pursue with acupuncture as a treatment method for you.

Acupuncture can be used to treat a lot of chronic conditions like arthritic knees, tension in the upper back, headaches, calf strains and so much more.